Two Holy Mosques Scholar Declares Looking at Someone’s Phone Without Permission Is Haram

Key Takeaways

• Looking at someone’s phone without permission is religiously impermissible
• The act is considered a violation of privacy akin to spying
• The ruling differs if the phone owner explicitly consents

Sheikh Professor Dr. Saad bin Turki Al-Khathlan, a Professor of Sharia at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and a teacher at the Two Holy Mosques, has warned against the common practice of glancing at another person’s mobile phone screen without their consent, declaring it religiously impermissible.

In a video, Sheikh Al-Khathlan explained that a mobile phone possesses complete privacy that must be respected.

“This is not permissible if the owner of the phone does not consent, as this is a type of spying,” he stated, referencing the Quranic injunction in Surah Al-Hujurat (49:12) which forbids spying.

He emphasized that the device’s screen and contents are private and cannot be viewed by others without explicit approval.

The scholar clarified that the ruling changes only if the phone owner gives clear permission.

“If he is satisfied, such as if the clip is shared or he opens it with the intention that someone next to him can see it, then there is nothing wrong with that.

But if he is not satisfied, then it is not permissible to look at it, because that is a violation of privacy,” he elaborated.

This fatwa comes amid frequent observations of such behavior in public spaces like public transport and waiting areas, where individuals may inadvertently or intentionally view private messages and personal information on nearby screens.

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