Monday, 6 April 2026 (18 Shawwal 1447 AH)
Question: Is it permissible to lease a house to a man to live in with his family, while the preponderant assumption is that they will not refrain from listening to music?
And is it permissible to lease a hotel while knowing they place in every room a television with many channels, some of which contain indecency?
Answer—and Allah grants success: It is permissible to lease the house and the hotel in the cases mentioned in the question; this is not cooperation upon a prohibited matter.
There are two cases in which leasing is not permissible:
1- That it be stated in the contract: “I lease the house for singing and dancing.”
2- That singing is the very purpose of the lease—for example, he leases the house knowing that he only took it to sell wine therein, or to make it a hall for singing and music.
What is mentioned in the question appears to be that leasing the house is for the purpose of residing in it, not for singing; and the purpose of leasing the hotel is the profits realized; what occurs therein of music, neglect of prayer, and the like is not intended.
As for what is intended by leasing it for a prohibited purpose, that is not permissible. It is not permissible to lease a hotel room to two fornicators, and the like, or for drinking wine therein, or the like. This accords with the jurists of the school.
Similar to what we have mentioned is selling radios, tape recorders, and televisions.
Source: Min Thimār al-ʿIlm wa al-Ḥikmah vol.2