Question Summary:
is it permissible to develop and maintain a website which someone might use to cheat other people?

Question Detail:

Mohataram Janaab Mufti Sahab,
As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah..

My work is to develop & host websites.
Is is permissible to develop, host & maintain website for someone who may use website to cheat other people?

Person might cheat other people in following ways using the website...

1) They will advertise to earn monthly 500$ just by doing some simple data entry work that they will provide after reigstration.
2) They will charge 100$ for registration.
3) Initially they will give some money to registered users, but after sometime when enough users registered they will close the website and business.
  OR they will find errors in the data entry work done by registered users and will not pay them because of errors.

Is it permissible for me to develop this kind of data entry work website, which might be used for cheating other people?

Remember me in your duas,
Was Salaam

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
 
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
 
It will be permissible for you to develop such a website for this person. This is because you are merely developing and hosting the website. What he does with it is up to him. You mentioned that he may use the website to cheat other people. If he does, you advise the person against it because it is morally wrong and goes against the spirit of Shariah. [1] [2] [3] [4]
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
 
Mawlana Saanwal ibn Muhammad,
UK
Student Darul Iftaa
 
Checked and Approved by,