Contract of letting electronic domains: A Fiqhi Study

Abstract

The paper deals with the definition of the term electronic domain, the jurisprudential description of this issue, and the ruling of renting it in Islamic jurisprudence and other related provisions. It aims at clarifying the meaning of electronic domain, the official authorities concerned with its registration in the world, and showing the jurisprudential ruling of renting electronic domains, etc. This research follows the analytical descriptive approach, through studying one essential components of any website, i.e. (electronic domain).

Findings of the papers include the fact that the idea of ​​ domain names of websites started about the mid-eighties, and the domain name is considered a URL “an address that identifies websites and virtual pages on the Internet". The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is an international non-profit organization responsible for organizing the registration process of websites. Domain names belong to their owners and are subject to copyright laws. Being copyrighted, the owners of URLs can manage it, sell it (for it is a valuated property) and rent it, in line with Sahri’ah principles.