Q1015: Should the author of a book or the creator of a painting, drawing, calligraphy, computer software etc which are all works of the creators’ minds and senses reserve the right to publish and reproduce or to prevent the reproduction of their works for ever? What if they do not reserve the right?

A: One is allowed to prevent the reproduction and publication of their works for ever, because such works are considered as their property, and they have the right to handle it as they wish; and it will be illegal for others to publish or reproduce one’s work of art etc. without their permission because this counts as taking the possession of their personal property; one’s work is seen as valuable and respectable and many a private individual or public body decide to reserve the rights for the publication of such works in order to keep them unique; even if the author has not reserved the right but it is understood, based on the common laws of a society, that such works should not be published without the permission of the author, it will not be permissible to publish their works, and common conventions and laws establish the rights for authors.

Q1016: What is the case of publishing foreign books without any alterations and changes, and publishing the translated versions of such books without the permission of their authors?

A: If the author has not reserved the rights, it will be permissible to do so, unless the government of the Islamic Republic prevents the publishers from doing so due to their commitment to some international conventions.