CII Chairman Clarifies VPN Remarks; Typo Blamed for Misunderstanding
The Chairman of Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, has clarified that his controversial remarks declaring Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) “un-Islamic” stemmed from a typo error.
During a press conference on November 20, following a council meeting, Dr. Naeemi clarified that the proclamation issued on November 15 mistakenly omitted the word “not,” leading to the belief that VPN technology itself was deemed un-Islamic.
“We think there is a typo mistake in which the word of ‘not’ was left out because of which this issue was further exacerbated. However, I want to state that no one declared VPNs forbidden or impermissible as per Sharia,” Dr. Naeemi said, clarifying that the statement was a reflection of his personal opinions based on past decisions of the council.
Dr. Naeemi explained the council’s position during the press conference, emphasizing that VPN technology, like any tool, is not inherently un-Islamic. Instead, the use of such tools must align with Islamic teachings.
“It is a common observation that VPN apps are used to achieve various purposes while using the internet. No VPN, software, or any app is illegal or un-Islamic in itself, but rather their correct and incorrect use is governed by Islamic rulings,” he said.
Dr. Naeemi highlighted that VPNs are permissible for legitimate uses such as communication, education, or commerce. He encouraged adherence to government regulations, including the preference for registered VPNs.
He added that using VPNs for legitimate purposes, such as communication, education, or commercial activities, is permissible under Sharia as long as they comply with government regulations. He advised individuals to use registered VPNs over unregistered ones to ensure lawful and ethical usage.
Dr. Naeemi explained that using VPNs to access blasphemous, immoral, or illegal content would indeed be impermissible under Islamic law. He urged administrative measures to curb such misuse while enabling the positive use of technology.
“The council believes that simply banning modern means is not the solution to the problems, but at the same time, it is also necessary to take steps to enable the positive use of these means or to present a suitable alternative to them,” he added.
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