The Relationship between the Cybercrime Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2007 and Islamic Law

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the relationship between the Saudi Anti-Cybercrime Law of 2007 and Islamic law in light of the increasing prevalence of cybercrimes and the legal, security, and ethical challenges they pose. The research problem focused on the extent to which the provisions and objectives of the law are consistent with the principles and objectives of Islamic law in addressing emerging cybercrimes. The research adopts the descriptive-comparative approach by analyzing the objectives and provisions of the law and comparing them with relevant Islamic legal texts and jurisprudential principles. The findings revealed a clear compatibility between the Anti-Cybercrime Law and the objectives of Islamic law in preserving religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property. The study also showed that the law’s objectives related to information security, digital rights protection, public interest, and the national economy are consistent with Islamic principles. Furthermore, the study confirmed that the criminalization of eavesdropping, blackmail, threats, electronic forgery and destruction, privacy violations, defamation, cyber fraud, identity theft, unauthorized access hacking, and network disruption is in line with the provisions of Islamic Sharia aimed at protecting rights, preventing harm, and promoting security and stability within society. The study recommends strengthening public awareness programs on cybersecurity and the ethical use of technology, continuing the development of cybercrime legislation in line with technological advancements while maintaining its consistency with the objectives of Islamic law, and conducting further comparative and field studies on cybercrime and the level of legal and Sharia awareness related to it.