Fiqh of Entertainment

Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah al Ameen momento de de de de la yo Miki,

indigo pleasee, jute, Allah subhana wa Taala. And we asked him to send his peace and blessings upon the mercy to this universe, the final messenger Muhammad, and to everybody who follows his wayward righteousness. Lastly,

the topic I have chosen to discuss today is the issues related to entertainment in Islam.

This topic is one that comes up when many of the young Muslims

they seem to have this understanding that having fun is not permitted for the believer. And this understanding is something which drives them away from practicing Islam, as they begin to find Islam very constraining and difficult upon themselves. So what we'll be looking at, in this short video is

some of the proofs as to what is the Islamic position towards entertainment, which is halau, which is haram, and what is recommended.

We need to begin by examining the attitude of people towards entertainment.

Now, among those who live a worldly life, without any attachment to the religion, the understanding of entertainment is that this is what life is all about.

Many people live their lives for anything, they want to have fun, and even do the work and they earn money. But the money is so they can purchase more means of entertainment. If they have a television, they are working harder to buy a bigger television. If you have a car with a radio in it, they want to buy a radio with mp3 player. If it has an mp3 player, they want to buy a DVD player for the car. If they have the PlayStation two, they want to buy the PlayStation three. So it's always about more for getting more entertainment and enjoying life more. This is the attitude of those who are caught up in the dunya among the Muslims and non Muslims, and this is a very destructive attitude, as it is

that distracts us from the purpose of life. Allah subhana wa Allah created us to primarily worship and obey Him. And if we are distracted 24 hours by making money and then using the money to have fun, what happens is that we now do not have time to worship Allah. And so when you find people, when you tell them to join you for an Islamic project, the first excuses we don't have time, if they have time to watch three hours of movies every day, and three, four hours of video games every day, but you don't have one hour of the day to devote to Allah subhanho wa Taala. And this is a very dangerous position to be in. It is these type of people who Allah subhana wa Taala speaks about in

the Quran. In the Gospel, when he says, allow

the competition to gather the nice things in this world has distracted you until you visit the griefs meaning until you die.

Only when you come to know the reality. Definitely then only when you come to know the reality. Allah continues in the sutra, and he says that these people who spend their entire lives chasing after the dunya. And now when they die unless is later on.

He would see the hairdryer with the own eyes, and that the your motors alone and in him on that day, I asked him about the good things he gave them in this world what they do with them. So it is very important for us that while we as humans want to have fun, we should not allow this to distract us from our purpose in life. We need to prioritize and realize that the purpose we're allowed to eat at us is to worship Him. And so this should always be a priority. As to the idea of just having fun and enjoying life and making money. This is not an Islamic understanding of the world.

The Islamic understanding however, is not the opposite extreme.

The Muslims who go to the opposite extreme and see that you are only to worship Allah. So, there is no such thing as entertainment and there is no such thing as having fun, but this is a misunderstanding, this is a wrong understanding of Islam.

And the correct attitude of a Muslim is

at this point the picture, He created us with natural inclinations towards good or evil and is natural in this region, which is against our fitrah

that is part of human nature is accommodated for any slot and so, to the human need for recreation is also accommodated. And we find that Islam allows people to enjoy themselves, but in ways that are wholesome and pure in ways that

if we look at the principles or pick one of the principles or pick when it comes to things of this world,

everything is permissible, unless you have proof that it is prohibited,

everything is permissible, unless you have proof that it is prohibited. And this applies to forms of entertainment as well. Those forms of entertainment which are clearly prohibited in the Quran or industry law or by analogy, these are the prohibited forms, but everything else is permissible as long as they fulfill basic criteria. Now, the question is some people bring forth and they say that this narration prohibits all forms of entertainment except three

is two versions one says three one says for the narration is that

all of the things of this world all of the recreation recreational things of this world are bought in avoid a waste of time except for three in one edition is three the others is four. And the prophets Larson described him as Archie was riding and swimming generation the fourth one is added wrestling.

For some schools based on this nation seeded these four The only permissible types of entertainment

in his era along with de Marbella was Ali Rahim Allah gives a very good response to this analog ghazali mentions that just because these few are mentioned in one Hadees does not necessarily mean other forms all Hara because there are many other nations that the proper slaw use alone and the Sahaba in detail themselves in other ways not mentioned in this Hadees the proper pillows that used to raise his wife on foot and they used to watch people play with the swords in the masjid and they used to have competitions with watermelon seeds and they used to do many other things.

Some of the children used to play with toys, and goes on and on do many things they used to do. So this Hadees is not limiting what is hot.

Furthermore, the word in this hadith is not haram the word is bad, it means it is not rewarding. It is no the word is something that does not make it haram it still remains hollow unless you have proof for it to be prohibited. So the purpose loving Islam is telling us that these forms of entertainment are rewarding. If you are if you ride a horse, if you train with archery, if you are swimming, these are types which are rewarding because they keep you physically fit and energized. And this is something which is good in Islam, it does not necessarily mean that others are prohibited. So we need to understand the primary principle is when it comes to entertainment,

everything is permissible unless you have proof for it to be prohibited.

Our super hunter tells us in the Quran, that you read the law become a US law you need to become an officer, Allah wants things to be easy for you does not want to make things difficult for you. And furthermore Allah says there is nothing in this religion which is a burden

from among the other principles which govern the issues of entertainment besides the rules everything is hard to prove and haram there are certain things if the account aspect of entertainment it becomes Haram. These things include number one, including any element of Haram. So, something might be highlighted in itself, but the main elements of haram get involved a person should stay away from it. For example, playing sports like cricket or football soccer these type of things in stop it is hard, but if playing is going to make a person vulgar and abusive to his friends in such a person that is not possible for him to play in the we could be possible for

others. So the first thing is that you should not lead to what is haram. Secondly, it should not continue

Too much of our time. So if one is playing video games for 10 hours a day, or one is watching two or three movies a day, or one is watching cricket for five days in a row for six hours a day, this can become Haram. As you are now wasting time and to waste our time is not permissible in Islam, we should do and have entertainment in ways which refresh us without consuming all our time, two hours a day, three hours a day of entertainment is okay if you are spending the rest of your day in what is good in issues of ibadah and work and family time. But let it consume your time this is not permissible. Thirdly, it should not consume your resources. So somebody who is spending all their

money on entertainment, this is not permissible money will be responsible for only how we earned it, but also how we spend it. So again, I need to balance our lifestyle and not be from those who Allah calls the muesli for those who are wasteful when it comes to spending their money.

So these are some of the conditions that could make something which is Hello, hello.

Now there are certain forms of entertainment which are completely prohibited in Islam.

For the Quran, and Sunnah, anything involving intoxications, with each alcohol or drugs is prohibited.

anything involving or leading to Xena is prohibited. So any a sexual place where people go to entertain themselves, which is again of alcohol, or Zina or drugs, or now these are the places where you can find all of these things together, such places are prohibited for us to attend. Likewise, gambling completely prohibited any form of entertainment, which involves shook it also prohibited. And many times, you still don't realize when they are doing something for fun, which actually involves shark, you hear Muslims playing a game, and one Muslim will tell his friend that my character is omnipresent, or my character lives for eternity.

Only Allah has these qualities. So even to give these qualities to characters in a game is not permissible. Likewise, any form of entertainment, which involves fortune telling is not possible.

And the abilities other things. For example, when it comes to the issue of joking, and comedy, there are many rules which regulate Islam is not against joking and comedy in itself, but the content needs to be clean, the content needs to be fully functional. And the content does not be mocking Islam, or the Muslims. Anything which is part of Islam cannot be mocked. Now, it is something Muslims do, which is not Islamic, and you need to show them that this is not Islamic, that is okay. But when you are working Islam, this is the act of Cofer. So, it is very important that for those Muslims involved in the field of entertainment, known as comedy, to be really careful what they say,

to study have a deeper the peak of, of of joking and to use this speak accordingly, and to make the jokes accordingly, so that they do not step onto this dangerous territory.

Now the other forms of entertainment which are recommended, as we mentioned, about swimming, archery, horse riding as is and thing listening, and other forms of physical martial arts. These types of things are recommended because they help keep the body foot. Likewise, spending time with your wife, spending time with your children. This is all recommended in Islam. In fact, sometimes it even becomes obligatory upon a person to spend at least a minimal amount of time with their family members. So having fun together with your children, with your wife, these are things which Islam recommends, take them out, go to a park go and eat out together, these things are very much

recommended, as it helps to strengthen the unity of the family. Likewise, dealing with nature brings you closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala so if you enjoy visiting zoos and parks and places where there is a lot of nature and animals 100 this is something which is good. Islamic Strong's also something which is recommended according to some permissible according to others. In my view, it is something good which will chase take people away from the prohibited forms of music.

And likewise, there are many other things when you study the Quran and Sunnah you will find in the car after proper slowly Islam many ways that he and his companions used to have fun which are completely hollow. And if the Prophet peace be upon him, recommended it, then it becomes something we

is recommended as well. Now when it comes to the issues of entertainment, there are two main areas where we have a lot of questions. The first isn't the issue of animations and drawings. And the second is the issue of music and musical instruments. So I want to focus primarily on these two topics for the remainder of the session.

When it comes to animation, there are various opinions among the scholars.

As I share

these, with the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, prohibited the drawing of living creatures.

But Ayesha rajala herself, alternates that she used to play with dogs in the presence of the prophets of Allah, and one of these dogs also a horse with wings. And the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not see anything wrong would have been with these thoughts. And so the scholars have differed on this issue. Some scholars

have said that drawing of living creatures is completely prohibited. Other scholars trying to reconcile between both Hadees have come to very various opinions, the two most common opinions are that either drawings are permissible, unless the lead to qualification, or show or the more common and the stronger opinion is the drawings are prohibited, unless they are for entertainment, and education of children. So any form of drawing or depiction of living creatures, which is for the entertainment of children of for educational purposes, this many of these causes have ruled that these are permissible. And so children's toys, animated movies, these sort of things based on this

will be permissible. Now, obviously, then the issue comes about content. And when it comes to animation, even these days, many of the animated movies produced

by non Muslims, many of them have content which is questionable, for Muslims to watch. And so parents need to screen the type of animation they allow the children to watch something which they themselves have been through first, to make sure there is nothing in it, which will take the children away from Islam, and that the content is clean, and then allow them to watch it.

While this is going on, it is very important for Muslims who have access to making media and to producing videos, such Muslims should focus on producing animated movies for Muslim children, which have Islamic content, or how do you love this is something which is happening nowadays, and it is something where there's a lot of room for growth and expansion. This will become an alternative for the children so that they do not get involved in the types of movies and entertainment which are prohibited.

Some people might see the television in itself is prohibited. But this is not the correct opinion. The correct opinion is it depends on the content. If somebody is watching this video, there is absolutely nothing wrong with watching such a video as the content is Islamic. It is someone who's watching a video which has haram elements in it, then that is not permissible. So one has to look at the content of the specific video to declare whether it is permissible or not. The television and videos are in themselves tools and the tools that allow what they are used for what you view on the MCAT makes it haram and the same ruling applies to animated movies. So come to it. Some

scholars have had this have deduced that children's toys are permissible Animated Movies For Children are permissible animated books for children are permissible. This is one of the opinions of scholars here. Some scholars do disagree with this, there is no doubt about that. This is the opinion that I follow Allah knows best.

The other issue which pops up most often when it comes to entertainment is the issue of music.

And we have one group of Muslims who are saying that music is completely prohibited. There is no two ways about it. And we have another group of Muslims saying music is completely permissible and those who say it is prohibited I extremists. Both of these groups have not understood the nature of when it comes to the issue of music.

Mr. McCarney Rahim Allah has written a very good book on this topic called Italian, Egypt. This book is available in Arabic It has not been translated into English yet. In this book, Ashoka mentioned something very interesting, a very different approach to this debate that many of us have today. He says that I have never listened to music in my life. And he says that I believe musical instruments

prohibited, but I am writing this book and showing all different viewpoints with the arguments. So people can understand that there is difference of opinion on this issue. Actually, we can tolerate each other's opinions, and then accuse our wisdom of offer and deviation. As a very important point when it comes to this issue, that there is a difference of opinion here. And if somebody is convinced of a different opinion from you, that does not make them a disbeliever, it does not make them a deviant. Rather, they see the issue of pick which the scholars have preferred over. If you look at the must haves, the NRP must have ruled that all musical instruments are prohibited even the

tapping of your finger on the desk on a table to make noise. This is prohibited according to the Hanafi madhhab.

The handling must have been of the view that the hands on the dark is permissible. They differ over whether it's possible only for one and only a special occasions or it is possible for everyone.

The Maliki will have if you study it carefully, is of the view that jobs are permissible.

It is of the view that jobs are permissible as any Maliki book of pic which I have read when he talks about the prohibition of music, it only mentions when the instinct instruments and from the scholars had mentioned that drums are permissible according to them.

And the animals have the muzzle if they have them, Rahim Allah was that all musical instruments are permissible. So these views all exist among the must haves, and then we can deny that they existed amongst the must haves. And so,

it is for the scholars to study the different evidences and to follow that to which the study has led them to believe it the most correct conclusion. And that conclusion is different from yours or mine, it was tolerated and accepted as a difference of opinion than the rest for the average Muslim who does not have knowledge of and the principles of pick and the ability to decide between the must haves in these issues, it is always better to stay on the safe side, and to follow the majority opinion and to follow the strongest opinion.

So when it comes to the prohibition of musical instruments, the majority of my subs all agree that when testing instruments are prohibited, even though it hasn't minimum ghazali and a few others disagree to them, but the majority said that is prohibited. And so to be on the safe side, the average Muslim, who does not who has not been able to research this issue should stay away from such instruments and songs which include such instruments for the own safety, as this is now a gray area.

While

those The other issue of the drums and death is something where there is a lot more differences of opinion among the scholars is a much bigger difference of opinion amongst them. And as a result, on such issues, you know,

there is a lot more room for differences. So this is an area of difference of opinion among the scholars musical instruments, whether they are prohibited or permissible. And accordingly, every scholar and those who follow a specific scholar have the right to follow what the HDX has led them to, even if it is the conclusion from you or is

now linking this to the issue of animation and movies, somebody would ask that I believe that I fully opinion the musical instruments are prohibited. But the animated movies and the other movies have a lot of background music India, can I watch these movies while ignoring the music. And we go back to a fatwa of scheffel Islam. Allah who mentioned that just like using the Quran is not rewarding, you have to listen to the Quran to receive the reward. Similarly, uring music is not sinful, you have to listen to the music for it to be sinful. And so if you are in a place with the music played in the background, and you are not paying attention to it, you are not sinful for it.

Likewise, if you're watching a program on television, where there is music in the background, and you're not paying attention to the music, yet, Allah knows best but that would be in my opinion permissible.

And for those Muslims who are involved in media, who are involved in producing animated movies, or in producing documentaries or any other type of Islamic media. My recommendation to you is even if you are off the opinion that instruments are permissible, you should not include them in your videos.

The reason for this is that you are trying to reach out to the Muslims when you include music in your videos, the majority of Muslims or at least 50%

Muslims are not gonna watch that video because the music in it and so you are now alienating a portion of the Ummah from receiving your message. So if you focus on making that video was it as many Muslims as possible watching the benefit from it, it could be better to avoid those instruments which most Muslims are a prohibited, even if your personal opinion is that it is permissible. So for the sake of benefiting the woman in general, it is better even for those who view it as permissible to stay away from it.

So, these are some of the issues of entertainment, which crop up the issue of music and animation about two of the more common areas in which we have questions. Another area where there's a lot of Christians is when it comes to games, to tablet games, board games and video games, and the rural viability is the same. The room for both is that the content will make it permissible or prohibited. Those board games which generally for gambling used for gambling will not be permissible. If you are doing it for gambling, if you're planning to seeing games without any gambling involved into the scholars have ruled it to be makuu disliked as it is one of those things that lead to gambling. So

it is better to stay away from such games.

One of the games that pops up often is the issue of playing the game of chess, and many scholars have ruled chess to be haram while others have to be permissible for my study of the evidences and the arguments used, I honestly believe that the playing of chess is permissible with the conditions I mentioned earlier, that that does not consume too much of your time. And it does not lead to other prohibited things. And excetera, whatever I had mentioned earlier, as being the conditions for a form of entertainment to be permissible. In my view, this applies to the game of chess as well, in itself, it seems to be a harmless game to me. And the evidence is that I have seen against it,

either weak or mistranslated

or even at times misunderstood, for example, in one of the books or pick one of the scholars of the must have said that he is no good in chess. And so some scholars took this as a prohibition of chess, while the wordings of this statement is not seeing is

interesting, there's no reward in it. So that doesn't necessarily make it interesting, there's no good, there's no reward in it. So I'm learners best. My opinion is that the game of chess is permissible. When it comes to video games, again, the content is what matters. And it should not be addictive, it should not consume too much of your time, or too much of your money, your wealth and resources, or lead you to do anything around. So all of this needs to apply. So such a video game, which for which fulfills these conditions.

Again, which has clean content, and you yourself, do not play too much of it in that it consumes your time. And you're not spending too much of your money on it, that you have to spend money on what is more important,

then, around those bursts, but such games, in my opinion would be permissible with these conditions. And Allah knows best.

I'd like to conclude this short discussion by mentioning that the times we are living in entertainment is everywhere. And we as Muslims, if we want our children and young Muslims to be safe from the various forms of vulgar and sexually provocative entertainment that is out there. We need to start providing alternatives for them. We need to start producing Islamic media. We need more Islamic songs, Islamic movies, Islamic animations, Islamic games. All of this needs to be produced as an alternative as a wholesome alternative for the young Muslims so that they do not have to turn to other people. Other sources when they want to have fun. They have good and wholesome funds

available to them. They graze the machines need to open up and allow for youngsters to have fun at the masjid brood Sports Center at the masjid or in the sister section, a lounge where you can sit and talk about things which are permissible, have some fun,

you know, maybe build swimming pool, whatever is within the budget of the masjid, but create these recreational facilities for the Muslims. Because if we don't provide alternatives, the by the nature especially those who are young by our nature, we want to have fun and if the alternatives are not there, then people will turn

To the Haram sauces for fun. So it is very, very important that we as Omar start working towards producing these halau forms of entertainment. And it's very important that we made this a priority to produce alternative Hello media for the Muslim youth and highlight forms of recreation of for them and ask Allah to make it easy for us to practice our religion, to understand our religion correctly, and to enjoy what Allah has made halaal in this world, in a way that he does not cause us to forget him and to forget our purpose of life. Anything I said that is wrong is from our own side. And from she'd done everything which I said that is correct is from Allah, and ask Allah to make

this

addition to our skill of good deeds on the last day of the Buddha Juana and hamdulillah alameen wa salam alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh