Assalaamu Alaikum WR WB
TELEVISION, MUSIC, DRAMA, AND PHOTOGRAPHY.
That he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When the people of Quraish did not believe me (i.e. The story of my Night Journey (Mih'raj), I stood up in Al-Hijr (the unroofed part of the Kaba) and Allah displayed Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it."
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 5.226 Narrated by
Jabir bin Abdullah
Islam is a compatible religion, it is far from being a rigid austere religion that people take it for; it only advices us not to be obsessed with any activity, not even prayer and fasting; Islam posses a limit on all activities and expects its people to fulfill all duties in a normal and convenient manner disposing of all its duties comfortably; when some of the Sahabas fasted continuously and prayed the whole night every day, Rasool(s.a.w) forbade them from such acts of worship and even warned them that if they do so, "you would not belong to me"; i.e., they have not taken Rasool(s.a.w) as the messenger of God, who has come to show us the clear way of Islam but are following their own whims and fancies not advocated by Rasool(s.a.w). Many people in Islam unnecessarily ban many a thing which actually Islam allows; one for that matter is the television. Many an Alim have given the verdict against television, they even go to the extent of stating that television is haraam and should not be entertained in houses. A glass is bought or given, none can prohibit the glass by stating that it would be used to drink liquor, hence it would be Haraam to keep glasses – There is nothing wrong with the glass, it could also be used to drink milk, water, fruit juice, etc. Similarly is the purchase of television there is so much good in it which one could benefit from, i.e. like educative articles, scientific researches, daily news, entertainments, etc. etc., and there is also some evil in it and everyone should refrain the evil in it – as it is, the T.V cannot be prohibited just as the glass, it is only the evil which should be refrained from it. Similarly, the television; there is good and bad. They should restrict or ban the evil viewed through it rather than banning the television itself. Rasool(s.a.w) viewed the television. Allah Himself showed it to him. A television is a broadcasting device which broadcasts a distant scenario to a reachable, accessible point, where people can view it without any hindrance – it comprises of still photos in thousands run at a regular speed which gives us the action pictures. When Rasool(s.a.w) went on Mih'raj and returned to Mecca, he told the people of his travel. The people did not believe him; some even called him a mad-cap and a liar.
One of the instances of Mih'raj was that he had conducted prayer in Bait-ul-Maqdis in Jeruselem, where he was the Imam for all the Prophets (from Adam(a.s) to the last Prophet before him – some of the people who knew him said Mohammed Sallalhu Alaihi wasallam had never lied at any instance; hence, they wanted to clarify the issue. They called the people who had visited Jerusalem and went to Rasool(s.a.w) and asked him to describe Jerusalem to them. At this instance, Allah(swt) broadcasted the picture of Jerusalem completely to Rasool(s.a.w) and then , Rasool(s.a.w) seeing this picture which was broadcasted in front of him (television) described perfectly the picture of Jerusalem to such an extent that all the people who had visited Jerusalem unanimously accepted and replied, "certainly, he has been to Jerusalem, even we cannot describe it so implicitly". As I already told you, Islam is a very compatible religion; it does not restrict photography, music, drama, television, and the likes. Rasool(s.a.w) himself listened to music. On some occasions of marriage, he even asked as to why there is no music.
He also watched drama. As I already explained in the article "Marriage" in http://www.basicofislam.com/ , photography is legal. It is just the image of the mirror reproduced. If viewing oneself in the mirror was haraam, then photography would also have been haraam. Since it is a mirror image reproduced it is completely Halaal - if viewing oneself from the mirror is halaal then photography too is halaal. If viewing onself in the mirror is prohibited then photography too would have been prohibited; but at the same time touching up the photo i.e. altering the appearance to make it look better and different from the natural self is Haraam, for you are changing the mirror image. People, who need more authentication to music, dance, drama etc. , please visit the above website for more detailed hadeeses.
Drawing pictures of animals, birds, fishes, human-beings, and carving or molding animated images would be haraam but photography by itself will not be haraam. Also, since music was listened and at certain instances encouraged by Rasool(s.a.w) , we cannot call it haraam. Rasool(s.a.w) would never, never, never commit a haraam and would never encourage the same. In the television, we see dramas, songs, news and so many useful things, and getting obsessed with it or committing excess should be restricted that is exactly what Rasool(s.a.w) did, but on the other hand, there are scenes which are indecent and haraam; these certainly should be refrained from, just as songs, music and dramas advocating indecency, kufr, shirk, and haraam is to be prohibited or to be refrained from being viewed.
Anas (r.a) narrates: Black slaves were dancing in front of the Messenger (s.a.w) of God and sang the following words: Muhammad (s.a.w) is a pious person. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) [did not understand their utterances] and asked what they were saying. The people replied: they say that Muhammad (s.a.w) is a pious person. {there are many more incidences and hadeeses depicting such music, dance, drama, and singing}
(Ahmad, No: 12562)
When the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) came to Medina, the Abyssinians played for his coming out of joy; they played with spears. (Drama)
Sunan of Abu-Dawood
Hadith 4905 Narrated by
Anas ibn Malik
Whether a slave girl was dancing or a princess was dancing and singing it makes no difference – for in Islam and before Allah, they are all the same. They are human beings, all slaves of Allah(swt)– women were dancing before men – and Rasool(s.a.w) did not ban them, also we have clear hadeeses that mention that women sang songs in the mosque and Rasool(s.a.w) did not stop them. They were singing songs accompanied by musical instruments and Rasool(s.a.w) did not stop them – he even called Ayesha(r.a) and asked her to listen to them – today, we are having them on the T.V as long as they are decent there is nothing wrong. It is most important that one should not get obsessed with it, that is the main point to consider.
There are so many facts in Islam which though Islam does not impose them, the so-called Alims impose it. One such example is the cap. Nowhere in the Quran or the Hadees, does Islam impose the cap or turban on any Muslim. Prophet (s.a.w) most of the time was bareheaded. Only on certain occasions like Jummah, Eid, meeting delegations, or taking a victory ride after a victorious war, he wore the turban then it was also the custom of the Arabs to wear a turban and 95% of the Sahabas were bareheaded; also the Arabs of that time used the Turban to protect themselves from the desert heat and also from the desert sand storms; since Rasool(s.a.w) wore it at times it is sunnah to wear the turban and it is also sunnah to keep the hair well oiled and combed and bare headed as Rasool(s.a.w) was bare headed most of the time. Most of the Sahabas prayed with a single Garment – Rasool(s.a.w) was shocked when he was asked about praying in a single garment –he asked "do all of you have more than one garment?"; they only covered their bodies, they did not cover their head and people may think that it was due to poverty they prayed such, but when they asked as to what to do when they have more clothes, they were advised to cover their shoulder – not once did the Prophet(s.a.w) advocate the covering of their head.
A person asked Allah's Apostle about the offering of the prayer in a single garment. Allah's Apostle replied, "Has every one of you got two garments?"
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 1.354 Narrated by
Abu Huraira
Rasool (s.a.w) said if we keep hair, "you must dignify it". One of the Sahabas asked how can we dignify the hair at which Rasool(s.a.w) remarked, keep them well oiled and combed. That is what Rasool(s.a.w) himself did and that is what he advocated and now-a-days, there are so many Masjids where the Alims have imposed the self imposed law stating "Without caps, do not enter the Masjid!" Can these Alims show a single hadees or Quran ayath authorizing their verdict. Where did they get it? Imposing something which is not in the Quran and Hadees would certainly amount to be a Biddath (innovation).
Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Would ye teach Allah your religion, when Allah knoweth all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is Aware of all things?
Quran:49-16
Abu Qatadah related that he had a great amount of hair. He asked the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah, I have lots of hair. Should I comb it?" He answered, "Yes ... and honor it." Abu Qatadah used to oil it twice a day due to the Prophet's words, "... and honor it."
Fiqh-us-Sunnah
Fiqh 1.22a
How are they going to answer Allah for all these Biddaths that they imposed; especially, the Tableeq people who are forcing people to wear caps. On the other hand, in Hajj, it is strictly banned to cover the head and also for women to cover their faces. Was it such a necessity to cover the head or the women's face; Allah would never have imposed such a strict ban of covering men's head or the women's faces during Hajj. (Please read the article Hijjab, Veil, or Burqa – from the above website)
The Prophet said, "None of you should offer prayer in a single garment that does not cover the shoulders."
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 1.355 Narrated by
Abu Huraira
A man stood up and asked the Prophet about praying in a single garment. The Prophet said, "Has every one of you two garments?" A man put a similar question to 'Umar on which he replied, "When Allah makes you wealthier then you should clothe yourself properly during prayers. Otherwise one can pray with an Izar and a Rida' (a sheet covering the upper part of the body.) Izar and a shirt, Izar and a Qaba', trousers and a Rida, trousers and a shirt or trousers and a Qaba', Tubban and a Qaba' or Tubban(shorts that covers the waist up till one's knee) and a shirt." (The narrator added, "I think that he also said a Tubban and a Rida. ")
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 1.361 Narrated by
Abu Huraira
From the above Hadeeses, we can very well determine that most of the Sahabas wore a single garment and prayed and they are advised that when they have more clothes, they should cover their shoulder and not a single Hadees is there to tell them that they should cover their head. At one incidence, there was a tribe who wore long woolen caps and Rasool(s.a.w) did not object to it – but they always wore the cap and the lesson we take from this is that if anyone wants to wear the cap he is welcome to it, but none should force or compel anyone to wear the cap, also if one wears the cap, one should wear it always not just at the time of entering the Masjid – for wearing a cap is not a condition for prayers – if you wear it wear it always not at just entering the Masjid for, there is no clause or any compulsory law stating that one should wear cap for prayers.
Also in regards to shaving one's head, Rasool(s.a.w) shaved his head only thrice in his whole life time – once at birth, once at Hudaibiya agreement, and once at the time of Hajj. Rasool(s.a.w) had a reason for shaving his head in all the three occasion and he did not shave his head without reason for he loved keeping hair and he kept it well oiled and combed. There is a Hadees stating that Ali(r.a) kept shaving his head but that was due to a health problem, he had a liquid oozing from his private organ and he used to keep bathing every time before prayer, but when Rasool(s.a.w) came to know it, he said cleaning it and renewing one's ablution is sufficient for prayer; after knowing this Ali(r.a) stopped shaving his head. Many people think that shaving the head is sunnah – only shaving the head on birth, Hajj and Umrah is sunnah; also in case of a person who is forced to break his Ihram without fulfilling Haj and Umrah can also shave his head and it will be a Sunnah – other than this though shaving is your option it will not be a sunnah – just like cap, shaving too cannot be compelled or forced on anyone in the name of religion.
May Allah(swt) help us to understand His Pure Religion as and how He wants us to understand it and help us to gain the HIGHEST Paradise without any questions being asked (aameen).
Wishing you ALL THE VERY BEST
A.H.Nazeer Ahmed.
Please do visit http://www.basicofislam.com/ Insha Allah you would gain Tremendously (aameen).
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The Greatest degrading & MOST Grievous of ALL Sins is KUFR (disbelief in God) & to attribute partners to the ONE and ONLY True God Almighty!!!!!!!!!!!.
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