Theatrical Acting and Scholarly Disagreement in Fatwas
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
He says: We see that many scholars refute one another, or some of them refute others, on trivial matters, such as Islam, and such and such, Your Eminence the Shaykh. And such as continuing, Your Eminence the Shaykh, on the issue of theatrical acting, which you must retract your prohibition of; because if the predecessors had known this method, they would have adopted it as a beautiful and engaging style. So is there a return, Your Eminence the Shaykh?
Answer:
If it is a major ritual impurity that is legislated for the religion, we return to the major ritual impurity. If it is a major ritual impurity that is legislated for the religion, the scholar guides with what the Shari'ah has made lawful, and he is responsible for his conscience and his religion, and he has a first rank. This was in the era of the Companions. The Companions were expansive, and they are the best of people after the Prophets. This one issued a fatwa on something, and that one issued a fatwa on something, based on what was made lawful for them from the religion, and based on what they understood of the religion of Allah, and He was pleased with their choices. The scholar fears Allah and issues a fatwa with what is lawful, even if he contradicts his Shaykh or his colleague, as long as his action is with the fear of Allah, Allah will accept it from him. So Abu Bakr al-Siddiq contradicted 'Umar, and 'Umar contradicted Abu Bakr al-Siddiq in matters, and 'Uthman contradicted 'Umar in matters, and 'Ali contradicted 'Umar in matters, and Ibn 'Abbas contradicted Ibn 'Umar in matters, and so on. People are established in knowledge and understanding of Allah and His Messenger in some secondary issues. And the accusation of my existence is a lie; it is not correct, and the reference is to it.
Who has permitted you to criticize 'Umar? He says to you: Are you equal to being 'Umar? Who has permitted you to say, "I am 'Ali," or "I am 'Uthman," or "I am such-and-such a doctor," when you are not such-and-such a doctor? Speak about yourself. "Allah said, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said" is sufficient, just as the predecessors said. As for impersonating someone, saying "I am 'Umar," and speaking in the name of 'Umar, that is lying. It is not permissible for you. Yes, we seek refuge in Allah from affliction. Yes.
He says: We see that many scholars refute one another, or some of them refute others, on trivial matters, such as Islam, and such and such, Your Eminence the Shaykh. And such as continuing, Your Eminence the Shaykh, on the issue of theatrical acting, which you must retract your prohibition of; because if the predecessors had known this method, they would have adopted it as a beautiful and engaging style. So is there a return, Your Eminence the Shaykh?
Answer:
If it is a major ritual impurity that is legislated for the religion, we return to the major ritual impurity. If it is a major ritual impurity that is legislated for the religion, the scholar guides with what the Shari'ah has made lawful, and he is responsible for his conscience and his religion, and he has a first rank. This was in the era of the Companions. The Companions were expansive, and they are the best of people after the Prophets. This one issued a fatwa on something, and that one issued a fatwa on something, based on what was made lawful for them from the religion, and based on what they understood of the religion of Allah, and He was pleased with their choices. The scholar fears Allah and issues a fatwa with what is lawful, even if he contradicts his Shaykh or his colleague, as long as his action is with the fear of Allah, Allah will accept it from him. So Abu Bakr al-Siddiq contradicted 'Umar, and 'Umar contradicted Abu Bakr al-Siddiq in matters, and 'Uthman contradicted 'Umar in matters, and 'Ali contradicted 'Umar in matters, and Ibn 'Abbas contradicted Ibn 'Umar in matters, and so on. People are established in knowledge and understanding of Allah and His Messenger in some secondary issues. And the accusation of my existence is a lie; it is not correct, and the reference is to it.
Who has permitted you to criticize 'Umar? He says to you: Are you equal to being 'Umar? Who has permitted you to say, "I am 'Ali," or "I am 'Uthman," or "I am such-and-such a doctor," when you are not such-and-such a doctor? Speak about yourself. "Allah said, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said" is sufficient, just as the predecessors said. As for impersonating someone, saying "I am 'Umar," and speaking in the name of 'Umar, that is lying. It is not permissible for you. Yes, we seek refuge in Allah from affliction. Yes.
Source
فتاوى الحج 1410 هـ - 16 — archive.org (38:43)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.