The Ruling on Depicting the Characters of the Prophets, the Companions, the Successors, and Others

Question:
What is Your Eminence’s view on some television programs that present religious dramas in which they depict the Companions, the Successors, and the Imams, and so on?

Answer:
Depicting the Companions or the Prophets is not permissible. This matter was studied by the Council of Senior Scholars, the Founding Council of the League, and others, and the brothers agreed that it is not permissible to depict the Companions, nor to depict the Prophets in any place. This is because it leads to many evils; it may lead to lying about them, it may lead to depicting them in images that are not appropriate and do not befit them, and it may lead to mocking them and making fun of them. Therefore, this matter is not permissible, neither for the Prophets nor for the Companions. As for others, it is a matter for consideration. It is a matter for consideration where it may be permissible in some cases if good and general benefit for the Muslims is achieved through it, and it may not be permissible because it is lying and fabrication. So, the result is that acting is a matter for consideration and distinction. It may be permissible for some people who consider it permissible and see no harm in it if it is for a general benefit, such as a person depicting a reformer, or a person who enjoins good and forbids evil, so that he speaks on his behalf regarding enjoining good and forbidding evil and the like, until it is as if he is that person. Some people argue for this based on the story of Jibril coming in various forms. He came in the form of a Bedouin, he came in the form of Urwah ibn al-Musayyid, he came in the form of Jalalah ibn Khalifah al-Kilabi, and he came in other forms for reasons that the wisdom of Allah the Exalted necessitated. So, this enactment is a matter for consideration and distinction; it requires care and thorough study. As for photography, and taking a picture of a person, taking a picture of 'Umar, or a picture of so-and-so, this is not permissible. The discussion is about acting that does not involve photography, but rather standing and speaking in the name of 'Umar, or in the name of so-and-so, or in the name of so-and-so. As for the image, it is never permissible, and taking a picture of so-and-so, or so-and-so, or so-and-so, to speak thus and thus, is explicitly not permissible. But a person standing and saying, "This is 'Umar speaking," or "This is Malik," or "This is al-Shafi'i," or "This is Ahmad," or "This is al-Naz'i," or "This is Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab," or "This is 'Abd al-'Aziz speaking," representing him without an image, this is the matter for consideration. Yes, is this permissible or not permissible?
As for the depiction of Jibril, it was by the command of Allah and is not to be compared to what a person believes, or the coming of Jibril. Jibril came with the truth, obligated by Allah, in a form that the wisdom of Allah necessitated, so that people would benefit from it and see the person who asks and speaks, so that the benefit for them would be greater. This is a specific matter, and I do not see that others are to be compared to it regarding Jibril and his coming to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).