Islamic Dramas: Are They Prescribed or a Matter of Ijtihad?

The questioner : ... Are they prescribed or a matter of ijtihad? And what is your opinion of those who spread the da'wah through the medium of acting and theater and wish to use it in the da'wah?

The Shaykh : This is part of imitating the disbelievers, so acting is not permissible in Islam; because this acting is from the deeds of the disbelievers. We have spoken much about the prohibition by the Messenger (peace be upon him) of imitating others and his command to differ from them. The last thing you heard regarding this was to use the word "ala" instead of "alu." "Alu" is a foreign word; so you should replace it with "ala," which is an Arabic particle of attention. Acting is a Western, disbelieving method. They do not have what the Muslims have of admonitions and stories that our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) narrates in the Qur'an, or that our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) narrates in the authentic hadiths; such that these collections of texts depict many events by which Muslims are guided, so they are content with them and do not need acting. And this acting, in addition to being from the customs of the disbelievers... I am pleased with the saying of one of the Syrian writers who used to say: that this Islam came tailored to the beliefs, ideas, and tastes of the Muslims, so these dramas performed by the disbelievers do not suit them, because they were tailored to their tastes, their customs, their traditions, and their disbelief, as He (the Exalted) said in the Qur'an: .
The point is: ; so these dramas were tailored for those people. This Syrian writer gave an example like a garment tailored for a person of moderate height and moderate build. If a tight garment is brought to him, he cannot wear it, or if a loose garment is brought to him, what does it become? ... So Islam is what is fitting for the Muslims and all its rulings. Dramas are an imitation of the Europeans, and Muslims should be content with everything that is of this kind, especially as I mentioned earlier that much falsehood and lying occurs in dramas, and they openly admit to this so that the drama is coherent; each part holding the neck of the other. And this, if it is free—as we said—either from the mixing of men and women, or at least from some men imitating women, and this imitation alone is sufficient to be a reason for prohibiting these dramas.

The questioner : ... the image of the bald one and the leper, and he says that He (Glorified and Exalted is He)... so that it may be a lesson, and these dramas are a lesson... this hadith.

The Shaykh : What Allah willed! And who sent them? "Everyone laughs."

The questioner : Their Lord.