Is it permissible to watch football matches on television, knowing that the players' clothing is not in accordance with the Shari'ah?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : May Allah keep you in goodness, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah keep you in goodness and good blessings.
The questioner : May Allah give you health. With you is Nasser al-Qahtani from Saudi Arabia, from the Eastern Province.
The Shaykh : Welcome and welcome.
The questioner : I, O Shaykh, did not speak except for a need. First, you surely know me, since if I spoke to you a second time, you would know me, because you are dear and precious, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : May Allah give you health. And the second thing, O Shaykh, I want to ask you, and I will not take up too much of your time: Is it permissible to watch the match on television?
The Shaykh : Which one?
The questioner : The match on the television!
The Shaykh : Ah, on the television!
The questioner : Yes, the television!
The Shaykh : Ah, it is permissible to watch the match if it does not occupy the viewer from performing some of the religious obligations, such as maintaining the performance of prayer at its time and in congregation if he is near the mosque, and the like of matters that are not hidden from the Muslim.
The questioner : Okay, O Shaykh, may Allah give you health. They wear short clothes, half short, meaning they do not cover the 'awrah!
Another questioner : Their clothing, you mean!
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. This short clothing, if the person were in front of you as you see in the streets and you directed your gaze to the 'awrah, then this is indeed not permissible. And this is a clear matter. As for the match you are asking about, first: the gaze of the one looking at the match does not direct itself to the 'awrah, because there is no opportunity to fix the gaze on the 'awrah. So the matter on the television is not like the matter in the open, meaning looking at the match is not like looking at real people when they are actually people. There, fitnah may occur, as he (peace be upon him) pointed to that by saying:. This logical sequence that can occur with real people: the first rank is the look. And as he (peace be upon him) said: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 6:1184. This second look does not materialize regarding the match. This is the difference we see in that. And for this reason, we have been discussing the gaze, because this gaze at the image broadcast on the television in this state is not like the image of a female news anchor, for example, who stands before you with her hair, neck, and arm, so you or I or someone else can fix their gaze on her, and that is not permissible. But the match diverts the attention of the viewer to delighting his gaze by looking at the thighs of the players. Perhaps I have made the difference clear to you, if Allah wills?
The questioner : It is clear. I say: O Shaykh, you have healed me. May Allah reward you with good for this answer. And we ask Allah to prolong your life in His obedience and to preserve you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : And I ask you, O Shaykh, that you do not forget me. My name is Nasser al-Qahtani, and make du'a for me. May Allah preserve you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for us and for you that He may give us a good life, and that He may cause us to die upon the good word, which is the testimony that there is no deity but Allah, causing us to die upon the correct tawhid (the oneness of Allah), if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah give you health and reward you with good, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, and peace be upon you. I did not finish.
The questioner : Ah, regarding!
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : May Allah keep you in goodness, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah keep you in goodness and good blessings.
The questioner : May Allah give you health. With you is Nasser al-Qahtani from Saudi Arabia, from the Eastern Province.
The Shaykh : Welcome and welcome.
The questioner : I, O Shaykh, did not speak except for a need. First, you surely know me, since if I spoke to you a second time, you would know me, because you are dear and precious, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : May Allah give you health. And the second thing, O Shaykh, I want to ask you, and I will not take up too much of your time: Is it permissible to watch the match on television?
The Shaykh : Which one?
The questioner : The match on the television!
The Shaykh : Ah, on the television!
The questioner : Yes, the television!
The Shaykh : Ah, it is permissible to watch the match if it does not occupy the viewer from performing some of the religious obligations, such as maintaining the performance of prayer at its time and in congregation if he is near the mosque, and the like of matters that are not hidden from the Muslim.
The questioner : Okay, O Shaykh, may Allah give you health. They wear short clothes, half short, meaning they do not cover the 'awrah!
Another questioner : Their clothing, you mean!
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. This short clothing, if the person were in front of you as you see in the streets and you directed your gaze to the 'awrah, then this is indeed not permissible. And this is a clear matter. As for the match you are asking about, first: the gaze of the one looking at the match does not direct itself to the 'awrah, because there is no opportunity to fix the gaze on the 'awrah. So the matter on the television is not like the matter in the open, meaning looking at the match is not like looking at real people when they are actually people. There, fitnah may occur, as he (peace be upon him) pointed to that by saying:
It has been decreed for the son of Adam his share of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse); it will overtake him inevitably. The eye commits zina, and its zina is the look. The ear commits zina, and its zina is the hearing. The hand commits zina, and its zina is the touching. The foot commits zina, and its zina is the walking. And the private part confirms all of that or denies it.
كُتِبَ على ابن آدم حظُّه من الزنا ؛ فهو مدركه لا محالة ، فالعين تزني وزناها النظر ، والأذن تزني وزناها السمع ، واليد تزني وزناها البطش ، والرجل تزني وزناها المشي ، والفرج يصدِّق ذلك كلَّه أو يكذِّبهThe first glance is for you, and the second is against you
النظرة الأولى لك والثانية عليكThe questioner : It is clear. I say: O Shaykh, you have healed me. May Allah reward you with good for this answer. And we ask Allah to prolong your life in His obedience and to preserve you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : And I ask you, O Shaykh, that you do not forget me. My name is Nasser al-Qahtani, and make du'a for me. May Allah preserve you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for us and for you that He may give us a good life, and that He may cause us to die upon the good word, which is the testimony that there is no deity but Allah, causing us to die upon the correct tawhid (the oneness of Allah), if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah give you health and reward you with good, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, and peace be upon you. I did not finish.
The questioner : Ah, regarding!
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.