What is the ruling on keeping video? If it is not permissible, what should one do with what he has?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : As for the one who has video and wants to get rid of it, does he sell it?
The Shaykh : He should smash it, just as the idols were smashed.
The questioner : Smash it instead of selling it, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, he does not sell it, because you would be assisting another in what you want to rid yourself of.Sahih al-Bukhari 13 Do you know this hadith?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, it is not permissible to sell it!
The questioner : If you have benefited from it, that is enough, meaning you break it!
The Shaykh : You heard the hadith about intoxicants just now. Abu Talhah al-Ansari was a guardian over orphans and used to trade for their benefit in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance by selling intoxicants. When the prohibition of intoxicants was revealed, he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: , the orphans' money is poured on the ground, and you, praise be to Allah, are not an orphan, hehe.
The questioner : O Shaykh, is it not possible, for example, to use video for benefits or in places that benefit from it, such as schools and hospitals?
The Shaykh : What is it that benefits from it?
The questioner : Video.
The Shaykh : We say to the individual, let alone to a specific organization, that if he is able to use video and television for what does not involve sin, there is no difference between an individual and an organization; what is said about the individual applies to the organization, and what is said about the organization applies to the individual. The important thing is the ability to use video in accordance with what Allah the Exalted has prescribed, and this is a very narrow circle, because some people, for example, may consider it permissible to display an imageThe Shaykh : of the preacher in the video. What is the necessity for this? But if a pious shaykh describes to television viewers the manner of Hajj, the rituals of Hajj, or the manner of the Prophet's prayer (peace and blessings be upon him), which is not well understood except through practical demonstration, we say that such a thing is permissible! But what is the proportion of this permissibility compared to what is not permissible? It is a drop in the ocean. This is from one aspect, and from another aspect, who is it that determines what is permissible and what is not? It requires an organization of scholars, and this is very rare today. And therefore, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the well-known hadith:Bulugh al-Maram 16:32 So avoiding doubtful matters is something you are commanded to do, Doctor...
The Doctor: But may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah. And there is a popular proverb in some Arab countries, which is taken from some of the previous hadiths and others, such as his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying:Sunan an-Nasa'i 5711Sahih (Darussalam) What is the proverb? "Stay away from evil and sing to it." Do you say it this way? And there is another proverb: "The one who wants not to see frightening dreams should not sleep between the graves." Hehe. The one who sleeps between the graves imagines that a dead man has risen from his grave and whispers to him. No, stay away from evil and sing to it.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah bless you, avoiding forbidden images in video and television is difficult. If the one in authority is safe for himself, he is not safe for those around him, even the children. So I say it is better to keep the house free of it. I mean, keeping the house free of it, is that good?
The Shaykh : You say it is better? And I tell you, who said no? Hehe.
The questioner : But breaking it, I think there is... I mean, if it is donated to a charitable institution, that is better.
The Shaykh : Where is the charitable institution?
The questioner : One of the schools.
The Shaykh : Where is the school that adheres to the Shari'ah in video?
The questioner : The Dar al-Hadith.
The Shaykh : Okay, I ask you now, which Dar al-Hadith has video?
The questioner : There is none. So that they can benefit from it.
The Shaykh : Did they include video because of their inability? No, but because of their knowledge that directing it to the Islamic direction is difficult. And now, Allah has expanded His blessings and bounties upon them, so they do not need one like our brother to offer them a video as a gift.
The Shaykh : He should smash it, just as the idols were smashed.
The questioner : Smash it instead of selling it, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, he does not sell it, because you would be assisting another in what you want to rid yourself of.
None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.
ولا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسهThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, it is not permissible to sell it!
The questioner : If you have benefited from it, that is enough, meaning you break it!
The Shaykh : You heard the hadith about intoxicants just now. Abu Talhah al-Ansari was a guardian over orphans and used to trade for their benefit in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance by selling intoxicants. When the prohibition of intoxicants was revealed, he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said:
O Messenger of Allah, I have a skin of wine for my orphans. Should I sell it? He said: No, but pour it out.
يا رسول الله عندي زقاق من الخمر لأيتام لي أفابيعها قال : لا , بل ارقهاThe questioner : O Shaykh, is it not possible, for example, to use video for benefits or in places that benefit from it, such as schools and hospitals?
The Shaykh : What is it that benefits from it?
The questioner : Video.
The Shaykh : We say to the individual, let alone to a specific organization, that if he is able to use video and television for what does not involve sin, there is no difference between an individual and an organization; what is said about the individual applies to the organization, and what is said about the organization applies to the individual. The important thing is the ability to use video in accordance with what Allah the Exalted has prescribed, and this is a very narrow circle, because some people, for example, may consider it permissible to display an imageThe Shaykh : of the preacher in the video. What is the necessity for this? But if a pious shaykh describes to television viewers the manner of Hajj, the rituals of Hajj, or the manner of the Prophet's prayer (peace and blessings be upon him), which is not well understood except through practical demonstration, we say that such a thing is permissible! But what is the proportion of this permissibility compared to what is not permissible? It is a drop in the ocean. This is from one aspect, and from another aspect, who is it that determines what is permissible and what is not? It requires an organization of scholars, and this is very rare today. And therefore, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the well-known hadith:
Both lawful (Halal) and unlawful things (Haram) are evident but in between them there are doubtful things·and most people have no knowledge about them. So he, who saves himself from these doubtful things, saves his religion and his honor
الحلال بين وإن الحرام بين وبينهما أمور مشتبهات لا يعلمهن كثير من الناس فمن اتقى الشبهات فقد استبرأ لدينه وعرضهThe Doctor: But may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah. And there is a popular proverb in some Arab countries, which is taken from some of the previous hadiths and others, such as his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying:
Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبكThe questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah bless you, avoiding forbidden images in video and television is difficult. If the one in authority is safe for himself, he is not safe for those around him, even the children. So I say it is better to keep the house free of it. I mean, keeping the house free of it, is that good?
The Shaykh : You say it is better? And I tell you, who said no? Hehe.
The questioner : But breaking it, I think there is... I mean, if it is donated to a charitable institution, that is better.
The Shaykh : Where is the charitable institution?
The questioner : One of the schools.
The Shaykh : Where is the school that adheres to the Shari'ah in video?
The questioner : The Dar al-Hadith.
The Shaykh : Okay, I ask you now, which Dar al-Hadith has video?
The questioner : There is none. So that they can benefit from it.
The Shaykh : Did they include video because of their inability? No, but because of their knowledge that directing it to the Islamic direction is difficult. And now, Allah has expanded His blessings and bounties upon them, so they do not need one like our brother to offer them a video as a gift.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.