What is the ruling on comedic, purposeful, and religious acting in theaters, specifically in schools?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The questioner asks: What is the ruling on comedic, purposeful, and religious acting in theaters, specifically in schools?
The Shaykh : Many of our brothers prohibit acting absolutely, saying that it is not permissible because it involves lying and may include mocking religious rituals, such as when an actor plays the role of an elderly man and puts a wool beard on him, or the like.
Some people say that if the acting is calm and does not contain any prohibited matter, such as lying to someone, or a man playing the role of a woman and a woman playing the role of a man, and does not involve imitating animals, then there is nothing wrong with it, so they permit acting with conditions.
It should be known that the original ruling for matters other than acts of worship is permissibility and lawfulness. This is from the favor of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in making things easy for His servants that He has not forbidden. If the original ruling is permissibility, then it is necessary to present evidence for prohibition if we say that this is forbidden and others say it is lawful. The opinion is with the one who says it is lawful, unless there is evidence indicating prohibition, in which case it is obligatory to follow the evidence. This applies to matters other than acts of worship.
As for acts of worship, which are intended to draw near to Allah, the original ruling for them is prohibition and restriction. This is because acts of worship are the path to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and are the way of Allah. It is not possible for us to fabricate for Allah what He has not made a path leading to Him. For this reason, this well-known rule among scholars is a sound rule, indicated by the Book and the Sunnah and correct reasoning: the original ruling for acts of worship is prohibition and restriction until evidence establishes that they are prescribed.
The original ruling for matters other than acts of worship, including actions, words, and benefits, is permissibility until evidence establishes prohibition. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : That is, we give an example.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : A person engaged in a transaction of sale, pledge, or lease, and people differed on it. Some said it is forbidden, and others said it is lawful. We say the original ruling is with the one who said it is lawful until evidence establishes that this is prohibited. Likewise, if someone eats from trees growing in the ground, or from birds, or from reptiles, and some say it is forbidden while others say it is lawful, the original ruling is with the one who said it is lawful until evidence establishes prohibition, based on the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):[Al-Baqarah 2:29] And so you should analogize. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Many of our brothers prohibit acting absolutely, saying that it is not permissible because it involves lying and may include mocking religious rituals, such as when an actor plays the role of an elderly man and puts a wool beard on him, or the like.
Some people say that if the acting is calm and does not contain any prohibited matter, such as lying to someone, or a man playing the role of a woman and a woman playing the role of a man, and does not involve imitating animals, then there is nothing wrong with it, so they permit acting with conditions.
It should be known that the original ruling for matters other than acts of worship is permissibility and lawfulness. This is from the favor of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in making things easy for His servants that He has not forbidden. If the original ruling is permissibility, then it is necessary to present evidence for prohibition if we say that this is forbidden and others say it is lawful. The opinion is with the one who says it is lawful, unless there is evidence indicating prohibition, in which case it is obligatory to follow the evidence. This applies to matters other than acts of worship.
As for acts of worship, which are intended to draw near to Allah, the original ruling for them is prohibition and restriction. This is because acts of worship are the path to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and are the way of Allah. It is not possible for us to fabricate for Allah what He has not made a path leading to Him. For this reason, this well-known rule among scholars is a sound rule, indicated by the Book and the Sunnah and correct reasoning: the original ruling for acts of worship is prohibition and restriction until evidence establishes that they are prescribed.
The original ruling for matters other than acts of worship, including actions, words, and benefits, is permissibility until evidence establishes prohibition. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : That is, we give an example.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : A person engaged in a transaction of sale, pledge, or lease, and people differed on it. Some said it is forbidden, and others said it is lawful. We say the original ruling is with the one who said it is lawful until evidence establishes that this is prohibited. Likewise, if someone eats from trees growing in the ground, or from birds, or from reptiles, and some say it is forbidden while others say it is lawful, the original ruling is with the one who said it is lawful until evidence establishes prohibition, based on the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth
هُوَ الَّذي خَلَقَ لَكُم ما فِي الأَرضِ جَميعًاThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.