What is the ruling on prostrating to other than Allah in theatrical performances?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Well, Shaykh, a discussion took place between two parties regarding an issue. One party wanted to stage a theatrical scene, and this scene required one of the individuals to prostrate to a person. The one who was asked to take the role refused, arguing that this is disbelief (kufr), even if he did not intend to prostrate to other than Allah in reality. The other party argued against him, saying that this does not constitute disbelief unless it is accompanied by belief. Which of the two opinions is correct? And what is the truth in this matter?
The Shaykh : In Islam, there is no such thing as theatrical performance in the first place!
The questioner : Yes, correct.
The Shaykh : There is no permissible prostration.
The questioner : Because it is acting, but let us assume that this happened...
The Shaykh : You got the answer.
The questioner : So, a fortiori, do not strike them with your hand...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, did you understand me?
The questioner : I understood.
The Shaykh : Acting is not permissible in the first place.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So if it involves a sin...
The questioner : But what about this man’s claim that this prostration does not constitute disbelief unless it is accompanied by belief?
The Shaykh : No, no. I meant this statement regarding the theatrical performance.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Is that not so?
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Good. Prostration is an action, and action includes speech. Speech can be a stronger expression of disbelief than the act. If a Muslim man says, "I worship al-Lat," its implication is stronger than prostrating to al-Lat or to other than al-Lat. So, is speech an action? Without a doubt, yes. Now, does every act of disbelief indicate disbelief of the heart? I think we agree the answer is no, is that not so? Or do you... otherwise you are not following us.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : Repeat the last point.
The Shaykh : I am saying, does every explicit word of disbelief indicate that it originates from his heart, making him a disbeliever? The answer is no, because this is in the explicit Qur'an:[Al-An'am 6:119] The verse, as the exegetes mention, and although there is some weakness in the chain of narration, it is reported in the story of 'Ali ibn Hatim al-Tai who...
The questioner : 'Ammar.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : 'Ammar.
The Shaykh : 'Ammar.
The questioner : 'Ammar.
The Shaykh : 'Ammar ibn Yasir was tortured by the polytheists, as you remember well, just as they tortured Bilal. They offered him the chance to disbelieve in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and to say of him that he is a sorcerer, a poet, and a liar, so that they would release him. The torture became so severe that he was relieved by saying this word, and they released him. But he returned to his senses and said, "What have I done to my Prophet?" He went to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and recounted the story to him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: He said: "I find it at peace with faith." He said: The point is from the verse, not from the hadith, because as we said, the hadith is questionable in terms of its authenticity, but it aligns with the verse in terms of its implication: that if a Muslim says a word of disbelief without intending it and is excused for saying it, it is not a sin, let alone disbelief. Is this clear up to here?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, now let us return to the answer of that person you quoted, who said it does not constitute disbelief. We have a legal principle, which the scholars of usul al-fiqh state: "We judge by the apparent, and Allah takes care of the hidden." So if we see a man utter a word of disbelief, and there is no indication for us that he is excused for this statement, we do not declare him a disbeliever. This is the first stage. The second stage is to look at whether he is excused such that he is not held accountable at all, or whether it is sufficient that he is not a disbeliever because he did not say it with belief, but only with his tongue. Here, too, research is necessary. So we will say: If he said this phrase in a situation where he did not know its meaning or significance, and his case is like that of the man who said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was addressing them: "What Allah wills and what you will, O Messenger of Allah," he said:As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 64:1386 He did not attribute to his phrase, or to his utterance of disbelief as they call it, for example, a renewal of faith, a renewal of intellect, or the like. Why?
The Shaykh : Because he said it without knowing its meaning or its significance. But if he said it to gain worldly benefit, then here we have a second cause: one is that he did not say it with belief, so we do not declare him a disbeliever; the other is that he said it for material gain, so we misguide him. We do not allow him to speak like this, and he has no excuse for it. Here comes the answer to that question. I think it is clear, if Allah wills.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I mean, we said that these theatrical performances all came from the West, and all of them are tainted with, if not dominated by, lying. They may contain many sins, such as the free mixing of men and women, men imitating women, women imitating men, and so on. They are polytheistic, Western, foreign, and adopting them is from the category ofSahih Muslim 2669a There is absolutely no excuse for this person, except for what he may perceive as a benefit, which may be immediate or delayed, in his opinion, such as stirring souls toward good and the like. But the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as he said in the authentic hadith:
The Shaykh : I am finishing the glass while I am speaking, and you have not drunk even a sip.
The questioner : I finished...
The Shaykh : It is necessary.
Another questioner : Your words are enough, please.
The Shaykh : In Islam, there is no such thing as theatrical performance in the first place!
The questioner : Yes, correct.
The Shaykh : There is no permissible prostration.
The questioner : Because it is acting, but let us assume that this happened...
The Shaykh : You got the answer.
The questioner :
And do not say to them "uff"
ولا تقل لهما أفThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, did you understand me?
The questioner : I understood.
The Shaykh : Acting is not permissible in the first place.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So if it involves a sin...
The questioner : But what about this man’s claim that this prostration does not constitute disbelief unless it is accompanied by belief?
The Shaykh : No, no. I meant this statement regarding the theatrical performance.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Is that not so?
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Good. Prostration is an action, and action includes speech. Speech can be a stronger expression of disbelief than the act. If a Muslim man says, "I worship al-Lat," its implication is stronger than prostrating to al-Lat or to other than al-Lat. So, is speech an action? Without a doubt, yes. Now, does every act of disbelief indicate disbelief of the heart? I think we agree the answer is no, is that not so? Or do you... otherwise you are not following us.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : Repeat the last point.
The Shaykh : I am saying, does every explicit word of disbelief indicate that it originates from his heart, making him a disbeliever? The answer is no, because this is in the explicit Qur'an:
excepting that to which you are compelled
إلا ما اضطررتم إليهThe questioner : 'Ammar.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : 'Ammar.
The Shaykh : 'Ammar.
The questioner : 'Ammar.
The Shaykh : 'Ammar ibn Yasir was tortured by the polytheists, as you remember well, just as they tortured Bilal. They offered him the chance to disbelieve in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and to say of him that he is a sorcerer, a poet, and a liar, so that they would release him. The torture became so severe that he was relieved by saying this word, and they released him. But he returned to his senses and said, "What have I done to my Prophet?" He went to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and recounted the story to him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:
How do you find your heart?
كيف تجد قلبك؟If they return, then return.
فإن عادوا فعدThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Well, now let us return to the answer of that person you quoted, who said it does not constitute disbelief. We have a legal principle, which the scholars of usul al-fiqh state: "We judge by the apparent, and Allah takes care of the hidden." So if we see a man utter a word of disbelief, and there is no indication for us that he is excused for this statement, we do not declare him a disbeliever. This is the first stage. The second stage is to look at whether he is excused such that he is not held accountable at all, or whether it is sufficient that he is not a disbeliever because he did not say it with belief, but only with his tongue. Here, too, research is necessary. So we will say: If he said this phrase in a situation where he did not know its meaning or significance, and his case is like that of the man who said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was addressing them: "What Allah wills and what you will, O Messenger of Allah," he said:
Have you made me a rival to Allah? Say: What Allah wills alone
أجعلتني لله ندا قل ما شاء الله وحدهThe Shaykh : Because he said it without knowing its meaning or its significance. But if he said it to gain worldly benefit, then here we have a second cause: one is that he did not say it with belief, so we do not declare him a disbeliever; the other is that he said it for material gain, so we misguide him. We do not allow him to speak like this, and he has no excuse for it. Here comes the answer to that question. I think it is clear, if Allah wills.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I mean, we said that these theatrical performances all came from the West, and all of them are tainted with, if not dominated by, lying. They may contain many sins, such as the free mixing of men and women, men imitating women, women imitating men, and so on. They are polytheistic, Western, foreign, and adopting them is from the category of
You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also.
لتتبعن سنن من قبلكم شبرا بشبر وذراع بذراع حتى لو دخلوا جحر ضب لدخلتموهI have not left anything that brings you closer to Allah without commanding you to do it, and I have not left anything that distances you from Allah and brings you closer to the Fire without forbidding it.
ما تركت شيئا يقربكم إلى الله إلا أمرتكم به وما تركت شيئا يباعدكم عن الله ويقربكم إلى النّار إلا ونهيتكم عنهThe Shaykh : I am finishing the glass while I am speaking, and you have not drunk even a sip.
The questioner : I finished...
The Shaykh : It is necessary.
Another questioner : Your words are enough, please.
Source
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The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.