What is the ruling on acting? And what is the criterion for it?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on acting and its regulations?
The Shaykh : What is acting?
The questioner : In the centers.
The Shaykh : By acting, do you mean what they do in the summer centers? If it includes something forbidden, then it is forbidden, such as portraying the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) or the Companions or the leaders of the Muslims. This is forbidden.
Because no matter who the actor is, he cannot reach their status, and it may amount to lying about them. And if he is acting in a matter intended to address a social problem, then there is nothing wrong with it, as long as he does not attribute it to a specific person. If he attributes it to a specific person and lies about him, it becomes forbidden because of the lying.
Likewise, it is not permissible for a person to portray a woman, for example. This is forbidden because if he does so, he has imitated women, and there is a hadith:. Likewise, it is not permissible to portray an animal, such as barking like a dog or braying like a donkey, or the like. This is because Allah the Exalted did not mention the likeness of an animal except in a context of condemnation. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:175] up to His saying: [Al-A'raf 7:176]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1622g.
And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Jumu'ah 62:5]. And He the Exalted said: [Al-Muddaththir 74:50-51]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: Bulugh al-Maram 2:374. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 493a. You will find that likening oneself to an animal is entirely in a context of condemnation, and it is not befitting for a human being to lower himself to the level of condemnation. Yes.
The Shaykh : What is acting?
The questioner : In the centers.
The Shaykh : By acting, do you mean what they do in the summer centers? If it includes something forbidden, then it is forbidden, such as portraying the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) or the Companions or the leaders of the Muslims. This is forbidden.
Because no matter who the actor is, he cannot reach their status, and it may amount to lying about them. And if he is acting in a matter intended to address a social problem, then there is nothing wrong with it, as long as he does not attribute it to a specific person. If he attributes it to a specific person and lies about him, it becomes forbidden because of the lying.
Likewise, it is not permissible for a person to portray a woman, for example. This is forbidden because if he does so, he has imitated women, and there is a hadith:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) cursed the men who imitate women.
لعن النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساءAnd recite to them, [O Muhammad], the news of him to whom we gave [knowledge of] Our signs, but he detached himself from them
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ الَّذِي آتَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا فَانْسَلَخَ مِنْهَاSo his example is like that of the dog
فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِOne who gets back his gift is like a dog which vomits and then swallows that vomit.
العائد في هبته كالكلب يقيء ثم يعود في قيئهAnd Allah the Exalted said: