What is the ruling on what they call Islamic animated cartoons, such as *The Journey of Peace*, *The Conquest of Constantinople*, and *The Boy of Najran*?
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The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. Recently, some animated cartoons have appeared in Islamic recordings that they claim are Islamic. For example, *The Conquest of Constantinople* or *The Journey of Peace* have appeared, and most recently, *The Boy of Najran* has appeared. These are drawings made by hand, but they are animated.
The Shaykh : And what is *The Boy of Najran*?
The questioner : It is based on Surat al-Buruj or the hadith in *Sahih Muslim*. They make these animated cartoons as a substitute for the defective animated cartoons. I do not know what the ruling on that is, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : By Allah, I see that, if Allah wills, there is nothing wrong with them, because in reality, as you mentioned, they protect the children from forbidden things. At the very least, if we must be strict in our assessment, they are easier than the other cartoons they call cartoon films. As we have heard, those contain doubt regarding the creed and the representation, may Allah protect us, of the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, when it rains, and the like. In any case, I do not see anything wrong with them.
The questioner : In terms of them being drawn by hand, O Shaykh, do they fall under the ruling of image-making?
The Shaykh : Because the discussion regarding the one who drew them is that if there is, for example, some sin, it is upon him. As for us, we are watching something written and finished. And it appears that they are not drawn in the form of a human being.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : In the form of a normal human being?
The questioner : A normal human being with beards and turbans.
The Shaykh : It remains that the view is that they are not attributed to any of the commanders of these conquests unless he said so. That is the problem. I see that if there is nothing in them but good, there is nothing wrong with them, if Allah wills. However, if they are accompanied by music, it is not permissible. This is not permissible because music is among the forbidden musical instruments. Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah preserve you, what is the ruling on a woman dancing among women, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : We used not to be strict about it and would say: these are games on the occasion of a wedding and there is nothing wrong with them, but...
The Shaykh : And what is *The Boy of Najran*?
The questioner : It is based on Surat al-Buruj or the hadith in *Sahih Muslim*. They make these animated cartoons as a substitute for the defective animated cartoons. I do not know what the ruling on that is, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : By Allah, I see that, if Allah wills, there is nothing wrong with them, because in reality, as you mentioned, they protect the children from forbidden things. At the very least, if we must be strict in our assessment, they are easier than the other cartoons they call cartoon films. As we have heard, those contain doubt regarding the creed and the representation, may Allah protect us, of the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, when it rains, and the like. In any case, I do not see anything wrong with them.
The questioner : In terms of them being drawn by hand, O Shaykh, do they fall under the ruling of image-making?
The Shaykh : Because the discussion regarding the one who drew them is that if there is, for example, some sin, it is upon him. As for us, we are watching something written and finished. And it appears that they are not drawn in the form of a human being.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : In the form of a normal human being?
The questioner : A normal human being with beards and turbans.
The Shaykh : It remains that the view is that they are not attributed to any of the commanders of these conquests unless he said so. That is the problem. I see that if there is nothing in them but good, there is nothing wrong with them, if Allah wills. However, if they are accompanied by music, it is not permissible. This is not permissible because music is among the forbidden musical instruments. Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah preserve you, what is the ruling on a woman dancing among women, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : We used not to be strict about it and would say: these are games on the occasion of a wedding and there is nothing wrong with them, but...