What is the best way to get rid of the satellite dish?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The second question: Many of our Muslim households have been afflicted by having a television in the house under the pretext of knowing world news and events in Muslim lands and what is happening to them. It contains the harms it contains, and now the satellite or dish has entered under the pretext of expanding knowledge of world news and so on. If a person is keen to remove it from his house, the children and wife will surely object, and they find it in the father's house or the grandfather's house or the uncle's house! So how should one deal with that? May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh!
The Shaykh : By Allah, my brother, we complain to Allah. It is not surprising that foreign media broadcast what corrupts beliefs, ideas, and morals, because they are enemies. All disbelievers are enemies of the Muslims, no matter how much they pretend to be friends; by Allah, they are enemies, as testified by Allah (Mighty and Majestic):[Al-Mumtahanah 60:1], [An-Nisa 4:89], [An-Nisa 4:89], and the texts of the Book and the Sunnah are clear in this matter.
It is not permissible for us to be deceived by the false affection they throw at us with their tongues, and to be like the ostrich that buries its head in the sand and says: I have no hunter. They are enemies, but they adapt by not believing in what they see to be in their interest.
Now they have become broadcasting on these satellite channels what a sane person, let alone a believer, would be ashamed to mention. According to what we hear, they broadcast naked people, prostitutes, and women of loose conduct, and one sees a man doing with a naked woman what he does. So what do you think, my brother, if such things are spread before young men full of youth, with full bellies and sound bodies? What will happen?
Estimate the worst thing or the easiest thing, and it will be evil. For this reason, we have heard, based on that, of someone who brings his daughter or his sister in a state of promiscuity. This is something we cannot speak of, let alone believe the news of it, let alone that it is a reality among us. Therefore, I see that the sane person removes these from his house. Are you obligated to know the news?
By Allah, we do not hear of news except what brings us sadness, because we have no solution for it in our hands. Who can solve the problem of Kosovo now? Who can?
Rather, it narrows the chests and brings worry and grief. Then, not every person benefits from the news. People regarding news are in three categories:
One category benefits from this; they know what has happened in the world, and the man has some political insight, so he can state what is beneficial.
Another category: the heart is dead, knowing neither good nor evil. So this is a waste of time and a waste of money by watching these things.
A third category: the heart is alive, but he has no opinion or political insight, so he becomes sad and pained. So reading them has no good in it.
Therefore, I advise you to remove it from your house.
As for them going to relatives and finding this with them, yes, that is correct. If it is decreed that you can prevent them from that, prevent them. And if it is not decreed because the relatives are very close, or because they are young men whom you cannot prevent, then adopt something else that provides their entertainment and diverts them, such as what they call the computer and films from which you choose what you want.
The questioner : Some of them cite the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is known. But is concern for the affairs of the Muslims contingent on watching these calamities?
Then, even if it were assumed that it incites concern, its harms are greater. Who guarantees to me that he will not look at anything except what is in the interest of the Muslims?
Most of those who acquire it do not have this as their intention, and this is not the reality of their situation.
The Shaykh : By Allah, my brother, we complain to Allah. It is not surprising that foreign media broadcast what corrupts beliefs, ideas, and morals, because they are enemies. All disbelievers are enemies of the Muslims, no matter how much they pretend to be friends; by Allah, they are enemies, as testified by Allah (Mighty and Majestic):
O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies
يا أيّها الذين آمنوا لا تتّخذوا عدوّي وعدوّكم أولياءThey wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike
ودّوا لو تكفرون كما كفروا فتكونون سواءThey wish you would disbelieve
وودّوا لو تكفرونIt is not permissible for us to be deceived by the false affection they throw at us with their tongues, and to be like the ostrich that buries its head in the sand and says: I have no hunter. They are enemies, but they adapt by not believing in what they see to be in their interest.
Now they have become broadcasting on these satellite channels what a sane person, let alone a believer, would be ashamed to mention. According to what we hear, they broadcast naked people, prostitutes, and women of loose conduct, and one sees a man doing with a naked woman what he does. So what do you think, my brother, if such things are spread before young men full of youth, with full bellies and sound bodies? What will happen?
Estimate the worst thing or the easiest thing, and it will be evil. For this reason, we have heard, based on that, of someone who brings his daughter or his sister in a state of promiscuity. This is something we cannot speak of, let alone believe the news of it, let alone that it is a reality among us. Therefore, I see that the sane person removes these from his house. Are you obligated to know the news?
By Allah, we do not hear of news except what brings us sadness, because we have no solution for it in our hands. Who can solve the problem of Kosovo now? Who can?
Rather, it narrows the chests and brings worry and grief. Then, not every person benefits from the news. People regarding news are in three categories:
One category benefits from this; they know what has happened in the world, and the man has some political insight, so he can state what is beneficial.
Another category: the heart is dead, knowing neither good nor evil. So this is a waste of time and a waste of money by watching these things.
A third category: the heart is alive, but he has no opinion or political insight, so he becomes sad and pained. So reading them has no good in it.
Therefore, I advise you to remove it from your house.
As for them going to relatives and finding this with them, yes, that is correct. If it is decreed that you can prevent them from that, prevent them. And if it is not decreed because the relatives are very close, or because they are young men whom you cannot prevent, then adopt something else that provides their entertainment and diverts them, such as what they call the computer and films from which you choose what you want.
The questioner : Some of them cite the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them
من لم يهتمّ بأمور المسلمين فليس منهمThe Shaykh : Yes, this is known. But is concern for the affairs of the Muslims contingent on watching these calamities?
Then, even if it were assumed that it incites concern, its harms are greater. Who guarantees to me that he will not look at anything except what is in the interest of the Muslims?
Most of those who acquire it do not have this as their intention, and this is not the reality of their situation.