If a person says a word of disbelief and another man says to him, "You are right," he is thereby declared a disbeliever. Sometimes in some films, an actor may say a word of disbelief or prostrate to an idol.
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The questioner : If a person says a word of disbelief intending to disbelieve by it,
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Shaykh, an actor in some films, for example, they bring in an actor who says a word of disbelief and he intends it, and he may prostrate to an idol because he is playing the role of a polytheist, for example, or something of that sort?
The Shaykh : No, he is portraying the state of another person. However, we do not see the permissibility of acting in this way; we do not see it as permissible to act as a disbeliever or an open sinner.
The questioner : But does he become a disbeliever?
The Shaykh : No, he does not become a disbeliever; it is a disbelief that does not make one a disbeliever.
The questioner : He prostrates to the idol?
The Shaykh : No, he is portraying one person, and he does not have in his heart any exaltation of this idol; rather, he is portraying another person. We do not see this as permissible, even if he does not prostrate to the idol, because a person may feel in his heart that it is disbelief, and this feeling may take hold of him, day after day, until it becomes a belief. And because a man may be mocked for it, people may meet him and say, "You are so-and-so, son of so-and-so, you are Abu Jahl, you are Abu Sufyan, you are such-and-such, you are such-and-such." We have heard that some of them portray Satan. Yes.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : This is also more evil and more evil.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This man is not considered to have been in this state...?
The Shaykh : No, rather he was afraid of Allah, and for this reason he said, "I only feared you." He did not say, "I repented to you." He said, "out of fear of you."
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes,
The questioner : His saying "fear of you" or "fear from you"
The Shaykh : There is a difference, a difference. The difference is fear.
The questioner : If he said, for example, Satan, Abu Jahl,
The Shaykh : We took three. Keep it with you.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Shaykh, an actor in some films, for example, they bring in an actor who says a word of disbelief and he intends it, and he may prostrate to an idol because he is playing the role of a polytheist, for example, or something of that sort?
The Shaykh : No, he is portraying the state of another person. However, we do not see the permissibility of acting in this way; we do not see it as permissible to act as a disbeliever or an open sinner.
The questioner : But does he become a disbeliever?
The Shaykh : No, he does not become a disbeliever; it is a disbelief that does not make one a disbeliever.
The questioner : He prostrates to the idol?
The Shaykh : No, he is portraying one person, and he does not have in his heart any exaltation of this idol; rather, he is portraying another person. We do not see this as permissible, even if he does not prostrate to the idol, because a person may feel in his heart that it is disbelief, and this feeling may take hold of him, day after day, until it becomes a belief. And because a man may be mocked for it, people may meet him and say, "You are so-and-so, son of so-and-so, you are Abu Jahl, you are Abu Sufyan, you are such-and-such, you are such-and-such." We have heard that some of them portray Satan. Yes.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : This is also more evil and more evil.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This man is not considered to have been in this state...?
The Shaykh : No, rather he was afraid of Allah, and for this reason he said, "I only feared you." He did not say, "I repented to you." He said, "out of fear of you."
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes,
The questioner : His saying "fear of you" or "fear from you"
The Shaykh : There is a difference, a difference. The difference is fear.
The questioner : If he said, for example, Satan, Abu Jahl,
The Shaykh : We took three. Keep it with you.