What is the ruling on women watching images of men on television?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The student: ... They display images of men to women. Is the television not forbidden?
The Shaykh : It is difficult to say it is forbidden just because it displays men, and perhaps it also displays men who have beauty. We prohibit this thing that is displayed only; it must be turned off if this thing is displayed.
The student: If a hadith or a Qur'an is shown, do they turn this thing off...?
The Shaykh : In any case, I say, as I mentioned regarding what is displayed on television, that no sane person brings it into his home because it has no benefit; its harms are greater than its benefits. But as for the issue of prohibition, we prohibit everything in which this is watched. It is difficult.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The problem is that absolute prohibition is difficult. Rather, we say that one should not watch the series that aim at open sinfulness, aggression, and injustice. They say there are series involving killing, theft, and betrayal.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : In any case, you, may Allah reward you with good, strive to ensure that it is not in your homes. And I am telling you now that many people are asking me, saying, "We are fed up with owning it. What should we do with it?" We say, put it in the skeleton cabinet.
The student: Break it.
The Shaykh : Do not break it. You can take the appliances, but the wood is not broken; it is useful.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And what does the one who gives it away do? Because if he sells it, he sells it to a person who will surely use it for something forbidden.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If you see that there are people who display good video... they display good videos, lectures, and other things, give it to them...
The student: Return it?
The Shaykh : He does not return it! He uses it for ten years.
The reader: إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ 60 لِمِثْلِ هَذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْعَامِلُونَ 61 أَذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ نُزُلًا أَمْ شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّومِ 62 إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهَا فِتْنَةً لِلظَّالِمِينَ 63 إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخْرُجُ فِي أَصْلِ الْجَحِيمِ 64 طَلْعُهَا كَأَنَّهُ رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ 65 فَإِنَّهُمْ لَآكِلُونَ مِنْهَا فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ 66 ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا لَشَوْبًا مِنْ حَمِيمٍ 67 ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَرْجِعَهُمْ لَإِلَى الْجَحِيمِ Indeed, this is the great success. For such a thing, let the workers work. Is that a better descent, or the tree of Zaqqum? Indeed, We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers. Indeed, it is a tree that grows at the root of the Hellfire. Its fruit is like the heads of the devils. So they will surely eat from it and fill their bellies with it. Then, indeed, for them, over it, will be a mixture of boiling water. Then, indeed, their return will be to the Hellfire..
The Shaykh : I think we have finished; the remaining benefits.
The student:[As-Saffat 37:52]
The Shaykh : It is difficult to say it is forbidden just because it displays men, and perhaps it also displays men who have beauty. We prohibit this thing that is displayed only; it must be turned off if this thing is displayed.
The student: If a hadith or a Qur'an is shown, do they turn this thing off...?
The Shaykh : In any case, I say, as I mentioned regarding what is displayed on television, that no sane person brings it into his home because it has no benefit; its harms are greater than its benefits. But as for the issue of prohibition, we prohibit everything in which this is watched. It is difficult.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The problem is that absolute prohibition is difficult. Rather, we say that one should not watch the series that aim at open sinfulness, aggression, and injustice. They say there are series involving killing, theft, and betrayal.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : In any case, you, may Allah reward you with good, strive to ensure that it is not in your homes. And I am telling you now that many people are asking me, saying, "We are fed up with owning it. What should we do with it?" We say, put it in the skeleton cabinet.
The student: Break it.
The Shaykh : Do not break it. You can take the appliances, but the wood is not broken; it is useful.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And what does the one who gives it away do? Because if he sells it, he sells it to a person who will surely use it for something forbidden.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If you see that there are people who display good video... they display good videos, lectures, and other things, give it to them...
The student: Return it?
The Shaykh : He does not return it! He uses it for ten years.
The reader: إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ 60 لِمِثْلِ هَذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْعَامِلُونَ 61 أَذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ نُزُلًا أَمْ شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّومِ 62 إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهَا فِتْنَةً لِلظَّالِمِينَ 63 إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخْرُجُ فِي أَصْلِ الْجَحِيمِ 64 طَلْعُهَا كَأَنَّهُ رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ 65 فَإِنَّهُمْ لَآكِلُونَ مِنْهَا فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ 66 ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا لَشَوْبًا مِنْ حَمِيمٍ 67 ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَرْجِعَهُمْ لَإِلَى الْجَحِيمِ Indeed, this is the great success. For such a thing, let the workers work. Is that a better descent, or the tree of Zaqqum? Indeed, We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers. Indeed, it is a tree that grows at the root of the Hellfire. Its fruit is like the heads of the devils. So they will surely eat from it and fill their bellies with it. Then, indeed, for them, over it, will be a mixture of boiling water. Then, indeed, their return will be to the Hellfire..
The Shaykh : I think we have finished; the remaining benefits.
The student: