What is the ruling on acting for men and women, and what is the ruling on what is called the Islamic theater?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. Some of those who issue fatwas to people take the argument that the King is portrayed by some people... so they take it that acting for people is permissible, but, I mean, they forbid a woman from going out naked and uncovered like this, but, I mean, it is permissible for men to act...?
The Shaykh : No, we see that it is not permissible for a woman to go out for acting, ever. It is not permissible for a woman to go out for acting, absolutely not.
The questioner : She went out, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Unless she is acting in front of women?
The questioner : She does not go out...
The Shaykh : No, there is no case of a woman going out for acting?
The questioner : Yes...
The Shaykh : But now there is a woman who goes out for acting! On television, I mean?
The questioner : Not one, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : No, no, this is not permissible, ever. No one says that, no one says that, that a woman goes out in front of people for acting.
The questioner : ...the legs.
The Shaykh : In any case, we ask Allah for well-being. This is forbidden, absolutely. We see that this is forbidden, and it is not permissible to watch it, nor is it permissible to do it.
The questioner : Well, the women are the forbidden part, we know that, and they issue fatwas to that effect. But the catastrophe is what is coming now, called the Islamic theater... It is a very serious matter. It has now become common among those who claim to belong to the Islamic awakening. We ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for pardon and well-being.
The Shaykh : Islamic theater!
The questioner : Yes, a man acts, he comes and sits on the stage and says, "I want to sleep..." and the audience is sitting watching. Then another man comes to him and says, "I have dirhams for you." He says, "What is it?" He tells him, "Say the dhikr of sleep, and so on and so on..."
The Shaykh : I mean, he teaches him.
The questioner : I mean, he teaches him...
The Shaykh : They think that this acting makes the image closer to being fixed in the mind.
The questioner : I do not think so.
The Shaykh : That is what they say... I told you there is disagreement in this matter. Some of the contemporary scholars say this is not permissible, and some say it is permissible.
The questioner : What is the ruling on acting in general, especially the young men who act in the summer centers, which is based on lying?
The Shaykh : Like what?
The questioner : Acting, I mean, a story about a King, guards, and the like.
The Shaykh : By Allah, one looks at the benefit.
The questioner : It is based on lying.
The Shaykh : Lying is forbidden, there is no doubt about it. Lying is forbidden.
The Shaykh : No, we see that it is not permissible for a woman to go out for acting, ever. It is not permissible for a woman to go out for acting, absolutely not.
The questioner : She went out, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Unless she is acting in front of women?
The questioner : She does not go out...
The Shaykh : No, there is no case of a woman going out for acting?
The questioner : Yes...
The Shaykh : But now there is a woman who goes out for acting! On television, I mean?
The questioner : Not one, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : No, no, this is not permissible, ever. No one says that, no one says that, that a woman goes out in front of people for acting.
The questioner : ...the legs.
The Shaykh : In any case, we ask Allah for well-being. This is forbidden, absolutely. We see that this is forbidden, and it is not permissible to watch it, nor is it permissible to do it.
The questioner : Well, the women are the forbidden part, we know that, and they issue fatwas to that effect. But the catastrophe is what is coming now, called the Islamic theater... It is a very serious matter. It has now become common among those who claim to belong to the Islamic awakening. We ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for pardon and well-being.
The Shaykh : Islamic theater!
The questioner : Yes, a man acts, he comes and sits on the stage and says, "I want to sleep..." and the audience is sitting watching. Then another man comes to him and says, "I have dirhams for you." He says, "What is it?" He tells him, "Say the dhikr of sleep, and so on and so on..."
The Shaykh : I mean, he teaches him.
The questioner : I mean, he teaches him...
The Shaykh : They think that this acting makes the image closer to being fixed in the mind.
The questioner : I do not think so.
The Shaykh : That is what they say... I told you there is disagreement in this matter. Some of the contemporary scholars say this is not permissible, and some say it is permissible.
The questioner : What is the ruling on acting in general, especially the young men who act in the summer centers, which is based on lying?
The Shaykh : Like what?
The questioner : Acting, I mean, a story about a King, guards, and the like.
The Shaykh : By Allah, one looks at the benefit.
The questioner : It is based on lying.
The Shaykh : Lying is forbidden, there is no doubt about it. Lying is forbidden.