Hesitation Regarding Image-Making in the Media
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Q: You have called for utilizing the media in the field of da'wah (calling to Islam) and guidance, including those that involve image-making. However, some of the callers to Allah still hesitate regarding this matter. What do you say about it?
A: There is no doubt that utilizing the media in calling to the truth, spreading the rulings of the Shari'ah, explaining shirk (associating partners with Allah) and its means, and warning against it and against all that Allah has forbidden is among the greatest of duties, indeed among the most obligatory of obligations. It is among the great blessings of Allah for those who utilize it for good, and for those who benefit from it in what is lacking in their religion and in seeing the right of Allah upon them.
There is no doubt that appearing on television is something from which some scholars may hesitate, due to the authentic hadiths regarding the severity of the ruling on image-making and the cursing of image-makers.
However, some scholars have held that there is no harm in it if the appearance is for the purpose of calling to the truth, spreading the rulings of Islam, and refuting the callers to falsehood; acting in accordance with the legal principle: committing the lesser of two harms to avoid the greater, if safety from both is not possible; and obtaining the greater of two benefits, even if it means losing the lesser, if obtaining both is not possible.
The same is said regarding many harms and many benefits. It is obligatory upon the rulers and the scholars, if safety from all harms is not possible, to strive to be safe from the most dangerous and the greatest in sin. Likewise, regarding benefits, they must realize the greatest of them, then the next greatest, if realizing all of them is not possible. There are many examples and various proofs from the Book and the Sunnah, including the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-An'am: 108]. And among them is the authentic hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): The hadith is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
By this, it is known that the discussion regarding appearing on television for the da'wah to Allah the Exalted and spreading the truth varies according to what Allah has given people of knowledge, understanding, insight, and consideration of consequences.
So, if Allah opens the chest of a person, expands his knowledge, and he sees that he should appear on television to spread the truth and convey the messages of Allah, there is no blame on him for that, and he has his reward and recompense with Allah the Exalted. And if the matter is confusing for a person and his chest does not open to it, we hope that he will be excused, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan an-Nasa'i 5711Sahih (Darussalam), and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Mishkat al-Masabih 2774 The hadith. There is no doubt that the appearance of the people of truth on television is among the greatest means of spreading the religion of Allah and refuting the people of falsehood, because most people watch it, from men and women, Muslims and disbelievers. The people of truth feel reassured when they see the image of someone they know to be in the truth and benefit from what issues from him. In that is also a combat against the people of falsehood and a narrowing of the field for them. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Al-'Ankabut: 69], and He said (Glorified and Exalted is He): : [An-Nahl: 125], and He said (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Fussilat: 33], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1893a, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 4609Sahih (Al-Albani) Muslim narrated them in his Sahih. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) when he sent him to the Jews in Khaybar: Sahih Muslim 2406 It is agreed upon that it is authentic.
These verses and authentic hadiths all encompass the da'wah to Allah the Exalted through the means of contemporary media and through all other means: such as oratory, authorship, letters and telephone calls, and other types of conveying the message to those whom Allah has rectified their intention and granted them beneficial knowledge and action upon it.
It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1 It is agreed upon that it is authentic. And he said (peace and blessings be upon him): Riyad as-Salihin 1570 Muslim narrated it in the Sahih.
And I ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to guide the scholars of the Muslims and their rulers to everything that brings well-being to the servants and the lands. He is the One who has the power to do that and is capable of it.
A: There is no doubt that utilizing the media in calling to the truth, spreading the rulings of the Shari'ah, explaining shirk (associating partners with Allah) and its means, and warning against it and against all that Allah has forbidden is among the greatest of duties, indeed among the most obligatory of obligations. It is among the great blessings of Allah for those who utilize it for good, and for those who benefit from it in what is lacking in their religion and in seeing the right of Allah upon them.
There is no doubt that appearing on television is something from which some scholars may hesitate, due to the authentic hadiths regarding the severity of the ruling on image-making and the cursing of image-makers.
However, some scholars have held that there is no harm in it if the appearance is for the purpose of calling to the truth, spreading the rulings of Islam, and refuting the callers to falsehood; acting in accordance with the legal principle: committing the lesser of two harms to avoid the greater, if safety from both is not possible; and obtaining the greater of two benefits, even if it means losing the lesser, if obtaining both is not possible.
The same is said regarding many harms and many benefits. It is obligatory upon the rulers and the scholars, if safety from all harms is not possible, to strive to be safe from the most dangerous and the greatest in sin. Likewise, regarding benefits, they must realize the greatest of them, then the next greatest, if realizing all of them is not possible. There are many examples and various proofs from the Book and the Sunnah, including the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge
وَلا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍIf it were not that your people are recent in their disbelief, I would have demolished the Ka'bah and built it on the foundations of Ibrahim.
لولا أن قومك حديثو عهد بكفر لهدمت الكعبة وأقمتها على قواعد إبراهيمBy this, it is known that the discussion regarding appearing on television for the da'wah to Allah the Exalted and spreading the truth varies according to what Allah has given people of knowledge, understanding, insight, and consideration of consequences.
So, if Allah opens the chest of a person, expands his knowledge, and he sees that he should appear on television to spread the truth and convey the messages of Allah, there is no blame on him for that, and he has his reward and recompense with Allah the Exalted. And if the matter is confusing for a person and his chest does not open to it, we hope that he will be excused, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبكRighteousness is that with which the soul is tranquil and the heart is tranquil
البر ما اطمأنت إليه النفس واطمأن إليه القلبAnd those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُAnd who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims."
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَOne who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer.
من دل على خير فله مثل أجر فاعلهIf anyone summons other to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without their rewards being diminished in any respect on that account; and if anyone summons others to follow error the sin of which sins being diminished in any respect on that account.
من دعا إلى هدى كان له من الأجر مثل أجور من تبعه لا ينقص ذلك من أجورهم شيئا، ومن دعا إلى ضلالة كان عليه من الإثم مثل آثام من تبعه لا ينقص من آثامهم شيئاًthereafter invite them to Islam and inform them what is obligatory for them from the rights of Allah, for, by Allah, if Allah guides aright even one person through you that is better for you than to possess the most valuable of the camels.
ادعهم إلى الإسلام وأخبرهم بما يجب عليهم من حق الله تعالى فيه، فوالله لأن يهدي الله بك رجلا واحدا خير لك من حمر النعمThese verses and authentic hadiths all encompass the da'wah to Allah the Exalted through the means of contemporary media and through all other means: such as oratory, authorship, letters and telephone calls, and other types of conveying the message to those whom Allah has rectified their intention and granted them beneficial knowledge and action upon it.
It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.
إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوىVerily, Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts and your deeds.
إن الله لا ينظر إلى صوركم ولا إلى أموالكم ولكن ينظر إلى قلوبكم وأعمالكمAnd I ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to guide the scholars of the Muslims and their rulers to everything that brings well-being to the servants and the lands. He is the One who has the power to do that and is capable of it.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.