The Ruling of the Shari'ah on Acting or Drama
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Our brother asks other questions, saying for example: What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding actors and spectators? And what money is paid and taken for that?
Answer:
This is a general question, and it seems he intends marriage, so regarding the actor and the spectator: if the things the spectator watches contain no harm, such as women watching women when they gather, and when they play the hand drum and sing the usual singing among women, there is no blame on them.
As for the actor, there is a detail: if the intended meaning of "actor" is one who dresses in clothing other than his own and attributes himself to someone else, such as dressing in women's clothing and imitating women as if he were so-and-so or so-and-so, this is reprehensible from two aspects: from the aspect of his lying, and from the aspect of dressing in women's clothing, and Allah has forbidden the man to wear the clothing of a woman.
And if the acting involves another person who takes on a role and says: "I am so-and-so," and the second says: "I am the husband of so-and-so," or "I am her father," or "I am her brother," when that is not the case, or "I am 'Umar," or "I am 'Ali ibn Abi Talib," or "I am Ahmad ibn Hanbal," or "I am Abu Hanifah," or "I am so-and-so," then this is lying which is not permissible, and this is forgery, not acting; it is forgery because he is not Abu Hanifah, he is not Ahmad, he is not 'Ali, nor is it like that.
And if he imitates the disbelievers, it becomes greater and more severe, such as saying: "I am Abu Jahl," or "I am 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah," or "I am Abu Lahab." This is uglier because he likened himself to a disbeliever, and it is also lying; he is not Abu Lahab, he is not 'Utbah, and he is not Abu Jahl, so it is not permissible.
Some people do not understand acting; they think that acting is making analogies. Making analogies is a different type. Allah made analogies for us in His great Book in many things, such as His saying (Exalted and Majestic is He): [al-Kahf:32].. [al-Nahl:112] up to such analogies.
The analogies that Allah makes or His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) makes contain clarification and explanation for the community so that they may know the truth through evidence and through analogy. Likewise, if a person makes analogies for a group, saying: "The one who does such-and-such is like such-and-such," or "The one who does such-and-such is like such-and-such," to deter from bad actions or to encourage good deeds, there is nothing wrong with this. This is making analogies for clarification and explanation, unlike acting, which is a person taking on a role and saying: "I am so-and-so," or "I am so-and-so," when it is a lie and he is not so-and-so or so-and-so. This is lying and forgery which is not permissible, and if that is with disbelievers, it is uglier and more sinful. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Our brother asks other questions, saying for example: What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding actors and spectators? And what money is paid and taken for that?
Answer:
This is a general question, and it seems he intends marriage, so regarding the actor and the spectator: if the things the spectator watches contain no harm, such as women watching women when they gather, and when they play the hand drum and sing the usual singing among women, there is no blame on them.
As for the actor, there is a detail: if the intended meaning of "actor" is one who dresses in clothing other than his own and attributes himself to someone else, such as dressing in women's clothing and imitating women as if he were so-and-so or so-and-so, this is reprehensible from two aspects: from the aspect of his lying, and from the aspect of dressing in women's clothing, and Allah has forbidden the man to wear the clothing of a woman.
And if the acting involves another person who takes on a role and says: "I am so-and-so," and the second says: "I am the husband of so-and-so," or "I am her father," or "I am her brother," when that is not the case, or "I am 'Umar," or "I am 'Ali ibn Abi Talib," or "I am Ahmad ibn Hanbal," or "I am Abu Hanifah," or "I am so-and-so," then this is lying which is not permissible, and this is forgery, not acting; it is forgery because he is not Abu Hanifah, he is not Ahmad, he is not 'Ali, nor is it like that.
And if he imitates the disbelievers, it becomes greater and more severe, such as saying: "I am Abu Jahl," or "I am 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah," or "I am Abu Lahab." This is uglier because he likened himself to a disbeliever, and it is also lying; he is not Abu Lahab, he is not 'Utbah, and he is not Abu Jahl, so it is not permissible.
Some people do not understand acting; they think that acting is making analogies. Making analogies is a different type. Allah made analogies for us in His great Book in many things, such as His saying (Exalted and Majestic is He):
And present to them an example of two men: We granted to one of them two gardens of grapevines, and We bordered them with palm trees and placed between them [fields of] crops.
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلًا رَجُلَيْنِ جَعَلْنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيْنِ مِنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَحَفَفْنَاهُمَا بِنَخْلٍ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمَا زَرْعًاAnd Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍThe analogies that Allah makes or His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) makes contain clarification and explanation for the community so that they may know the truth through evidence and through analogy. Likewise, if a person makes analogies for a group, saying: "The one who does such-and-such is like such-and-such," or "The one who does such-and-such is like such-and-such," to deter from bad actions or to encourage good deeds, there is nothing wrong with this. This is making analogies for clarification and explanation, unlike acting, which is a person taking on a role and saying: "I am so-and-so," or "I am so-and-so," when it is a lie and he is not so-and-so or so-and-so. This is lying and forgery which is not permissible, and if that is with disbelievers, it is uglier and more sinful. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.