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A
ruling regarding plays
Question:
Islaamic centres in the West contain mosques and also have
in them places for other activities, such as festivals and
wedding parties, general talks and even sports competitions,
These centres are a source of light and inspiration in these
regions. Sometimes we invite people to talks in which there
might be plays for a specific purpose, Islaamic songs that
do not contain music and so forth. Is it permitted for us
to do this in the mosque because sometimes there is no hall
or room available where it can be held and there is nowhere
else where we can gather and mutually advise each other? What
is your esteemed opinion concerning this matter?
Response:
Scholars in our time have differed concerning the acting out
of plays. Some of them say that it is not permitted under
any circumstances. They justify their position by arguing
that plays are a form of lying because a man who takes the
part of someone else is not really that person. Therefore,
he is lying, as lying is what is contrary to the truth.
Other
scholars, however, say that there is no harm in plays and
that they are not a form of lying. They argue that lying is
the making of a statement which one knows to be false. The
actor though, does not claim to be the character that he is
acting but rather that he is only acting his part, that is,
he is doing things which are similar to what that character
does. This is in fact what actually happens and those present
all know that this is what a play is in reality. It is quite
a different situation from when someone arrives at your door
and claims to be so and so, and he is lying.
This
is real lying, whereas a man who is playing the part of someone
else has not lied and does not claim to be the person himself.
Lying, therefore, does not come into the issue. However, if
the play includes something forbidden, such as eminent and
distinguished people inevitably being diminished and reduced
in stature and nobility, then it is not permitted. Therefore,
I believe that the Companions, especially the righteous Khulafaa.,
should not be used as characters in a play. It is also not
permitted if the play includes other forbidden things, such
as men acting as women or vice versa. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) cursed men who imitated women and women
who imitated men. It is also not permitted if the play includes
the imitating of animals because this is not found in the
Qur.aan
and Sunnah
except as criticism and rebuke.
Allaah,
the Exalted, says, {And recite to them the story of him to
whom We gave Our signs but he cast them aside, so Satan followed
him and he became of those who were led astray. Had We willed
We would have exalted him therewith but he dung to this earthly
life and followed his vain desires. His likeness is that of
a dog}, [Soorah
al-A'raaf, Aayah
175]. The simile of a dog is used here to express criticism
and rebuke.
Allaah,
the Most High, also says, {Those who were entrusted with the
Torah but did not act according to it are like the donkey
burdened with books}, [Soorah
al-Jumu'ah, Aayah
5].
Again,
the likening of man to an animal is used critically here.
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) said, ((Whoever takes back a gift he
has given, is like the dog who vomits and then eats his own
vomit)). If, therefore, a play includes something forbidden,
it is not permitted due to this and not because it is considered
a form of lying.
If
a play is lawful with respect to its content, there remains
the question of whether it is permitted to act it out in a
place of prayer. If it is beneficial and it is really being
used to invite to Islaam, there is no harm in it because the
Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) allowed the Abissynians to play with
their spears in his mosque, in order to soften their hearts
towards Islaam. Therefore, if the benefit is greater than
the harm, the benefit should be sought. However, if it is
possible to designate for them another room or hall, this
would be better.
Shaykh
Ibn 'Uthaymeen
al-Aqalliyaat al-Muslimah - Page 66, Fatwa No.7
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