Q: Lately, there was a movie documentary that was released on hajj. This documentary was compiled using videos captured during this year’s hajj (2023), and it was being shown in the cinema in Killarney Mall in Johannesburg.
In this movie, there are many interviews of women. The labbaik is played together with music, and there are even Ulama who appear in the movie.
It is said that the purpose behind the production of this movie is to educate Muslims and non-Muslims regarding Islam and the beauty of hajj.
What is the Islamic ruling regarding producing, watching and promoting such a movie?
A: Before addressing the issue in question, it is important for one to understand certain preliminary aspects. This will enable one to understand the Islamic perspective as well as comprehend the severity of the issue at hand.
First and foremost, Islam is a religion that promotes shame and modesty, respect and purity, and complete and total obedience and submission to the command of Allah Ta‘ala. In all facets of a person’s life, whether relating to the rights one owes to Allah Ta‘ala or the servants, a Muslim is commanded to remain obedient to Allah Ta‘ala and uphold Islam in its pristine form.
On the contrary, when one views the kuffaar culture and value system, then one will realize that this culture promotes shamelessness and immodesty, and encourages one to lead a carefree life dictated by the demands of one’s base desires. Hence, every aspect of this culture is centred around looking for entertainment in order to fulfil one’s desires – even if it be at the expense of sacrificing one’s morals and values.
Therefore, a believer should understand that the kuffaar culture and value system is in diametric contrast to the Islamic system and culture, and we should not adopt the ways of the kuffaar by producing pictures and movies and trying to propagate deen via this haraam means. If this means is adopted in propagating Islam, then the adverse outcome will be witnessed where shamelessness and immorality will spread among the Muslims.
Secondly, photography and videomaking are regarded among the most heinous and grave sins in Islam. Severe warnings and admonishments have been sounded in the Mubaarak Hadith for those who get involved in the sin of picture making.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Those involved in picture-making will be subjected to the worst forms of punishment on the day of Qiyaamah.” (Bukhaari 2/880, Muslim 2/201)
Based on the information provided regarding the documentary, one will realise that it contains many aspects which are impermissible and contrary to the teachings of Islam. Among these impermissible aspects are the following:
1. Making pictures of animate objects
2. Displaying pictures of animate objects
3. Playing music
4. Intermingling of men and women
5. Displaying women before non-mahram men and vice versa
6. Spreading Deen through a haraam medium
7. Making a mockery of deen (through playing music with the Labbaik)
When one views each of the abovementioned sins, one realizes that each sin individually is counted among the major sins in Islam that earn the wrath and anger of Allah Ta‘ala. Hence, one concludes from this that producing a movie in reality involves committing a conglomeration of major sins and causing others to become engulfed in these major sins as well.
The Fatwa of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (rahimahullah)
In the time of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (rahimahullah), a movie was produced in the name of Islam, wherein Muslim rulers and Muslim women were depicted. A question regarding this movie was posed to Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah), and the Islamic verdict was enquired from him.
Below are some of the pertinent aspects which Hazrat Moulana Thaanwi (rahimahullah) highlighted regarding the movie, due to which he issued the ruling that producing such a film is haraam in Islam.
Similarly, in his fatwa, Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) urged the Muslim public to make a concerted effort to stop such a serious sin taking place – which is a means of destroying the imaan and deen of the public – failing which, all the Muslims will be held accountable in the court of Allah Ta‘ala.
1. The Sin of Making Pictures/Videos of Animate Objects
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) mentioned:
“In the Shari’ah of Islam, making any type of picture of any animate object is regarded as a major sin – regardless of whether the picture is of a ruler or any other person, and regardless of whether the picture has a physical form (e.g. a statue) or it does not have a physical form (e.g. it is drawn on a paper or it is produced on a screen).”
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) cited the following Hadith as proof for the prohibition of picture-making of all animate objects:
Hazrat Aishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) reports: Once, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) returned from a journey, and I had hung a curtain with pictures (of animated objects) on my door. (On seeing the curtain,) Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) tore it and said, “The people who will be subjected to the most severe punishment on the Day of Qiyaamah will be those who used to imitate Allah Ta‘ala in the action of creating (by producing pictures of animate objects). (Bukhaari #5954)
2. The Sin of Using Muslims as Instruments to Commit Sin
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) mentioned:
“As for making a picture of a Muslim or videoing a Muslim, then this is an even worse sin (than making pictures of disbelievers), as one is using a Muslim who knows and believes that this action is evil as an instrument to commit this sin.”
3. The Sin of Viewing Pictures/Videos of Animate Objects
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) mentioned:
“It should be borne in mind that even if the picture of a person is taken, and there is no other evil and wrong associated with the picture (e.g. it is not a picture of a non-mahram woman, but rather the picture of one’s children or parents), and it is kept solely for the purpose of deriving enjoyment through viewing it, it will still be impermissible, as taking enjoyment from something that is haraam in Shari’ah is also haraam (forbidden):
في الدر المختار: كتاب الأشربة: وحرم الانتفاع به (أي بالخمر) ولو لسقي دواب أو لطين أو لنظر للتلهي
In the kitaab Durre Mukhtaar (6/449), under the chapter pertaining to haraam drinks (wine), the author mentions, “It is haraam to take any type of benefit from it (i.e. wine) – even if it is to give it to an animal to drink, or to use it in mixing mortar, or merely to look at it and derive enjoyment from its sight (as deriving pleasure from looking at a haraam thing is also declared as haraam in Shari’ah).”
4. The Sin of Pictures/Videos can Cause one to Fall into the Sin of Gheebah
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) mentioned:
“As for the case where the picture shows some defect or fault in the person, then this will now include a separate sin – it will include the sin of gheebah (backbiting) as well. The reason is that gheebah is not restricted to speech. Rather, gheebah also takes place through the pen i.e. through writing. Similarly, gheebah will also take place through one making a picture which portrays this defect or fault in the person.
“In fact, in the case of producing a picture of a person with a defect, then the sin will be even more severe (than speaking about the defect of the person as the picture will be preserved all the time, whereas the discussion of gheebah will not remain).” (1)
5. The Sin of Non-Mahram Men Viewing the Pictures or Videos of non-Mahram Women with Lust
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) also mentioned:
“In the case where the picture is of a woman, then apart from looking at a picture of an animate object which is haraam, the sin of looking at a non-mahram is included in it.
“When merely looking at the clothing of a strange woman with lust is regarded as haraam in Shari’ah, then looking at her picture is far worse and much more evil, as a picture provides one with the complete description of the one whose picture was taken.” (2)
6. The Sin of Humiliating Muslim Men by Revealing Pictures/Videos of their Wives before Strange Men
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) mentioned:
“Just as it is impermissible for one to degrade or humiliate a person before others, in the same way, to degrade or humiliate those people who have a special relationship with him is also impermissible and tantamount to humiliating him. (Hence, apart from the sin of insulting them, it will also be a cause of insulting him. Thus, to make pictures of a man’s wife is an insult to her as well as an insult to him.)
“In the time of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), the disbelievers would intentionally compose lewd poetry regarding the wives of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) in order to incite the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and insult them. Allah Ta‘ala declared this evil action to be a means of causing severe hurt to people.”
وَ لَتَسۡمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکُمۡ وَ مِنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَشۡرَکُوۡۤا اَذًی کَثِیۡرًا ؕ
And you will certainly hear from those who were given the book before you (i.e. the Christians and Jews) and from the mushrikeen a lot of hurtful statements. (Aal-e-Imraan v. 186)
Under the commentary of this verse, the author of Jalaalain mentioned that “hurtful statements” in this verse refers to the disbelievers swearing and insulting the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and composing lewd poetry regarding their wives. (3)
7. The Sin of Revealing Muslim Women before non-Muslim Men
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) mentioned:
“Taking pictures or making movies of Muslim women is an extremely serious sin in Islam. However, the heinousness of this sin is further aggravated and compounded in the case where non-Muslim men are given the chance to look at those pictures and videos of Muslim women and view them with lust. The reason is that according to the Hadith, casting lustful glances is also regarded as a type of zina, hence such zina, where a non-Muslim male is committing zina with a Muslim female, is certainly worse (than a Muslim male committing zina with a Muslim female).” (4)
Note of Caution:
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) was asked regarding those who promote such a movie – what is their position in Shari’ah?
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) replied, “The Hadith has mentioned such a severe warning for those who remain silent when a sin takes place and they refrain from condemning it (as seen in the Hadith below):
روى أبو داود مرفوعا: ما من قوم يعمل فيهم بالمعاصي ثم يقدرون على أن يغيروا ثم لا يغيرون إلا يوشك أن يعمهم الله بعقاب (مشكاة)
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “There are no people among whom sin takes place openly, and they have the ability to prevent the wrong yet they do not prevent it, except that Allah Ta‘ala will soon engulf all of them in a severe punishment.”
Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah) then said, “When this is the severe consequence for not stopping the wrong, then one can well imagine the serious consequence and punishment for those who are the actual perpetrators and promoters of the sin!” (5)
(Imdaad-ul-Fataawa 9/392-399)
Fatwa of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (rahimahullah) Regarding a Hajj Film
In answer to another question where Hazrat Moulana Thaanwi (rahimahullah) was asked regarding a movie that was produced regarding hajj, Hazrat Moulana Thaanwi (rahimahullah) wrote:
“We have reached such a time of grief and sorrow, there are many things to cry over… It is quite evident that a film and movie company is purely a means of entertainment. Using such a company to promote deen is a cause of severe disdain and contempt of deen…
“Another point is that most of the rituals of hajj are “ta’abbudi” (its reasoning is not perceivable to the average person), which could lead to non-Muslims making a mockery of these rituals and of deen…
“Further, the movie will entail pictures of people. The impermissibility of viewing pictures of animate objects is well known and its evil requires no elaboration.” (Imdaad-ul-Fataawa 4/385)
May Allah Ta‘ala bless the Muslim ummah with the tawfeeq of realising their wrongs, rectifying their mistakes, reforming their lives and coming back on to the pure and pristine path of Islam.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من سفر وقد سترت بقرام لي على سهوة لي فيها تماثيل فلما رآه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هتكه وقال أشد الناس عذابا يوم القيامة الذين يضاهون بخلق الله. (صحيح البخاري، الرقم: 5954)
عن مسلم قال كنا مع مسروق في دار يسار بن نمير فرأى في صفته تماثيل فقال سمعت عبد الله قال سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول إن أشد الناس عذابا عند الله يوم القيامة المصورون (صحيح البخاري، الرقم: 5950)
(1) بيان أن الغيبة لا تقتصر على اللسان اعلم أن الذكر باللسان إنما حرم لأن فيه تفهيم الغير نقصان أخيك وتعريفه بما يكرهه فالتعريض به كالتصريح والفعل فيه كالقول والإشارة والإيماء والغمز والهمز والكتابة والحركة وكل ما يفهم المقصود فهو داخل في الغيبة وهو حرام فمن ذلك قول عائشة رضي الله عنها دخلت علينا امرأة فلما ولت أومأت بيدي أنها قصيرة فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم اغتبتيها ومن ذلك المحاكاة يمشي متعارجا أو كما يمشي فهو غيبة بل هو أشد من الغيبة لأنه أعظم في التصوير والتفهيم ولما رأى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عائشة حاكت امرأة قال ما يسرني أني حاكيت إنسانا ولي كذا وكذا وكذلك الغيبة بالكتابة فإن القلم أحد اللسانين وذكر المصنف شخصا معينا وتهجير كلامه في الكتاب غيبة (إحياء علوم الدين 3/144)
عن أبي هريرة، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: أتدرون ما الغيبة؟ قالوا: الله ورسوله أعلم، قال: ذكرك أخاك بما يكره قيل أفرأيت إن كان في أخي ما أقول؟ قال: إن كان فيه ما تقول، فقد اغتبته، وإن لم يكن فيه فقد بهته (صحيح مسلم، الرقم: 2589)
(2) (وكل عضو لا يجوز النظر إليه قبل الانفصال لا يجوز بعده) ولو بعد الموت كشعر عانة وشعر رأسها وعظم ذراع حرة ميتة وساقها وقلامة ظفر رجلها دون يدها مجتبى وفيه النظر إلى ملاءة الأجنبية بشهوة حرام (الدر المختار 6/372)
مفاده أن رؤية الثوب بحيث يصف حجم العضو ممنوعة ولو كثيفا لا ترى البشرة منه (الدر المختار 6/366)
(3) (ولتسمعن من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم) اليهود والنصارى (ومن الذين أشركوا) من العرب (أذى كثيرا) من السب والطعن والتشبيب بنسائكم (تفسير الجلالين صــــ 94)
(4) عن معمر، أخبرنا ابن طاووس، عن أبيه عن ابن عباس، قال: ما رأيت شيئا أشبه باللمم مما قال أبو هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن الله كتب على ابن آدم حظه من الزنى، أدرك ذلك لا محالة، فزنى العينين النظر، وزنى اللسان المنطق، والنفس تمنى وتشتهي، والفرج يصدق ذلك ويكذبه (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 2152)
(5) وقال عمرو، عن هشيم: وإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: ما من قوم يعمل فيهم بالمعاصي، ثم يقدرون على أن يغيروا، ثم لا يغيروا إلا يوشك أن يعمهم الله منه بعقاب (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 4338)
عن عدي بن عدي عن العرس ابن عميرة الكندي، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إذا عملت الخطيئة في الأرض كان من شهدها فكرهها وقال مرة: فأنكرها كان كمن غاب عنها، ومن غاب عنها فرضيها كان كمن شهدها (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 4345)
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