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Fatwa CenterRuling on watching magic shows
Question
Salam alaikum. May Allah reward you. My qns is there a Muslim organization doing a fundraising and ppl who wants to attend must pay for the ticket. The fundraising is for school and masjid. However, it included Magic show for childrens. I'm afraid to attend as I believe the ticket price include the cost for the magic show. Or should we just attend the fundraiser and avoid the magic show? Is it even halal to donate to such plc where ppl bring in magic show or other haram things in order to attract ppl to come n donate?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.
Firstly, it should be noted that perhaps what you referred to in the question as “magic show” denotes the performance of illusions and sleight-of-hand tricks which involve the occasional deception of the eyes. This does not involve prohibitions such as lying, the claim of knowledge of the Unseen or other similar forbidden acts. We believe that this is likely what those performers do. If this is the case, then there is no harm in watching such shows. Accordingly, there is no harm in buying the tickets, which include the costs of this magic show.
However, if this magic show involves real magic or prohibited acts, it is impermissible to watch it. This has been underlined in Fatwa 82697. If the costs of such a magic show are proven or believed to be included in the tickets, it is impermissible to pay donations through this fundraising because this constitutes a form of helping others to carry out a sin. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {…And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression…} [Quran 5:2]
It is not correct to cooperate with organizations that adopt such wrong practices, as this indicates the lack of credibility of such organizations. Moreover, the officials of this charitable organization should be wisely advised and instructed about the religious ruling of organizing such magic shows. Tameem Ad-Daari 
reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “The religion is Naseehah (advice, sincerity).” We said “To whom?” He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “To Allaah, His Book, His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” [Muslim]
Allaah Knows best.
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