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Fatwa CenterWatching entertainment on TV and computers
Question
Recently I have been pondering over the issue of watching television being Haram or lawful! I have given up music. I don’t watch TV too frequently, but I am sort of addicted to cricket matches and wrestling and cartoons. That too I watch on my computer. Whenever I see an alien woman in either wrestling or cricket I sway my sight that instant. Can I watch cricket and wrestling and play permissible computer games on my computer?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
The best thing that a person possesses is time. A wise person is the one who spends his time in what benefits him in this life and in the Hereafter.
That’s why the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) drew our attention to what was reported by Bukhari in the Hadith of Ibn Abbas (Radiya Allahu Anhu): “There are two blessings that many people fail to profit from (before they vanish): health and free time”. Al Tirmizi and Darimi reported from the Hadith of Abu Barza Al Aslami that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “On the day of Judgement a servant would not move until he is asked about his life, in what he spent it ….”. [The Hadith]
This is an evidence that time should not be spent except on what Allah is pleased with, like seeking knowledge, worshipping, earning one’s bread, in Halal ways, and all other things permitted by the Shariah.
If a person has no alternative to seeing these things, and playing with lawful games in the computer, if this does not involve being negligent to prayers or other duties, or advocating falsehood or wasting money, or seeing or listening to what is Haram, like looking at women who are not properly dressed, or listening to music, etc…, then we hope there is no harm in that.
But it is more appropriate for a Muslim to spend his time in useful and beneficial matters.
Allah knows best.
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