Why Watching Movies Is Halal in Islam
By C J Ahmed
22/06/2019 Updated-23/07/2020
Watching movies is known as a " great evil" by some Muslims who believe that movies and cinema are haram in Islam. The word "movies" could mean several things and in general, watching movies is not haram in Islam as accordance with the Quran and the authentic hadiths.
1. The Awrah Argument
It is very important for a Muslim to understand that just because someone says that something is haram in Islam does not mean that Islam actually forbids it. One argument that watching movies is haram is derived from an elementary argument stating that watching films or movies is a great fitna because you are watching the awrah of a man or woman. Now the question is what the awrah is for a man or woman. The prophet (Sal) explained clearly what an awrah is. He said:
"A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-Authenticaged by Albani)
It is clear from this hadith and others that the awrah for a Muslim is his private parts and for a Muslim woman is her body except the face,hands and feet. I have explained in detail what the awrah is for a man and a woman in Islam. Click here https://cjislam.weebly.com/what-is-the-awrah-for-a-man-in-front-of-a-man-and-a-woman-in-front-of-a-woman-a-detailed-explanation.html for the full article. Now this rule applies only for a Muslim and not a non-Muslim. All most all the famous movies that are made and are popular to watch starting from Hollywood to Bollywood and elsewhere depict actors or actresses who are non-Muslim. The argument put forward that watching movies, serials or soap operas shows is haram because people are exposing their awrah is a weak argument. The reason is awrah of a Muslim does not fit the awrah of a Muslim. Let me explain with an authentic hadith.
"Umar (Rali) once saw a slave-girl that belonged to us (to Anas) wearing a scarf, so Umar (Rali) disallowed her and told her: ‘Don’t assume the manners of free woman.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, V- 2/ page 41/ 6236-Graded Sahih by Imam Ibn Hajar and Sheikh Albani)
From the hadith of Umar telling a slave girl that it is not required to wear the hijab proves that the hijab is only for a free believing Muslim and not a non-Muslim or a slave. Now again another argument is put forward and that is, although the non-Muslim women can uncover their heads, still the person who is watching the movie should not look at the woman. In Islam, looking at a woman or man lustfully is what's haram. Looking at a woman without lust is not haram, Aisha (Rali) watched the Ethiopians play with spears in the mosque with the prophet (Sal) as narrated in both Bukhari and Muslim. In another hadith,
The Prophet (Sal) said: "When one of you asked a woman in marriage, if he is able to look at what will induce him to marry her, he should do so. He (Jabir) said: I asked a girl in marriage, I used to look at her secretly, until I looked at what induced me to marry her. I, therefore, married her."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
If looking at a woman was totally haram then the prophet (Sal) would not have told to look at the woman for a man who wants to marry and Janir (Rali) would not have looked at the woman in the first place. Umar ibn al-Khattab reported:
"Some prisoners of war were brought to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and a breast-feeding woman was among them. Whenever she found a child among the prisoners, she would take it to her chest and nurse it. The Prophet said to us, “Do you think this woman would throw her child in the fire?” We said, “No, not if she was able to stop it.” The Prophet said, “Allah is more merciful to his servants than a mother is to her child"
(Bukhari and Muslim)
In this hadith the prophet (Sal) and his companions observed that a woman was nursing the child. The prophet (Sal) never told his companions to look away by telling them that it is fitna. If looking at a non mahram man or woman was haram, then the prophet) Sal) would have forbidden it. The prophet (Sal) said;
"The eyes also commit Zina, and their Zina is the lustful look'
(Bukhari and Muslim)
There are many hadiths to prove this and looking lustfully is what is forbidden and if your intentions are good then there is nothing to worry. You can watch my video explaining why watching movies is halal in Islam below.
22/06/2019 Updated-23/07/2020
Watching movies is known as a " great evil" by some Muslims who believe that movies and cinema are haram in Islam. The word "movies" could mean several things and in general, watching movies is not haram in Islam as accordance with the Quran and the authentic hadiths.
1. The Awrah Argument
It is very important for a Muslim to understand that just because someone says that something is haram in Islam does not mean that Islam actually forbids it. One argument that watching movies is haram is derived from an elementary argument stating that watching films or movies is a great fitna because you are watching the awrah of a man or woman. Now the question is what the awrah is for a man or woman. The prophet (Sal) explained clearly what an awrah is. He said:
"A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-Authenticaged by Albani)
It is clear from this hadith and others that the awrah for a Muslim is his private parts and for a Muslim woman is her body except the face,hands and feet. I have explained in detail what the awrah is for a man and a woman in Islam. Click here https://cjislam.weebly.com/what-is-the-awrah-for-a-man-in-front-of-a-man-and-a-woman-in-front-of-a-woman-a-detailed-explanation.html for the full article. Now this rule applies only for a Muslim and not a non-Muslim. All most all the famous movies that are made and are popular to watch starting from Hollywood to Bollywood and elsewhere depict actors or actresses who are non-Muslim. The argument put forward that watching movies, serials or soap operas shows is haram because people are exposing their awrah is a weak argument. The reason is awrah of a Muslim does not fit the awrah of a Muslim. Let me explain with an authentic hadith.
"Umar (Rali) once saw a slave-girl that belonged to us (to Anas) wearing a scarf, so Umar (Rali) disallowed her and told her: ‘Don’t assume the manners of free woman.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, V- 2/ page 41/ 6236-Graded Sahih by Imam Ibn Hajar and Sheikh Albani)
From the hadith of Umar telling a slave girl that it is not required to wear the hijab proves that the hijab is only for a free believing Muslim and not a non-Muslim or a slave. Now again another argument is put forward and that is, although the non-Muslim women can uncover their heads, still the person who is watching the movie should not look at the woman. In Islam, looking at a woman or man lustfully is what's haram. Looking at a woman without lust is not haram, Aisha (Rali) watched the Ethiopians play with spears in the mosque with the prophet (Sal) as narrated in both Bukhari and Muslim. In another hadith,
The Prophet (Sal) said: "When one of you asked a woman in marriage, if he is able to look at what will induce him to marry her, he should do so. He (Jabir) said: I asked a girl in marriage, I used to look at her secretly, until I looked at what induced me to marry her. I, therefore, married her."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
If looking at a woman was totally haram then the prophet (Sal) would not have told to look at the woman for a man who wants to marry and Janir (Rali) would not have looked at the woman in the first place. Umar ibn al-Khattab reported:
"Some prisoners of war were brought to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and a breast-feeding woman was among them. Whenever she found a child among the prisoners, she would take it to her chest and nurse it. The Prophet said to us, “Do you think this woman would throw her child in the fire?” We said, “No, not if she was able to stop it.” The Prophet said, “Allah is more merciful to his servants than a mother is to her child"
(Bukhari and Muslim)
In this hadith the prophet (Sal) and his companions observed that a woman was nursing the child. The prophet (Sal) never told his companions to look away by telling them that it is fitna. If looking at a non mahram man or woman was haram, then the prophet) Sal) would have forbidden it. The prophet (Sal) said;
"The eyes also commit Zina, and their Zina is the lustful look'
(Bukhari and Muslim)
There are many hadiths to prove this and looking lustfully is what is forbidden and if your intentions are good then there is nothing to worry. You can watch my video explaining why watching movies is halal in Islam below.
2. Spreading corrupt beliefs of Shirk and Kufr
The other argument I see is the argument that watching movies, TV, soap operas will corrupt the belief of a Muslim and make him deviant. To answer this, we have to understand the argument in the right perspective. Giving blanket fatwas and saying that it is haram does not prove anything. First of all. The person who is guided by Allah cannot be misguided by anyone else. Allah (Swt) says in the Quran:
"And whom Allah guides, there is none that can lead him astray"
(Al-Quran-39:37)
Some will try to say that these movies or dramas contain stories of idols worship, soothsaying, certain things that are forbidden in Islam etc. and by watching such movies or soap operas; a Muslim could get drawn to all these sins. I do agree that many of these films do contain Shirk, kufr and all sorts of deviations but there is a big difference between watching a person worshipping an idol and actually doing it. A Muslim whose aqeada is not sound or his/her Iman is weak can fall prey to such deviations portrayed in a movie but still that depends on the individual and giving a blanket fatwa is clearly wrong.
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (Rali):
A man asked the Prophet (Sal) whether one who was fasting could embrace (his wife) and he gave him permission; but when another man came to him, and asked him, he forbade him. The one to whom he gave permission was an old man and the one whom he forbade was a youth.
(Abu Dawud-Graded Hasan-Sahih by Albani)
The above hadith is clear proof that forbiddance does not apply to everyone and differs specifically from person to person. There is no evidence in the Quran or authentic hadiths stating that watching something entertaining is haram. If so, then the prophet (Sal) would have forbidden Aisha (Rali) from watching the Ethiopians dancing in the mosques with spears. A person can listen or look at a non-Muslim engaging in idolatry practices without supporting or engaging in it. The evidence is as follows.
Auf b. Malik Ashja'i reported we practise incantation in the pre-Islamic days and we said:
"Allah's Messenger. What is your opinion about it? He said: Let me know your incantation and said: There is no harm in the incantation which does not have Shirk in them are fine"(Sahih Muslim)
If listening or looking at Shirk was forbidden, then the prophet (Sal) would have forbidden the companion but he allowed the incantation to be said to determine whether it was shirk or not. Abu Hurayrah (Rali) narrated:
The people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and then explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. Allah's Messenger (sal) said (to the Muslims). "Do not believe the people of the Book, nor disbelieve them, but say, 'We believe in Allah and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.' "
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In the above hadith, the prophet (Sal) did not forbid the Muslims from listening to what the Jews and Christians were preaching in the Torah or Bible. I advised the Muslims to say 'We believe in Allah and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.' "
From this evidence it is clear that you can watch a Movie without believing in whatever the actors or actresses are saying that could be against the sound Aqeada in Islam. Shaykh Bin Baz, Shaykh Abdur Razzaq Afifi and Shaykh Abdullah Ghudayyan explained this in their fatwa.
"Video, television, radio and other mass media may not be judged on their own to be Halal (lawful) or Haram, for they are no more than devices. It is the manner in which these instruments are used that can be judged. Thus, if they are used for purely prohibited or most likely prohibited purposes, they will be prohibited. Otherwise, they will be Halal."
Please click here https://cjislam.weebly.com/real-reasons-why-watching-tv-is-completely-halal.html to read my article on watching TV. Watching movies is like walking the streets nowadays. You do not forbid yourself from walking the streets citing temptations. Similarly, the same can be said about watching films.
3. The "Wasting Time" Argument
The other vague argument we see to justify why watching movies is haram is that watching movies is a waste of time. Now the question is, in which verse in the Quran or authentic hadith does it say that watching movies is a waste of time? The hadith about wasting time is as follows.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The above hadith, it speaks generally about wasting time and you cannot say specifically that watching movies is also a waste of time. Wasting time is what the Quran and the authentic hadiths say what wasting time is and not the personal opinions of someone. Just because watching movies is a waste of time for one person does not mean it is a waste of time for another. If seeking entertainment was a waste of time, then the prophet (Sal) would have forbidden Aisha (Rali) from watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the mosque. Wasting time is a relative thing for a person to person and Islam nowhere says that watching movies or entertainment is a waste of time or that it is haram. This is what happens when Muslims become puritanical and try to go beyond the understanding of the Sahaba and the Salaf. The Ansar Sahaba are among the most closed companions of the prophet (Sal) and loving them is a sign of faith. The Ansar Sahabah were fond of entertainment and the prophet (Sal) said:
“O Aisha, do you have any entertainment? Verily, the Ansar are fond of entertainment.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
If the Ansar Sahaba were so fond of entertainment, then what is wrong with a Muslim loving entertainment?
4. Movies have music!
The other argument is that watching movies or soap operas is haram because they contain music which is haram. The music is being included by the person who has made the film and not the person who is watching. Let us take for an example of a person going to a restaurant where there is music playing in the background. There is nothing wrong in staying in that restaurant with that music. And there is nothing haram in it.
It was narrated that Naafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Ibn ‘Umar heard a woodwind instrument, and he put his fingers in his ears and kept away from that path. He said to me, O Naafi’, can you hear anything? I said, no. So he took his fingers away from his ears and said: I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he heard something like this, and he did the same thing.
(Abu Dawud with an authentic chain of narration)
The above hadith, the prophet (Sal) did not forbid Ibn Umar (Rali) to close his ears when a woodwind instrument like a flute was played. From this, it is very clear that the music argument hold no water.
Scientific Evidence to Prove the Benefits of Watching Movies
Many therapists threat patients with mental health issues using movie therapy and research titled "The Effects of a Cinema-therapy Group on Diminishing Anxiety in Young People" (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814024331) shows that cinema therapy does show to help people cope with anxiety. This research is on-going and a three year study
(https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0034209) concluded that watching movies reduced the divorce rates in to half.
A university of Westminster study revealed that watching horror films burnt close to 200 calories a time. The article published in "telegraph
(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9638876/Watching-horror-films-burns-nearly-200-calories-a-time.html)
Mentions that people who watched a 90 minute horror movie were able to reduce 113 calories which is equivalent to a half an hour walk.
In conclusion, like all the other things in Islam, the watching of movies also has two sides and there is nothing wrong in watching a movie.
Many therapists threat patients with mental health issues using movie therapy and research titled "The Effects of a Cinema-therapy Group on Diminishing Anxiety in Young People" (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814024331) shows that cinema therapy does show to help people cope with anxiety. This research is on-going and a three year study
(https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0034209) concluded that watching movies reduced the divorce rates in to half.
A university of Westminster study revealed that watching horror films burnt close to 200 calories a time. The article published in "telegraph
(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9638876/Watching-horror-films-burns-nearly-200-calories-a-time.html)
Mentions that people who watched a 90 minute horror movie were able to reduce 113 calories which is equivalent to a half an hour walk.
In conclusion, like all the other things in Islam, the watching of movies also has two sides and there is nothing wrong in watching a movie.