TV and your Children !!!

As Allah states, it is part of our belief that we shall be questioned and are responsible for the following:

"Verily! Hearing, Sight, and the heart, all will be questioned (by Allah)." [17:36]

And as the Prophet (saws) said: "on the Day of Judgement, no one will move until they are asked about three things ... "And his youth - what he exhausted it with?" [Sunan at-Tirmidh]

In Qawa'id Fiqhiyyah there is a principle that says, 'al-wasa'il ta'khudhu hukm al-ghayat' that 'The means takes the same ruling as the intention of what is trying to be attained.' A television set, with the wires, screen, box, and plug is nothing more than a means. It is what is trying to be attained by that box that makes it Haraam or Halaal. Similar to a gun, something that can be used for noble purposes, such as defending one's land from aggression, or can be a means of considerable harm - especially when given to a child.

In an Arab ESL class, the teacher - as his opening class - would ask the students what English words were taken from the Arabic. A few hands would jerk up and say things like, 'Chemistry from Kimiya', Algebra from Al-Gebr, Physics from Fisiya', etc.' Then he would interestingly ask them what Arabic words were taken from the English, the answers come quick, 'Radiyo from Radio, Dosh from Satellite Dish, and of course Tilfaz from TV.'

What did the west take from us, and what did we take from them?

Hence Shaykh ibn Baaz said in al-Fatawa 3/227:
"With regard to television, it is a dangerous device and its harmful effects are very great, like those of the cinema, or even worse.
We know from the research that has been written about it and from the words of experts in Arab countries and elsewhere enough to indicate that it is dangerous and very harmful to Islamic beliefs ('aqidah), morals and the state of society.
This is because it includes the presentation of bad morals, tempting scenes, immoral pictures, semi-nakedness, destructive speech, and kufr.
It encourages imitation of their conduct and ways of dressing, respect for their leaders, neglect of Islamic conduct and ways of dressing, and looking down on the scholars and heroes of Islam. It damages their image by portraying them in an off-putting manner that makes people despise them and ignore them.
Without doubt, anything that produces so many bad results should be stopped and shunned, and we have to close all the doors that could lead to it. If some of our brothers denounce it and speak out against it, we cannot blame them, because this is a part of sincerity towards Allah and towards other people.It shows people how to cheat, steal, hatch plots and commit acts of violence against others."
    
In Sahih al-Bukhari, when Gurayj was praying and his mother called him, he said to himself, "O Allah, my Salaah or my mother?" He did not know whether to continue his prayer or discontinue it and reply the wishes of his Mother. She cursed him. And her curse was one that we may inadvertently be doing to our children the day we sanctioned the introduction of the third parent called TV. She said, "May you see a prostitute!" She did not say, may there be any relationship between you and a prostitute, no she just said may you see one. HOW many times has the main theme of prime time TV revolved around prostitutes? HOW MANY TIMES have our children witnessed it? How many times have they been cursed to be in such a situation?

Abdullah ibn 'Umar once passed by some people killing time by playing chess. He became shocked at what was happening and angrily said to them - quoting the verse of Qur'an, "What are these IDOLS that you are standing in vigilance over?" What would he think if he saw the Ummah and it's welcomed hug in most Muslim homes.

Ya Muslimeen, Prophet (saws) said, "The person shall be (on the day of Judgement) with those that they love." [Sahih Bukhari] Tell that to a Muslim child, that on the Day of Judgement, if they love a singer, actor or a cartoon charatcer so much they'll get to be with him on that horrific day. It's sad, but most Muslim children would get happy and excited about the prospect - isn't that enough to strike fear into our hearts? Who are the Muslim children really going to be with on the Day of Judgement? Most of them cannot tell you the names, just the names, of those people that we hope them to be with!

Let's ask ourselves, if we gave a chance for our sons or daughters to put up a poster of their hero, the one whom they think is the 'coolest' - would it be their father or mother? Would it be the Prophet (saws) or his Companions? OR would it be a basketball player that he saw on TV? Or an actor (even cartoon) that he saw on TV? Or a model that she saw on TV? Or a musician that he/she saw on TV? Who would it be?

Ok so, the TV is monitored in the house by the parent, correct? (95% of parents with children 8 and up don't monitor). Now what happens if the parent dies on the way to work one day and the children inherit the TV? Prophet (saws) said, "Every one of you is a shepherd (Amir) and is responsible for his flock..." [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim] The 'Ulama would quote this Hadith in light of the father in a Muslim country that would allow a Satellite Dish to enter his family which Allah entrusted him with.

Ya Muslimeen, we are not here on earth to entertain ourselves to death. We are an Ummah with a Risalah! When Rib'i ibn 'Amir stood in the hands of the King of Persia, he announced the message as clear and as proud as every Muslim should, "Allah sent us to rescue humanity from slavery to slaves - to the slavery of the Lord of all slaves; And to rescue them from the choke of the material life to the expanse of this life and the next, and from the corruption of the cults to the justice of Islam!"

Doesn't Allah tell us in the Qur'an:

"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do." [24:30]

How do reconcile those verses with the television that assaults our eyes with Haraam almost every second that it is on? How do we reconcile it?

Have you heard of Cupid? Of course we have. They portray Cupid in cartoons and comedies as a chubby child with wings who is supposed to be the Angel of Love, shooting arrows of 'love' when the male looks at the female. Rather dear brothers and sisters, it is Iblis! For Prophet (saws) told us, "Verily the 'look' is a poisoned arrow from the arrows of Iblees!..." [Al-Hakim]

Shaykh at-Tahhan once told his students, "It was late at night when our phone rang one day. This Muslimah whispered into the phone, 'Is this Shaykh at-Tahhan?' I said, 'Yes it is me.' She kept saying is it really you? And he said, 'Yes, what is wrong?' At that she just started sobbing and sobbing into the phone. After some time, she explained, 'The children's father bought a TV and video 2 days ago. Tonight I found my young son practicing the haram that he saw on his younger sister!' Then she collapsed sobbing again."

Some people argue that TV is just a harmless avenue of entertainment and that there should not be a big deal made about it. It is interesting however that we see in Shari'ah that what is more deadly than Haraam is Bid'ah. Why you ask? Because when someone does Haraam like eating pork, he knows it is Haraam and that one day it is hoped that knowledge will lead him to fear Allah and refrain. Bid'ah - on the other hand - is something a person does with the hope of reward from Allah, something that the person considers to be 'harmless'. It is deadlier because the chances of this person correcting the situation are less due to the ignorance which causes lack of motivation.

Other people will say that we have a TV for the news and Islamic or educational programs? Ya Muslimeen, is there no other avenue to get the news? Is there no other means by which a child can be educated and stimulated to learning?

In conclusion, today is the beginning of a new day. Allah gave us this day to use as we will. We can waste it or use it for something good and beneficial. But let us know that what we do today is important because we are exchanging a day of our life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; and in it's place shall be something that we left behind... lets let it be something good and something beneficial.