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Job at TV Station

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

I’m looking for a job at 2 different TV stations but i want to confirm if both are halal and which you would advise is best.

1. The first is a news broadcaster, they mostly report on local and international news and other special programs every once in a while. The problem i have with this station is that among their line up of shows is also church services which they broadcast once in a while.

2. The second is a digital satellite TV provider, they provide a decoder which hosts several hudred different channels and TV stations, they also have Iqraa and the ISLAM channel which are all islamic, however they also 3 other channels which are centered on Christianity as well as some music channels, they may once in a while show movies which may contain sexual content at night but they take care with those to warn people that such movies may contain such scenes.

In both scenarios i am looking for a job in their computer departmants, not sure what my job will entaill there if i do get it, but it will have something to with signal broadcasting to people’s TVs or repairs of some sort. 

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.  

Your sensitivity to earning a halal income is commendable. Earning a halal income invokes the mercy of Allah Ta’āla and barakah in one’s wealth.

Generally speaking, television programs typically contain the following issues:

  1. Displaying adverts that expose underdressed women[1] and promote items such as cigarettes and alcohol.[2]
  2. Music in the background.[3]
  3. Immoral content[4] depicting people in varying situations that become worse depending on the intended audience of a specific movie or show.[5]

In light of the above, job number two contains all three elements and job number one contains the first two elements.

In any case, without having the proper details and job description of the work you intend to pursue, we are unable to provide a concrete answer. Details such as “something to [do] with signal broadcasting to people’s TVs or repairs of some sort” are not sufficient enough to provide us direction in reaching a conclusion.

If you require information regarding a more specific type of work, you may forward us the details and we will answer you.

However, in general, a Muslim is averse to immorality which is a common content in all T.V. stations. A computer department of a T.V. station is generally linked (directly or indirectly) to broadcasting. As such, there is a strong possibility of being involved in assisting in sin and promoting immorality. Allāh Ta`ālā says in the Holy Qur’ān:

وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

And do not assist one another in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. [Al-Qur’ān; 5:2]

We advise you to search for an alternate source of income. Allāh the Almighty says in the Holy Qur’ān:

وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا، وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ

And whoever fears Allah, for him Allah brings forth a way out, and gives him provision (of his needs) from where he does not even imagine. And whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him. [Al-Qur’ān, Al-Talāq, 2-3]

Also recite the following du`ā’:

اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلاَلِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ، وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ

Transliteration: Allaahummak finee bi halaalika `an haraamika wa aghninee bi fadlika `amman siwaak

Translation: O Allah, suffice me with Your lawful against Your prohibited, and make me independent of all those besides You.

We make du`ā’ that Allāh Ta`ālā grants you halāl and wholesome income.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net


[1] وَأما الْمَرْأَة الْحرَّة الَّتِي لَا نِكَاح بَينه وَبَينهَا وَلَا حُرْمَة مِمَّن يحل لَهُ نِكَاحهَا فَلَيْسَ يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَن ينظر إِلَى شَيْء مِنْهَا مكشوفا إِلَّا الْوَجْه والكف

(الأصل للإمام محمد بن الحسن الشيباني، ج ٢، ص ٢٣٥، دار ابن حزم)

وَأَمَّا النَّوْعُ السَّادِسُ وَهُوَ الْأَجْنَبِيَّاتُ الْحَرَائِرُ فَلَا يَحِلُّ النَّظَرُ لِلْأَجْنَبِيِّ مِنْ الْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ الْحُرَّةِ إلَى سَائِرِ بَدَنِهَا إلَّا الْوَجْهِ وَالْكَفَّيْنِ لِقَوْلِهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى { قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ } إلَّا أَنَّ النَّظَرَ إلَى مَوَاضِعِ الزِّينَةِ الظَّاهِرَةِ وَهِيَ الْوَجْهُ وَالْكَفَّانِ

(بدائع الصنائع،ج ٦،ص ٤٩٢، دار الكتب العلمية)

(ولا ينظر من اشتهى إلى وجهها إلا الحاكم والشاهد وينظر الطبيب إلى موضع مرضها) والاصل أنه لا يجوز أن ينظر إلى وجه الاجنبية بشهوة لما روينا إلا للضرورة

(البحر الرائق،ج ٨،ص ١٩٢، ايج ايم سعيد كمبني)

[2](وَالشَّرَابُ) لُغَةً: كُلُّ مَائِعٍ يُشْرَبُ وَاصْطِلَاحًا (مَا يُسْكِرُ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةُ) أَنْوَاعٍ.

(الْأَوَّلُ: الْخَمْرُ وَهِيَ النِّيءُ) بِكَسْرِ النُّونِ فَتَشْدِيدِ الْيَاءِ (مِنْ مَاءِ الْعِنَبِ إذَا غَلَى وَاشْتَدَّ وَقَذَفَ) أَيْ رَمَى (بِالزَّبَدِ) أَيْ الرَّغْوَةِ وَلَمْ يَشْتَرِطَا قَذْفَهُ وَبِهِ قَالَتْ الثَّلَاثَةُ وَبِهِ أَخَذَ أَبُو حَفْصٍ الْكَبِيرُ، وَهُوَ الْأَظْهَرُ كَمَا فِي الشُّرُنْبُلَالِيَّة عَنْ الْمَوَاهِبِ وَيَأْتِي مَا يُفِيدُهُ وَقَدْ تُطْلَقُ الْخَمْرُ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا ذُكِرَ مَجَازًا. ثُمَّ شَرَعَ فِي أَحْكَامِهَا الْعَشَرَةِ فَقَالَ (وَحُرِّمَ قَلِيلُهَا وَكَثِيرُهَا) بِالْإِجْمَاعِ

(الدر المختار مع حاشية ابن عابدين، ج ٤، ص ٦٦٨، ايج ايم سعيد كمبني)

[3] (قوله وكره كل لهو) أي كل لعب وعبث فالثلاثة بمعنى واحد كما في شرح التأويلات والإطلاق شامل لنفس الفعل، واستماعه كالرقص والسخرية والتصفيق وضرب الأوتار من الطنبور والبربط والرباب والقانون والمزمار والصنج والبوق، فإنها كلها مكروهة لأنها زي الكفار، واستماع ضرب الدف والمزمار وغير ذلك حرام وإن سمع بغتة يكون معذورا ويجب أن يجتهد أن لا يسمع قهستاني

(رد المحتار علي الدر المختار، ج ٦، ص ٣٩٥، ايج ايم سعيد كمبني)

[4] Fatāwā Haqqāniyyah, v. 2 p. 469, Jāmi`ah Dārul `Ulūm Haqqāniyyah

Fatāwā Mahmūdiyyah, v. 19 p. 511, Darul Iftaa Jāmi`ah Fārūqiyyah

[5] “MPAA”, IGN, accessed on December 27, 2014, http://www.ign.com/wikis/content-ratings/MPAA

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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