Question:
Recently a masjid has organised a youth program with the aim of bringing back the youth to the Masjid. They set up T.V screens on which fifa was being played. Other games such as UNO cards and table tennis was being played. Some are bringing the hadith where Hazrat Aaishah رضي الله عنها was looking at men playing الدرق and الحراب in the masjid as proof to justify this.
I’ve learnt that Masaajid are the شعائر of Islaam and they deserve utmost respect. They are designed for the remembrance of Allah. As for as I know games such as fifa and Uno are considered as لهو and a waste of time. Moreover there are animated beings in such video games thereby preventing the visit of angels of Rahmah. Youth should be brought back to Masaajid in order to connect to the Deen. What is the Shar’ī ruling in allowing such games to be played in Masaajid and make such programs?
Answer:
1. Animate objects.
2. Musical accompaniment in the background.
3. Looking at pictures of the opposite gender.
4. People’s Satr being exposed.
5. Waste of time.
It should not be that a person due to the manner in which he attempts to draw the youth towards the Masjid ends up depriving himself from this Bounty of being one of the inhabitants of the Masjid; that instead of respecting and teaching others how to respect the sanctity of the Masjid, he attempts to draw the youth to the Masjid by turning the Masjid into an entertainment center which facilitates not only for unbeneficial activities but also impermissible activities such as video games etc. Such a person is inevitably destroying the sanctity of the Masjid, chasing the Angels away from the Masjid and is drawing the Wrath of Allah ﷻ. It can never be possible for such a person to find a truly positive and beneficial outcome by initiating these practices which totally contravene the teachings of Islaam.The truth of the matter is that, we do not realize how far off we are drifting. Originally the same excuse was presented that by conducting Islamic youth programs under cover of permissible outdoor activities (such as archery, horseriding, etc.), the youth will be drawn towards the Masjid. Initially these youth programs would comprise of mainly Deeni programs and secondary would be some outside activities and this would be used as a drawcard to pull the youth towards the Masjid. When these people were warned against this method, they retorted by saying, ‘We know our limits; we will keep it regulated and in check’. Today we see where it has led to: The strategy of attracting the youth towards the Masjid by giving them Deeni advices whilst they are engaged in permissible outdoor activities no longer remained appealing to the youth, so now they had to resort to new drawing cards, such as attracting them to the Masjid with Fifa and other video games! Deen can never be propagated by utilizing impermissible means! The important question which we should be asking ourselves is, who is fooling who? Up to what extent do we compromise? Are we influencing others or are we being influenced? Are we not being pulled into their territory whilst we were the ones who were supposed to call them towards the Deen of Allah ﷻ?Unfortunately, it seems like the aim and focus has drifted away from the ideal of focusing the youth’s concentration towards the Aakhirah and building their relationship with Allah ﷻ towards appeasing their sentiments. The attitude is, we will accommodate your entertainment. You name it and we will accommodate it! The rate at which we are degenerating ought to raise concerning alarms ‘that it is time to wake up! The youth seem to be getting the better of us by making us make more and more unacceptable compromises in Deen’.One other harm and disadvantage of hosting such a program apart from it being impermissible is that, for some of the youth who were innocent, obedient and stayed away from such futile activities; for them, it will be an exposure and an introduction towards a new type of entertainment. The seriousness of the prohibition of these activities will disappear form their eyes. Entertainment from which some Deeni-conscious parents endeavored to keep their children away, will now become acceptable to them. Little did the thought ever cross the minds of these parents that they will lose their children in what was supposed to be called an “Islamic” youth program.If these programs were effective, then why do we find the Muslim youth (after attending these types of programs) becoming more modernized and having a more rebellious type of attitude than ever before?What is the way forward?Firstly, the youth could be won over by, giving them time, by way of hosting Deeni programs wherein incidents of the pious predecessors are presented in an appealing and inspiring way (that how those people fervently spent their valuable youth in Jihad, promulgating the laws of Shari’ah and being concerned about their Deeni progress). And also showing our sympathy to them by being there for them at their times of need and difficulties.We find that during the time of the Messenger ﷺ, people were far away from Deen. They were immersed in different forms of entertainment, such as being addicted to wine, gambling etc. Despite all that, the Messenger ﷺ did not host nor conduct in the Masjid or out of the Masjid such programs which comprised of entertainment e.g. gambling etc. Rather, the Messenger ﷺ gave them time. He made them feel special. He spoke to them collectively and individually. He explained to them the reality of this world and how our focus should be on the Akhirah.
Using the Hadeeth of Hadhrat Aishah Radhiyallahu Anha to justify this modern and innovative practice is totally incorrect.
In the Hadeeth of Hadhrat Aishah Radhiyallahu Anha, the actions of the Habshi/Abbysinians in the Courtyard of the Masjid were actions that were not totally Lahw (futile). Rather it contained an element of benefit in it. It was enhancing in a strategy which would later on be of benefit to them in Jihaad etc. Therefore it will fall under the same category of archery, horseriding etc. that were meant to prepare the youth for Jihaad. This was not what could be termed as mere entertainment! The Hadeeth commentators mention that it was considered as one of the strategies which would be a means of aid to them against the enemies of Allah ﷻ, and it falls under the following Qur’anic verse (8/60).
واعدوا لهم ما استطعتم من قوة
Translation; Muster against them all the military strength and cavalry that you can afford.
In conclusion, it is incorrect to compare the two i.e. the playing of totally futile games such as video games etc. to the practising of what is actually termed as a strategy for Jihaad and hence, beneficial.
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
وَيُكْرَهُ النَّوْمُ وَالْأَكْلُ فِيهِ لِغَيْرِ الْمُعْتَكِفِ، وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ ذَلِكَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَنْوِيَ الِاعْتِكَافَ فَيَدْخُلَ فِيهِ وَيَذْكُرَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بِقَدْرِ مَا نَوَى أَوْ يُصَلِّيَ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلَ مَا شَاءَ، كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِيَّةِ.وَلَا بَأْسَ لِلْغَرِيبِ وَلِصَاحِبِ الدَّارِ أَنْ يَنَامَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فِي الصَّحِيحِ مِنْ الْمَذْهَبِ، وَالْأَحْسَنُ أَنْ يَتَوَرَّعَ فَلَا يَنَامُ، كَذَا فِي خِزَانَةِ الْفَتَاوَى…… وَيُكْرَهُ كُلُّ عَمَلٍ مِنْ عَمَلِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ……. وَالثَّالِثُ أَنْ لَا يَشْتَرِيَ وَلَا يَبِيعَ. وَالرَّابِعُ أَنْ لَا يَسُلَّ السَّيْفَ. وَالْخَامِسُ أَنْ لَا يَطْلُبَ الضَّالَّةَ فِيهِ. وَالسَّادِسُ أَنْ لَا يَرْفَعَ فِيهِ الصَّوْتَ مِنْ غَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى. وَالسَّابِعُ أَنْ لَا يَتَكَلَّمَ فِيهِ مِنْ أَحَادِيثِ الدُّنْيَا ……. الْجُلُوسُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ لِلْحَدِيثِ لَا يُبَاحُ بِالِاتِّفَاقِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ مَا بُنِيَ لِأُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا، وَفِي خِزَانَةِ الْفِقْهِ مَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْكَلَامَ الْمُبَاحَ مِنْ حَدِيثِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ حَرَامٌ. قَالَ: وَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُ بِكَلَامِ الدُّنْيَ
)الفتاوى الهندية 5/ 321)
قوله: ” يلعبون بحرابهم في مسجد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم” الخ : فيه جواز ذلك في المسجد، ومن ادعى نسخه فليس معه دليل، وحكى عن مالك أن لعبهم كان خارج المسجد. قال القاري : (( في المسجد : أي في رحبة المسجد المتصلة به، وكانت تنظر إليهم من باب الحجرة، وذلك من داخل المسجد. فقالت : ((في المسجد)) لاتصال الرحبة به، أو دخلوا المسجد لتضايق الموضع بهم، وإنما سومحوا فيه لأن لعبهم بالحراب كان يعد من عدة الحرب مع أعداء الله تعالى، فصار عبادة بالقصد، كالرمى. قال تعالى جل جلاله : ((واعدوا لهم ما استطعتم من قوة))
)فتح الملهم 5(559/