Q: Is watching cartoons or movies Halaal or Haraam?
A: The television is one of the main tools of Shaitaan in misleading man. The one who views the television is not committing one sin; rather he is perpetrating a conglomeration of sins and a host of evil deeds. Some of the wrongs associated with the television are: 1) viewing pictures of animate objects, 2) viewing non-mahram women, 3) listening to music, 4) viewing obscene scenes, 5) admiring things of other religions and cultures, etc. All these things have been severely condemned and prohibited in Shari’ah. Involvement in these activities destroy the very fabric of Islamic culture and causes the degeneration of haya and shame in the ummah.
In regard to picture making of animate objects, severe warnings have been sounded in the Ahaadith for the one who has any involvement in this grave sin. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (Radiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:
عن مسروق عن عبد الله قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إن من أشد الناس عذابا يوم القيامة المصورون وقال أحمد المصورين (سنن النسائي رقم 5364 ، صحيح البخاري رقم 5606)
“Those involved in picture-making will be subjected to the worst forms of punishment on the Day of Qiyaamah.”
On account of the abovementioned evils, all our ulama of the past have declared watching television as impermissible.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)