Imagination of impermissible elements

Question

Question Assalamualaikum. We are prohibited from listening to a film or audio or reading a book that contains sentences where God is disrespected like < THE ALMIGHTY HAS CHILDREN > < Holy shit > < oh my fucking God >. We are prohibited from listening or reading such things even in the case where the majority of the film or book contains no mention of such things but they are mentioned sporadically during the film or book. My question is: Just like we are prohibited from looking, listening, and reading such sentences { < THE ALMIGHTY HAS CHILDREN > < Holy shit > < oh my fucking God >.} , are we equally prohibited from imagining those sentences, even if we have no bad intentions? ( don't confuse with waswas. ) Just like it is kufr to look, listen or read such things, is it equally kufr to imagine them, even if you have no bad intentions? ( don't confuse with waswas ) In other words: Is everything that is prohibited from watching, listening or reading equally prohibited from imagining it?

Accepted Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. Brother in Islam, Allah is our Creator, we are His slaves. Almighty Allah loves us. It does not befit a believer to have evil thoughts about Allah. One should try to mould his mind and heart on pondering on the greatness of Almighty Allah. Having good thoughts of Allah is an enormous act of Ibaadah and has a lofty position for those seeking to get close to Allah. Thinking positively of Allah will lead to doing righteous deeds. Look around you, whatever you see is the creation of Allah. Nabi (ﷺ) advised us to ponder upon the greatness of Allah by pondering upon the creation of Allah. Refer to the following Hadeeth: عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَبْلَ وَفَاتِهِ بِثَلاَثٍ يَقُولُ &rlm; "&rlm; لاَ يَمُوتَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ يُحْسِنُ بِاللَّهِ الظَّنَّ Translation: Jaabir (RadhiAllahu Anhu) said, three days before the demise of Nabi (ﷺ), I heard him saying Do not allow anyone of you to die except that he is perfecting his assumptions about Allah. (Saheeh Al-Muslim) Brother, you understand and believe that it is impermissible to view videos or listen to audios which contain Haraam and incorrect elements. Likewise, it is Haraam to voluntarily and intentionally entertain such thoughts in one’s mind. One will be sinful for entertaining such Haraam thoughts. One should not introduce evil thoughts in the mind. If such thoughts occur involuntarily, then one will be excused and will not be accountable. Insha-Allah. However, then too one should try to dispel such thoughts by ignoring them. One should also be mindful of the material one reads or sees. A bad read or an impermissible sight will develop evil thoughts. You may recite the following abundantly to overcome such thoughts: أعوذُ باِللهِ مِنَ الشَّيطَانِ الرَّجِيم Translation: I seek refuge in Allah from the rejected devil. لاحول ولا قوة إلا بالله Translation: There is no power and no might except with Allaah. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Muhammad I.V Patel Assistant Mufti, Lusaka, Zambia Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

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