Fatwa #4560119 August 2020India
Laughing at an Islamic video - Is this regarded as mocking Deen?
Question
Assalamualaikum wr wb.
I received a small video on social media with a caption 'When Tablighi jamaat sees a brother free in the masjid', the video shows a man excitedly smiling. There was no ridiculing and belittling in the video. I perceived the meaning to be that a tablighi brother getting excited looking at a brother sitting unoccupied so that he can go and give dawah.
I laughed at the video and shared it with few friends. I have been thinking lately if this is in any way mocking of deen? Have I steppped out of the line?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
At the outset, it should be known that the permissibility of digital photography and videos is a highly contested issue amongst contemporary Ulama. Whilst many Ulama permit this, many others consider it to be the same as typical photography, hence deeming it impermissible. It is advisable to exercise precaution and abstain from watching such videos which contain people or animate objects.[1]
It is important to understand that Tabligh was commissioned by Allah Ta’ala to Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). Allah Ta’ala himself commands Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) to propagate the message of Islam:
يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ
O Messenger, convey all that has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then, you have not conveyed His message (at all). And Allah shall protect you from the people. Surely, Allah does not take the disbelieving people to the right path. [Al-Quran, 5:67]
Allah Ta’ala also commands Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) to remind the believers:
وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَى تَنْفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And remind, for verily reminder is beneficial for the believers. [Al-Quran, 51:55]
From the above we ascertain that the effort of Dawah and Tabligh is a branch of Deen. One should not take matters of Deen lightly. We advise you to refrain from laughing at such things in the future.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mudassir
Student - Darul Iftaa
U.S.A
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] صحيح البخاري-5950
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ مَسْرُوقٍ فِي دَارِ يَسَارِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، فَرَأَى فِي صُفَّتِهِ تَمَاثِيلَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ ".
صحيح المسلم-2109
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . وَفِي رِوَايَةِ يَحْيَى وَأَبِي كُرَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ، " إِنَّ مِنْ أَشَدِّ أَهْلِ النَّارِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَذَابًا الْمُصَوِّرُونَ " . وَحَدِيثُ سُفْيَانَ كَحَدِيثِ وَكِيعٍ .
صحيح البخاري-5954
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ الْقَاسِمِ ـ وَمَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ سَفَرٍ وَقَدْ سَتَرْتُ بِقِرَامٍ لِي عَلَى سَهْوَةٍ لِي فِيهَا تَمَاثِيلُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هَتَكَهُ وَقَالَ " أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الَّذِينَ يُضَاهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ". قَالَتْ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ
وِسَادَةً أَوْ وِسَادَتَيْنِ.
صحيح المسلم-2107
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِزُهَيْرٍ - حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَائِشَةَ، تَقُولُ دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَدْ سَتَرْتُ سَهْوَةً لِي بِقِرَامٍ فِيهِ تَمَاثِيلُ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ هَتَكَهُ وَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُهُ وَقَالَ " يَا عَائِشَةُ أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الَّذِينَ يُضَاهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ " . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَقَطَعْنَاهُ فَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُ وِسَادَةً أَوْ وِسَادَتَيْنِ .