The Effect of Today’s Entertainment Activities on Muslims Society -By Abdulmumeen Abdulsamad

It is surprising and disappointing that the youths nowadays have inculcated the habit of engaging in immorality, sex, and illicit activities through the waves of entertainment which comprises movies, comedies, singing, dancing, and music which can be regarded as the mother of all evils in this our contemporary Islamic Society.

Pathetically, imagine the devil has intentionally influenced the youth by diverting their minds to entertainment which eventually causes them to get addicted to music which is full of negative acts forbidden by Islam like encouraging the taking of hard drugs, alcohol, prostitution, and masturbation which is actually against the principle of Islam. Yet, such disgraceful acts such as allowing women that are meant to cover their body dancing nakedly to their music is now rampant nowadays in Islamic society.

When I ponder over the daily activities of people on campus, city, and Muslim society nowadays, I discovered that the unscrupulous attitude of musicians like Naira Marley, Portable, Oxlade, Tiwa Savage, Simi and others has a lot of negative impact on the Muslim youth because they are now imitating their lifestyle which is against the ethics of Islam as a religion. The young men are now wearing trousers without belts and are referring themselves as Marlians, some have stopped wearing clothes to imitate Portable known as Zazoo, while the females stop wearing pants just to imitate some female musicians. Now the pertinent question we need to ask ourselves is: “Are these illicit acts performed in the entertainment industry allowed by Islam?

Some scholars have cited certain authorities to prove the prohibition and stated it as follows:

i. Verse 59-61 of surah al-Najm: “Do ye then wonder at this recital. And will ye laugh and not weep. Wasting your time in vanities”.

ii. Verse 64 of Surat Al-Israeli: “Lead to destruction those whom thou canst among them, with thy (seductive) voice; assault them with thy cavalry and thy infantry; mutually share with them wealth and children, and make promises to them. But Satan promises them nothing but deceit”

iii. Verse 6 of Surat Luqman: “But there are, among men, those whose purchase idle tales, without knowledge (or meaning) to misled (men) from the Path of God and throw ridicule (On the Path): for such there will be be be a humiliating penalty”.

While on the other hand, some scholars based their argument on these two Hadith of the noble prophet which says

“According to Aishah, Allah Apostle came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the song of Ba’ath… then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me harshly saying, ‘musical instruments of Satan near the Prophet? Allah’s Apostle turned his face toward him and said, ‘Leave them’. (al-Bukhari, vol. 2, book 15: 70).

Another incident given on the authority of Aishah is the following hadith:

“On the days of Mina (11th, 12th, 13th of Dzulhijjah) Abu Bakr came to her while two young girls were beating the tambourine and the Prophet was laying covered with his clothes. Abu Bakr scolded them and the Prophet uncovered his face and said to Abu Bakr: ‘Leave them, for these days are the days of Mina”(Bukhari, vol. 5, book 58: 268)

Based on the above tradition, it shows that Islam is not totally against entertainment but must be subject to certain conditions and rules. In Islam music is allowed except if the temptation is feared. For example, The voice of a woman could seduce the listeners. Looking at female performers is always unlawful and listening to the voice of concealed female performers and watching their nakedness while dancing is forbidden in Islam.

It is also permissible to listen to the melodies produced by the human throat, subject to certain conditions and rules. To listen to instruments that are blown or struck is not permissible. Certain instruments are forbidden because they are promoting immorality like drinking of wine, licentious songs, and dancing of women in the public space.

The content of the song should not be against the morals and teachings of Islam or be accompanied by other forbidden things in Islam like alcohol and others. Also, the way of singing should be within the confines of Islam, that is, it should not be accompanied by suggestive movements and exaggerations.

Finally, these are my questions to my fellow youth: Is this how we shall continue to live our lives? Shall we continue to sacrifice our next world for a mere temporary material pleasure? That will cause you to waste your time and life in vanities. I am not saying that we should not move with society but that it should not dictate our life for us because we are Muslims and we need to follow the rules and regulations guiding Islam as a religion.

A word is enough for the wise.

Abdulmumeen Abdulsamad