Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother in Islam

It is our intention to start an Islamic TV station in South Africa to promote a correct understanding of Islam and to remove misunderstandings about Islam.

Our intention is to sincerely present the true beauty of Islam and provide an alternative to existing un-islamic content found on conventional TV. We know that first prize would be for people to not watch TV at all but for those who are watching TV our intention is to provide them with a better alterative. In the light of the latter would you please provide some advice. Some people are of the opinion that any form of TV is haraam ( including one which has the sincere intention to work within the guidelines of shariah and to use the medium for Islamic Dawah and to correct misunderstanding of Islam )

Kind Regards

Your brother in Islam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Wants to start Islamic T.V.

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Some people are of the opinion that any form of TV is haraam ( including one which has the sincere intention to work within the guidelines of shariah and to use the medium for Islamic Dawah and to correct misunderstanding of Islam )

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.428 Narrated by Said bin Abu Al Hasan

While I was with Ibn 'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Messenger (saws). I heard him (saws) saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.'"

Almost all the jurists in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that what is forbidden in Islam is the making of pictures or portraits by an artist. The vision created by cameras, or videos, or television are nothing more than an exact mirror image of the creation of Allah Subhanah; and if put to good use, these are not impermissible in Islam.

Your Statement: It is our intention to start an Islamic TV station in South Africa to promote a correct understanding of Islam and to remove misunderstandings about Islam.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.1 Narrated by Umar bin Al Khattab

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended."

The media and especially television plays a very big role in getting information to one’s homes; and it is something the Muslim Ummah has neglected to use as a medium to disperse the information of Truth. This medium is today used by the enemies of Islam to propagate all kinds of evil and ‘fahesha’ into our homes, and it is a desperate need of the Ummah today that the correct picture and information of Islam is presented to all who wish to listen to good caution.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 16, Surah An-Nahl Ayat 125: Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and argue with people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Way and who is Rightly guided.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 111: Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise):

Our beloved brother in Islam, may Allah Subhanah bless you, help you, guide you, and give you the courage and the wisdom to start and implement and bring to fruitation this your noble intention of starting an Islamic Television station for the Cause of Allah Subhanah. Using the modern mediums of communication like television and computers to spread the Truth is a desperate need of the Ummah, and may Allah bless all those brothers and sisters who undertake this noble mission for His Pleasure. May Allah reward you handsomely for this great and noble intention, and make your task easy for you. If we can be of any help whatsoever in this noble cause of yours, please do not hesitate in the least to contact us.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.142 Narrated by Sahl bin Sad As Sadi

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "To guard Muslims from infidels in Allah's Cause for one day is better than the world and whatever is on its surface, and a place in Paradise as small as that occupied by the whip of one of you is better than the world and whatever is on its surface; and a morning's or an evening's journey which a slave (person) travels in Allah's Cause is better than the world and whatever is on its surface."

May Allah Subhanah accept your striving in His Cause to guard the Truth from the attacks of the pagans, and reward you with the Highest Grade of Firdaus for your intentions and your efforts to serve His Cause.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan