The Influence Of Television

[SAFAH]

 

 

 

 

The Influence of

Television

by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb

(rahmatullah alayh)

 

 

One of the many sunnats of the Ambiyaa (‘alaihimus Salaam) ßis that

of Hayaa – shame and modesty : a quality which is sorely

missing in the lives of the majority of Muslims today and which should otherwise

be an outstanding characteristic and feature of all Muslims, whether married or

un-married.

Television is such an evil that if our society only understood its reality,

then they would find no excuse to watch. Its spiritual harm is that it takes

away the hayaa and shame of our men, women and children.

The content of most television programmes is nothing but immodesty and

indecency, which invites nothing but immodesty and indecency – into our homes,

into our lives and the lives of our children.

However, this truth and reality seems to just pass over the understanding of

even those Muslims who have some link with Deen. Many are regular with

Salaah, they are seen in the Musjid, they are wearing the garb of the pious and

yet they will be the ones to present flimsy and feeble excuses to view

television programmes.

Let us consider this situation of sin from the following view – which

Alhamdulillah, has been a means of many getting rid of the television.

• If a person has to knock on your door and tell you : ‘I would like

  to use your lounge to commit adultery.’

• Or a group of some friends have to request you : ‘We would like to

  use your home to gamble and enjoy our liquor.’

• Or a group of youngsters have to tell you : ‘We have chosen your

  home as a venue for our partying, dancing, drug-taking and fornicating.’

• Or a Christian family has to request you : ‘We would like to use

  your home as a venue for our church ceremony : The marriage of our daughter as

  well as the baptism of our grandchild. We have already obtained the consent of

  one of our priests.’

• Or some idol-worshippers have to suggest : ‘We would like to carry

  out some of our religious rites in your home. We would like to bring our idols

  also. You are more than welcome to observe or participate in our rites.

  ’

Many Muslims, on hearing such requests, will get very angry; will express

disgust – if not swear and curse such suggestions.

However, these very same Muslims who will even resort to swearing and cursing

such proposals, invite into their homes all of the above by the switch of the

television, by hiring English and Hindi films and DVDs and downloading porn and

other films from the Internet. There is so much of adultery, partying and other

filth that we seem to just welcome into our homes – least realizing the

consequences.

Just to give you one example and this is but the tip of the iceberg – and it

is said with the intention of removing the blindfold that most parents wear :

A father of four children mentioned to me that he had got rid of his

television and he thereafter explained why. He said that late one night he heard

strange noises from his children’s room. On opening the door of their room, he

found their television switched on. […This is our concept of modesty : parents

must have their own television, to view all kinds of filthy programmes in their

privacy, and children must have their own television to view all kinds of

indecency in their privacy (Na-uzu Billah).]

The father mentioned that there were dirty and obscene scenes of naked people

on the television screen. He mentioned that it was filthy and that it shocked

him; but what had him even more shaken was that his children were all undressed,

engaging in the same kind of indecent acts. They were imitating the pornography

they were viewing. He said himself, that until then he had not considered the

harm of television. It took this kind of incident to wake him up. …This is just

one example of so many. Do we wish to face something similar ?

…Do we care to even know what our sons and daughters are doing in the secrecy

of their rooms ? The fact that many demand that no one ‘invade’ their space and

privacy to the extent of having ‘No Entry’ signs on their doors, should have

parents a little more than worried… esp. if they are viewing television and are

surfing the net or have free access with cell phones.

Many have written, that after watching certain films or programmes,

the desire came strongly into their hearts to take drugs, drink liquor, murder

their parents, indulge in homosexuality, engage in adulterous relationships,

commit suicide, rape, and so much else – and many of them do so.

Moreover, with sins like television and evil, lustful glancing, Allah

Ta’ala removes the love between husband and wife and even ones children become

disobedient.

There are many husbands who entertain thoughts of and fantasize of other

women when with their wives. And they will when they are watching different

actresses and television presenters. Many wives are guilty of the same

infidelity having seen or socialized with ghair-mahareem. Many women are so

infatuated and obsessed with some soccer player or cricket player that they

become dissatisfied with their husbands, and spend their time fantasizing.

Had the person not viewed all those ghair-mahareem on the television screen

and computer screen, and had lowered his gaze in real life situations, then he

would not have desired that which he cannot have, and there would not have been

dissatisfaction with his (or her) spouse.

Moreover we complain : There is no barkat in our homes; there is no barkat in

our wealth; there is no barkat in our time. Our children are rebellious. The

husband is having an extra-marital relationship. The daughter has accepted

Christianity. The son is on drugs … and the list of complaints does not end.

Then who is to blame except the one who brought all of this Haraam

into the home by purchasing the television and exposing the family to so much of

sin.

…Great ‘Ulama became Bay’at upon the hands of Maulana Hakeem Fakhrudeen

(Rahmatullah ‘alaih). He mentioned that there was a time, that with the rising

and setting of the sun, he saw nothing but noor in Surat. The atmosphere was one

of noor. The day commenced with Salaah, Tilawat, Zikrullah…

After the cinemas and television and videos flooded Surat, there was nothing

but ‘zulmat’ – darkness. With the distraction of such entertainment, Ibaadah

becomes a forgotten duty.

One Wali of Allah Ta’ala, on visiting a home, mentioned that he perceived the

sin of Zina (adultery) from the walls of that home. He was able to recognize

this due to the purity of his heart. The residents of that home were not

indulging in adultery but they were watching the sin on television.

When fire burns against a white wall, it blackens the wall. The Ahle-Dil,

with their purified hearts, see the fire of sins which has burnt and blackened

the white hearts of the Muslims.

Would that we take lesson and take measures to protect ourselves and

our children.