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[quote][font=Georgia][size=2]Assalamu Alaikum

This is quite an interesting discussion here.

Sister Saadia, you said that women going out where you live will get piercing looks by predators, and of course that is not right. I do understand and sympathize. But then don't you think that even the women working on television and videos, regardless of how modestly dressed they may be and of how they may avoid contact with non-mehram men, may fall prey to the same problem? Who is to say that they will be protected from piercing looks by non-mehram couch potatoes, or even from the intentions of the non-mehrams whom they work with? Your principles are honorable, because of which you would rather avoid a stroll on the street, but then by the same principles it can't be right for women to work on television.

I think we should go right down and look at the root of the problem here - it's the media itself. Many noteworthy scholars, after acquiring years of knowledge of the Sirat and the Sunnat and authentic Hadith, are of the opinion that videos themselves are not good, because they are a product of images and pictures of people, which are also not good, except under certain dire circumstances (like for eg., security reasons). That would mean it wouldn't be acceptable for anyone working on television, both men and women. (Like someone pointed out - what about girls oogling at Legolas?) These controversial issues of oogling strangers arise because of the controversial root of the problem - videos. There would be no need for this discussion if it was generally accepted that videos are wrong.

Of course entertainment and recreation is only human, and Islam is a natural religion. I guess it all depends on our priorities. If we have decided that the goals of our lives are to be productive Muslims, then we should first try to fulfill our responsibilities according to that. But we will definitely need breaks and relaxation in between. In these times, we look for avenues to relax and entertain ourselves that are both good for us and that avoid harming us or our Akhirat. Playing innocent games, simply lying down with maybe a beautiful Quran recitation in the background, talking to friends, visiting art exhibitions, flipping through newspapers and books, are all harmless ways to relax which would be hard-pressed to nag our consciences (provided of course, that the conversations aren't pointless gossip, the exhibitions don't include nudes, and the books don't include porn...)

And I'm sure there's never been anything wrong with sports. They're not only fun but good for our health.

As far as art is concerned, television and videos are not the only kinds of art there is. But if videos are the only entertaining thing, then documentaries or clean informative stuff sounds better. Even today's TV dramas are hardly a work of art anyway and are usually based on pointless and often romantic themes.

I think Muslims should always do what is good for themselves. Because on the Last Day we will be held accountable for every second of our lives. And if we're not too pious we don't want to be wishing on that Day that we hadn't wasted our time in certain forms of entertainment. I stand in no position to preach, but I guess Allah knows what's best, and I think that we should always conclude on informed decisions, based on our true conscience, on qualified scholars' opinions, on private prayers to Allah, and on acquiring our own knowledge of Quran and Sunnat. [/size=2][/font=Georgia][/quote]

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