is Watching Movies Always Haram? How Do We Understand Media, Gazes, and Modern Reality?
Question
Salaam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakaatu.
I heard from a sheikh that watching all movies is haram, due to things like music, seeing the opposite gender, free mixing, and immoral messages. I have some doubts and would appreciate clarification, because I have not been able to completely stop watching movies.
Not all movies contain adult or immoral content. Some are historical or educational, like the Salahuddin or Omar series, or other clean western movies. Also, movies can be muted to avoid music.
Would watching the news be haram, since it shows men and women together, music, and sometimes mentions crimes?
What about children’s cartoons or anime?
If men are commanded to lower their gaze, what about attending lectures by female scholars who do not wear niqab?
Would women then be allowed to watch movies or lectures with male speakers, since they attend khutbahs and lectures by male shaykhs?
Would it be sinful to develop an app that blurs faces in movies, assuming there is no nudity, but there may be unlawful affection shown?
Finally, did the Prophet ever look at women who did not wear niqab when they spoke to him or asked questions? If so, why do some Islamic institutions feature women without niqab in public lectures?
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.
This is an important question, and it is good that you are trying to understand the issue carefully rather than treating it in an all-or-nothing way.
The General Principle
Islam does not rule things halal or haram by labels like “movies” or “TV,” but by what they contain and what effect they have.
There is no text in the Quran or Sunnah that declares “all movies” categorically haram. Rather, the ruling depends on elements within them.
Harmful Content
Anything that clearly involves:
- Explicit nudity or sexual content
- Promotion of zina or immorality
- Mocking religion or spreading kufr
- Encouraging sin or corrupt beliefs
is haram to watch, whether it is a movie, show, clip, or otherwise.
On this, there is no disagreement.
Mixed Content and Incidental Exposure
Seeing the opposite gender, general free mixing, or hearing music incidentally does not automatically make something haram, otherwise everyday life would become impossible.
The command to lower the gaze in Surah al Nur is not a command to be blind, but to avoid desiring, lustful, or intentional staring.
The Prophet ﷺ and the Companions lived in societies where men and women interacted, asked questions, traded, and attended gatherings. Lowering the gaze means controlling desire, not eliminating sight.
Watching the News
The news is not haram by default. It contains information people need. If something sinful appears incidentally, it is not sought for its own sake.
The same applies to documentaries, educational content, and historical series, as long as they do not glorify sin.
Children’s Cartoons and Anime
Children’s content is judged by:
- Its messages
- Its themes
- Its effect on beliefs and behavior
Clean cartoons that do not promote immorality, violence, or corrupt beliefs are permissible. Parents should supervise and guide, not assume all cartoons are equal.
Lectures by Female Scholars
Men are allowed to attend lectures by female scholars who observe proper hijab, even if they do not wear niqab. The wives of the Prophet themselves taught men, and not all women in the time of the Prophet wore face veils.
Lowering the gaze means avoiding desire, not avoiding learning.
Women Watching Male Speakers
Likewise, women may attend khutbahs, lectures, and beneficial content delivered by men. This has always been part of Islamic life.
Developing an App That Blurs Faces
Developing such an app is not sinful. In fact, if the intention is to reduce fitnah and help people avoid haram while accessing beneficial or neutral content, this is praiseworthy.
As long as the content itself is not clearly haram, taking steps to reduce problematic elements is a good effort.
Did the Prophet See Women Without Niqab?
Yes. Women spoke directly to the Prophet ﷺ, asked him questions, and interacted in public matters. There is no evidence that all women at that time wore niqab or that the Prophet avoided seeing their faces altogether.
This is why many scholars hold that niqab is recommended or obligatory in certain contexts, but not a condition for public speech, teaching, or da’wah.
Usul Principle
الوسائل تأخذ حكم المقاصد
Means take the ruling of their purposes.
If something is used for a permissible or beneficial purpose, and any prohibited elements are incidental and not intended, the ruling follows the purpose, not the label.
Final Ruling
Watching movies or media is not automatically haram. The ruling depends on the content, intent, and effect.
Explicit immorality is haram. Clean, educational, historical, or neutral content is permissible, especially when harmful elements are avoided or minimized.
Lowering the gaze means controlling desire, not avoiding all sight.
Efforts to reduce harm, such as filtering or blurring, are permissible and commendable.
Islam is a religion of guidance, not confusion or extremes.
And Allah knows best.