Question : A question was asked regarding playing the role of the Prophet (upon him be peace) and/or the Companions [in a dramatic production].

Fatwa in Brief: The evil of staging a representation (tamthil) [in theatre or film] of what occured between the early Muslims and the polytheists (kuffar) outweighs its benefits; for its potential to corrupt [the hearts and minds of the viewers] is greater than its potential for instruction. On these grounds, such representations are forbidden and Muslims should cease even to think about doing so.

The Permanent Committee, 3/197-198

Response:

It is good to retell the Qur’anic religious stories through the ways and language of the time. Doing so brings the time of the Prophet to life in the minds of our children. The personalities of the Prophet (upon him be peace) and the messengers of God are so precious and noble that they must not be played by actors, and may not be imitated by Satan.

Commentary:

The Prophet (upon him be peace) and messengers of God were chosen by Him [for special purposes]; they are the best of humans beings. Given such a privileged status, their characters are too noble to be played by ordinarty people [actors] or by Satan. God protects them [His Prophets and messengers] from sins, great or small. This is the case before the arrival of their messages [i.e. the Torah, Gospels, and Qur’an] and after it.

The evidence for this is a hadith included by al-Bukhari, in which Abu Hurayra relates that the Prophet (upon him be peace) said: “Anyone who sees me in a dream will also see me awake. Satan does not take my form”. On this basis, we know that Satan can never take the visual form of the Prophet (upon him be peace) in life or in a dream, as God protects His messengers and their reputations.

This honorable hadith leads us to the fact that God protects the Seal of the Messengers from Satan taking his form; the legal implications of this ensure that it is prohibited for a human to enact (yataqamas) the character of the Prophet (upon him be peace).

If this is the correct legal stance regarding the validity of acting the role of the Seal of Prophets, then the same [prohibition] should apply to playing the parts of God’s previous messengers. This is because the glorious Qur’an places them in the same category of honor and protection [as the Prophet]. So, if as a form of protection from God, Satan cannot take their form, then neither should humans. Hence, it is not permitted for any actor to play the role of a messenger of God.

It is good to introduce the stories of Qur’an and religion through modern means, languages, and subjects. Doing so brings the time of the Prophet to life in the minds of our children. This is a good (mahmud) matter, but we must obviously follow the principles and ethics of Islam, and of the Qur’anic texts. Likewise, we should present the events as narrated in the Qur’an, making sure not to allow the faces of the Prophets to be shown [on the screen/stage]. We may, however, listen to a voice [in the third person] narrating what the Prophets have said, and describing their biographies and miracles (as occurs in the Qur’an). God is the guider to the right path, and He is the Source of strength.[1]

Dr. Yassir ‘Abd al-‘Azim