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The ruling of obeying one's mother, watching TV and residing abroad

Question

Alsalam ALaiakaum My first Question is :What if my mom does some Haram things, Like ask us to lie about small things to my dad or say shes sleepin wen shes really not ( if someone called her) or something? Should i listen to her? because she feels bad when i correct her. And my second Question is: Im Born and raised in America, And currently Im in Egypt. Brother you Have no idea when i tell you what a HUGE difference It made in My life! not that i love America, but I believe that Muslims in America Do Provide a Better islamic View then People livin in islamic countries. for instance, The ISNA conventions, and lectures, the way the sistesr get together to help each other, to participate in islamic meetings. I love this FEeeling. Ive always wanted to own My islamic orginazation and become INSHALLAH the leader in a muslim youth group (but in the states) because In egypt, stuff like this isnt common.People here arent in for these stuff. THERE ARE lots of muslims who live Abroad. I dont think its completely haram, I just believe its how u act( if im a good muslima and represent islam beauituflly and Keep my islam and children together and provide a good example of a muslim) then i believe its fine. Am i right? MY third Question is: Why is TV haram? I read alot of fatwas relating this. but doesnt it differ in the Programs you watch. For instance " sex and the city": this i know i cant watch, however what about " CSI" , this shows cases about murders and how they solve crimes. doesnt it matter on your intention? and if its about music, no matter where i Go.. ill always hear music. not by choice, but I mean that music is everywhere! Even in commercials. As long as im not singing or im not Into it, doesn it count for something? as long as im not runnin to my computer and downloading it. right? Because what ever is being Played in the shows will pass. The only reason i watch is for the story behind it. I like it. its intersting and new Thankyou very much! salams!

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Our answer to your questions will be as follows:

1- It is Islamically established that obedience is in what is permissible and that no creature is to be obeyed in disobeying Allaah. Therefore, if your mother asks you to lie to your father or to anyone else, you are not allowed to obey her in this. However, you should inform her that this is not permissible. If she gets angry with you, you are not sinful, Allaah willing. For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 86982 and 83443. Besides, you may resort to Tawriyah (saying something which has more than one meaning and intending a meaning different from what the listener is likely to understand) instead of lying as clarified in Fatwa 88412.

2- One should not be heedless about the disadvantages of residing in a non-Muslim country as many Muslims who reside there may be subject to misconceptions or temptations. However, the scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them stated that migrating from a non-Muslim country to a Muslim country differs according to the difference of circumstances, countries and people. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 86405.

3- It is not correct to say that T.V. is forbidden, as it is a device which may be used for good and evil purposes as clarified in Fataawa 84494 and 81723. However, one should not be tolerant about some programs which include music, because leaving the T.V. on [with music] without putting it to the mute mode is a sin in itself whether or not a person is listening to it. The fact that music is found in every place is not a sound reason for a Muslim to have it in his home.

Finally, we ask Allaah to enable you to do what pleases Him.

Allaah Knows best.

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