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His wife is asking him for a TV to relieve her boredom

11-02-1998

Question 3619

As Salaamu Alaikum,
I made an oath by Allah that I would not allow a TV in my home and I do not have any desire for one. However, I am married and my wife is at home while I am at work with nothing to do. We dont have children. I am not wealthy, so I dont have furniture or decorations in the house yet. My wife desperately wants a TV to remove her boredom. She is young and is not yet willing to devote all her time to studying Islam or Quran. This issue is getting worse because she is becoming stressed from having nothing to fill her idle time. I am afraid that this may provide Shaytan a way to break up my family. Is there any advice that you can give to help my situation?
Jazakallahu Khayr

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Subhaan-Allaah, how have Muslim women reached a state where they do not know how to kill time, so they waste it and destroy the blessing of time which Allaah has made available to them to fill it with worship, dhikr and good deeds, as He explains (interpretation of the meaning): “And it is He Who has put the night and the day in succession, for such who desires to remember or desires to show his gratitude.” [al-Furqaan 25:62]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Make the most of five things before five others come: your life before your death, your health before your sickness, your spare time before your work, your youth before your old age and your wealth before your poverty.” (Reported by al-Haakim; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1077).

It is regrettable that a Muslim cannot find anything to do other than committing the sin of watching TV programs that are filled with scenes of kufr, nakedness, and singing. The one who looks at this tragedy will indeed see how accurate are the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the saheeh hadeeth: “There are two blessings of which many people have an unfair share: good health and spare time.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5933).

You must exhort this woman, in a gentle manner, and remind her, kindly, why she was created in this life. There follow a few useful suggestions which include both serious pursuits and permissible forms of leisure activities.

Doing acts of worship such as reciting dhikr and wird, salaah, reading Qur’aan, fasting, and thinking about the signs of Allaah in His creation.

Adopting an Islamic cause in the place where she is living, and taking part in it, such as teaching Muslim girls, supporting an Islamic magazine by sending articles, statistics and useful information of interest concerning Muslims in the West, taking part in charitable projects to help Muslim orphans, widows, divorcees and elderly, or joining a committee to help organize social programs and celebrations for Muslim girls on Eid.

Finding righteous (female) companions to meet with and good (females) neighbours to visit.

Reading Islamic books in particular and useful stories in general.

Taking part in da’wah activities, women’s activities and preschool programs in Islamic centres.

Listening to tapes and lectures, writing summaries of them, and distributing the summaries to anyone who could benefit from them.

Doing arts and crafts, and cooking items to be sold to raise funds for the Islamic centre.

Taking an interest in computers and computer programs. This is a vast field that can fill a lot of time, and the computer can be used to do a lot of good things as well as providing entertainment in the form of permissible games.

Spinning, weaving, cutting out and sewing.

Gardening.

Exercising at home.

In all cases, you must resist pressures that may make you give in and introduce that window of evil to your home. We ask Allaah to grant your wife a righteous child in the near future, so that she may fill her time with taking care of him. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Rulings on sport, leisure and entertainment
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