Real Danger in our Homes

Computer games invaded our markets, dominated the minds of our children, youth, and girls, and brought us customs and traditions that contradict with Islam. These devices vary depending on their sources, and the bestsellers of which are the play stations.

Categories: Education and the Muslim family -

All praise is due to Allah Alone, and prayers and peace of Allah be upon the one who was sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

The discs, containing these games, exist in large number to the extent that there is thousands of it. In spite of the lack of censorship over these games and their large number, in addition to the high-tech quality of their graphics and characters or excitement due to excessive indulgence in scientific and non-scientific fiction, there is much demand to buy these devices and their games discs to the extent that you can hardly find a house free from one or two of these devices.

The Magnitude of the Problem

The technology made available nowadays to all of the family members including its children, youth, and even the adults does not leave much space to good will. It is no longer available to us to escape the danger of the scandals, pornography, eroticism that fill our life throughout the so-called games. In fact, they are far from being games, to the extent that the spontaneous expression "let's play" that we used to say when we were children became a weapon edge that kills innocence, time, traditions, and respect.

Whereas it brings about a small amount of benefit, it carries a large amount of risks. Now, we are speaking about notorious games, which were invented for entertainment, enjoyment, and mind excitement, but turned into instinct stirring objects by people lacking conscience. They contain disgraceful sex, naked women, bloody and instinct stirring objects, which are so-called games.

Playing games before the invasion of the computer benefited the children from the physical, neural, psychological, and educational respect. However, after the invasion of the computer, the matter changed because these games, in spite of being useful in some aspects such as developing intelligence, courage, and thinking, they are harmful in many other aspects such as the moral, neural, psychological, educational, and social sides.

There is no doubt that the makers of the games are of cultures, creeds, interests, and ideas contradictory to Islam, because they are not Muslims and do not believe that Islam is worthwhile. It amazes me to find a Muslim, who has creed, morals, and culture stemming from Islam and receives all of these products with satisfaction, acceptance, and daze.

What about the prohibition of music from the Islamic point of view?

What about the prohibition of nakedness and Tabarruj (woman’s public display of her adornment or charms)?

These games went beyond the phase of innocent entertainment to the phase of addiction, as the child or the youth cannot leave a day without playing such games and wasting hours of the day in playing them. However, it is enough to say that not all of the electronic games can be played safely.

The double-edged weapon became at this time single-edged, as the awareness could not cope with the developments, especially in Islamic societies, as the general awareness of this problem has not become perfect and has not yet reached the required level. Moreover, many guardians still regard these games as merely a means of fun and entertainment in spite of confessing its various evils.

Are there any reasonable person?

There are many games that spread widely among our children in spite of being banned by the Ministry of Information due to involving many real and semi-real pornographic scenes in addition to the extreme horror and violence. Unfortunately, these games are sold mainly in Sony shops and most of the cooperative societies, which make propaganda for them weekly, photograph and circulate the most prominent scenes.

These magazines facilitate reaching the pornographic and criminal scenes in the games, direct the reader to the newest versions of these games, inciting him to buy it. These magazines display passwords that facilitate reaching the pornographic scenes only, as the game is so pornographic without using the password.

It is worth-mentioning that it is not permissible to sell these games in countries like liquor and extremely horror and pornographic movies to those who are below 15 or 18 years in all the western countries. The western law punishes the adults who play these games in front of the children. A father may be punished for his negligence in protecting his children from these dangerous pornographic games. Also, the license is taken from the person who sells such games to the children, and a lawsuit of corrupting a minor is issued against him.

Some of the United States issue new laws that apply strict penalties on the minors, warning against playing such games in front of the children at home or giving them these games out of negligence. There are many non-governmental committees that warn the parents against certain games, as they put a list of these games, which are updated regularly to the extent that some companies making these games submitted to their recommendations. Moreover, age group system has been applied from many decades in the west with respect to the movies. Thus, it is effective, what about the Muslims?

{Is there not among you a single right-minded man?} [Hud 10:78]

{أَلَيْسَ مِنكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَّشِيدٌ} هود:78

Transliteration: Alaysa minkum ragulun Rashid.

The drawbacks

First: Effect on belief:

1- Believing that there are supernatural powers in the universe that can do anything and cannot be beaten. Also, this belief involves that the salvation of the whole world from the nuclear explosion depends on the hero of the game, a belief which contradicts with the Muslims’ belief that the Only One Who disposes of the whole universe is Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He):

{Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): “O Allâh! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.} [Al-Imran 3:25]

{قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَاء وَتَنزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَاء وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاء وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاء بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ} آل عمران : 26

Transliteration: Qul allahumma malika almulki tuti al-mulka man tasha’ wa tanziu al-mulka mimman tasha wa tu’izu man tasha wa tudhillu man tasha biyadika al-khayr innaka ala kulli shayin qadir.

2- Loving the disbelievers and tending to glorify them throughout loving the heroes of these games, the matter that blatantly contradicts with the saying of Allah The Almighty:

{O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliyâ’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliyâ’, then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allâh guides not those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust).} [Al-Maidah 5 :51]

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ} المائدة : 51

Transliteration: Ya’ayyuha al-ladhina amanu la tatakhidhu al-yahud wal nasara awlia ba’dahum awlia ba’d wa minhum man yatawallahum minkum fainnahu minhum inna Allaha la yahdi al-qawm al-Thalimin

3- Imitating the disbelievers: The person who looks at the Muslims’ children will find some of them wearing necklaces and chokers and others wearing shorts in the streets. Also, there are women who wear clothes similar to those worn by men and imitate men in their gait and way of speaking, although the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“Whoever imitates a group of people is one of them.” [Reported by Abu Dawud, good authentic]

«من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم» رواه أبو داود، حسن صحيح

4- Many churches, bells, and crosses appear in these games, in which pontiffs, priests, and the worshippers of Buddha are sanctified. Also, players in some games wear the cross, and others express trinity at the moment of entering the playground or scoring goals. The least effect of watching these acts is getting used to seeing the acts of disbelieving without renouncing them.

5- Violating the unseen matters, as in some games some characters die and their souls get out of their bodies in the shape of a transparent creature with colored wings, which ascend to heaven. This is a kind of violating the unseen matters, which Allah Only knows. Allah (Glorified be He) says:

{And they ask you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) concerning the Rûh (the Spirit); Say: “The Rûh (the Spirit) is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.} [Al-Isra’ 17: 85]

{وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّن الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً} الإسراء: 85

Transliteration: Wayasalunaka ‘an al-ruh qul al-ruh min amr rabby wama Utitum min al-‘ilm illa qalila.

Allah (Glorified be He) also says:

{Say: “None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (Unseen) except Allâh, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.} [Al-Naml 27: 65]

{قُل لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ} النمل: 65

Transliteration: Qul la ya’lamu man fil samawat wal ard al-ghayb illa Allah wama yash’urun ayyan yub’athun.

6- Believing in luck, zodiac, witchcraft, witchcraft practitioners, quackery, and jugglery, which are prohibited by Shariah, as the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“Whoever goes to a foreteller and believes what he says has disbelieved in that which was revealed to Muhammad.” [Authenticated by Al-Albani]

«من أتى عرافا أو كاهنا فصدقه بما يقول فقد كفر بما أنزل على محمد» صححه الألباني

Second: Effect on Religion:

1- Wasting the time uselessly, as these games may waste all of the day hours without the player gets bored, while Allah (Glorified be He) will reckon us on the Day of Judgment about our time and lifetime. The Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“The son of Adam will not be dismissed from before his Lord on the Day of Resurrection until he has been questioned about five things: his life and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it, his wealth and how he earned it and how he disposed of it, and how he acted upon what he acquired of knowledge.” [Reported by Al-Tirmidhi, and authenticated by Al-Albani]

«لا تزول قدم ابن آدم يوم القيامة من عند ربه حتى يسأل عن خمس: عن عمره فيم أفناه وشبابه فيم أبلاه وماله من أين اكتسبه وفيم أنفقه وماذا عمل فيما علم؟» رواه الترمذي وصححه الألباني

2- Missing the Salahs (Prayers): This can not be denied by anyone, as these games extremely attract the children, teenagers, and adults. If the player finds that the Salah will interrupt his state of excitement and enjoyment, he will not pay attention to it and will delay it until he finishes his game. Also, he may abandon the Salah entirely, although Allah warned us against giving that, as He (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salât (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salât (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell.” [Maryam 19:59] Al-ghayy is a valley in Hell.

{فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيّاً} مريم: 59

Transliteration: Fakhalafa min badihim khalf un ada’u al-salah wa ittaba’u al-shahawat fasawfa yalqawn ghayya.

3- Being undutiful to parents: For example, the mother may order her child to do a certain thing, but he disobeys her, and consequently, he commits the sin of being undutiful to parents, we ask refuge with Allah from it. Being undutiful to parents is one of the major sins that follows Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), as the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“The gravest of major sins are Shirk (polytheism) and being undutiful to parents..” [Agreed upon]

«ذكر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الكبائر، أو سئل عن الكبائر فقال: الشرك بالله،...وعقوق الوالدين...» متفق عليه

Third: Effect on Behavior:

1- Playing these games frequently leads to aggravating the children’s violence. Dr. Sal Siver says: “Video games (play station) may affect the behavior of the child in the way that makes him violent, as many of the games of (The first Killer) increase the score of the player with the increase of the number of the characters he kills. Consequently, the child learns that killing is an acceptable and interesting act. Also, the child participates in violence by killing, beating, destroying, kidnapping, and the like. Moreover, he may hold a pistol, which is considered as a personal training for him."

2- There are other games that depend on destruction and corruption, the matter that affects negatively the behavior of the child, leading to his unconscious tendency to corruption and causing mischief.

Fourth: Effect on Psyche:

1- Nervous disorder and tension due to addicting games and sitting in front of the monitor.

2- There are many terrifying scenes that harm the player psychologically and terrify him.

3- These games may lead to children’s seclusion.

4- These games lead to tendency to taking revenge and harming others.

Fifth: Effect on Morals:

1- Insulting and abusing: The competitors often abuse and insult each other during playing, the acts which contradict with the Muslim’s qualities. The Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“The believer is not a slanderer nor he’s a curser, nor obscene or foul.” [Reported by Ahmad, authentic]

«ليس المؤمن بالطعان ولا اللعان ولا الفاحش ولا البذيء» رواه أحمد، صحيح

2- Pornographic nudity: This appears in the games of the naked wrestlers and fighters, who do not wear except swimwear, that reveal man’s Awrah (parts of the body that must be covered in public). The Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“Cover your thigh, as it is Awrah.” [Authenticated by Al-Albani]

«غط فخذك فإن الفخذ عورة» صححه الألباني

There are photos of women clothed yet naked. Also, the insistence on wedging such pornographic scenes and photos in these games clearly signifies that the makers of the games seek more moral degradation and attracting the teenagers to sexual desire in a very young age. When the children see such scenes, they will be implanted in their minds, as they will believe that it is the correct usual behavior. In this way, we find how danger threatens our children, while we bring it to them.

Sixth: Effect on Health:

1- Weak Eyesight.

2- Causing the children and teenagers break loose.

3- Causing curvature of the back and of the spine.

4- Causing tremor to fingers.

Seventh: Effect on Money:

This is manifested in squandering the money throughout buying such expensive devices and their relevant programs and games, in addition to maintaining and repairing them, as they are damaged due to misuse or frequent use. In this way, we help our enemies by our money to fight our creed, values, morals, and behavior.

How can the family observe attentively the video games?

The families in our societies make light of the games, as they regard them as mere games, as they do not realize and sometimes are ignorant of the content of these games. Thus, they do not observe attentively their children, as they do not know the safety principle and regard these games as merely available games.

The child or the teenager takes his pocket money and goes to the video games clubs, internet café, or malls, where there are shops of video games to buy whatever they want without any person supervising him, as they regard these games as mere games. We do not find a shop owner who distinguishes between the ages of the children, as they care only about the financial gains.

I call you to be reasonable concerning playing these games, and to try to limit their use and to avoid their negative effects throughout choosing the suitable and useful games, and avoiding any game that involves any Shar’i (Islamically legal) violations.

O Parent, Pay Attention:

O Parent, you should realize that you are a responsible person and Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) will ask you on the Day of Judgment about your subjects.

“Each of you is a guardian and each of you is responsible for his subjects. A man is the guardian of his household and is responsible for his subjects.” [Agreed upon]

«ألا كلكم راع وكلكم مسؤول عن رعيته...والرجل راع على أهل بيته وهو مسؤول عنهم...» متفق عليه

Have you prepared an answer to this question?

Bringing up the children – may Allah bless you – does not only include providing food, drink, and education, but it includes also bringing up their souls on honorable morals and straightforward behavior, abiding by obeying Allah and keeping away from the sins.

Thus, take care of bringing up your children on the Islamic instructions, being based on adhering to the Commands of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and His Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), along with sticking to the Islamic morals and abandoning the misdeeds. Consequently, you will find the effect of this upbringing on yourself and your offspring, and the good effect after death, as Allah promises you of His Paradise due to your good deeds. May Allah grant all success to everything that pleases and satisfies Him, and bless our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Al-Alamatain

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