Watching soap operas/serials on television
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Question: What is the ruling regarding watching soap operas/serials which are transmitted on television?

Response: It is upon the Muslim to safeguard his time (involving himself) in that which will benefit him in his life and the Hereafter because he is responsible for his time which he spends: How did he spend it? Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) says:

{Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition, - could receive it?}, [Soorah al-Faatir, Aayah 37].

And in a hadeeth, a man will be asked about his life and in what he spent it, (at-Tirmidhee). Watching soap operas/serials is a waste of time so it is not befitting for the Muslim to busy himself with it. If the soap operas involve anything that is forbidden then watching them is haraam; such as overt and beautiful women, music and singing, and soap operas and serials which convey bad thoughts far from religion and good manners. Also, like soap operas/serials which include shameless (actions and speech) which badly affects good manners. So these types of soap operas/serials are not permissible to watch.

Shaykh Ibn al-Fowzaan
al-Muntaqaa min Fataawa Fadheelatush-Shaykh Saalih Ibn Fowzaan - Volume 3, Page 346, Fatwa No. 516