Income from a video club

Q. One of my relatives has a video store where he earns his income. I am told that I cannot eat at his place. Is this true?

A. A video store rents movies that include music, songs, dances, erotic scenes, and even pornographic material, which divert mankind (Insaan) from his Creator. In the Qur'an, this diversion is referred to as Lahwal Hadeeth. Allah Ta'ala says in Surah Luqmaan:

"There are some people who purchase futile discourse to deviate from Allah's path without knowledge and they mock it. There shall be a humiliating punishment for these people." (31:6).

Hadhrat 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (Radiyallahu anhuma), Hadhrat 'Abdullah Ibn Abbaas (Radiyallahu anhuma), and others have stated that Lahwal Hadeeth, mentioned in this verse, refers to songs and musical instruments. It is also stated in a Hadeeth of Tirmizi that this verse was revealed to condemn, among other things, women singers and similar things.

Any intelligent and enlightened person can easily understand from the above that it is undoubtedly Haraam to buy, sell, rent, or even lend films/video cassettes. Therefore, the income derived from such a business is, without a shadow of a doubt, Haraam. It is thus forbidden to eat at the home of a person whose income comes primarily from a video store.

The person engaged in such a business is acting as a Shaytaan, misleading people just as Shaytaan does. Moreover, he is accumulating the sins of all his customers. His Du'as are not accepted because his income is not Halaal. Halaal Rozi (Halaal sustenance) is an indispensable condition for the acceptance of our Du'as and Ibaadaat. This is why Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) emphasised the importance of Halaal Rizq (Halaal sustenance) by saying:

"It is Farz (obligatory) to seek Halaal food after fulfilling other Fara’iz."

[English version of "Revenu d'un vidéo club‎" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 9]