Ruling on watching historical and Syrian dramas on TV
Question

I would like to know about watching historical dramas and Syrian dramas, dramas that show men and women wearing modest clothing, and dramas that explore historical issues – are these kinds of dramas haraam according to sharee‘ah, or not?.
Praise be to Allah.The historical dramas and other shows that are shown on TV involve many things that are contrary to sharee‘ah. For example:
1.
Distortion of historical texts and the addition of many details that are not limited to making up dialog between the characters; rather it involves fabricating events with details that never happened, and telling lies about the early generations, the scholars and the mujaahideen by mentioning things that did not happen during their lifetimes, or exaggerating about them. The worst things that you will find in some cases are stories of love and infatuation between a scholar or mujaahid and a girl who is in love with him!
2.
Showing those great men in an abhorrent manner that is contrary to sharee‘ah, in terms of clothing and appearance, and going further than that by depicting their families and womenfolk in contemporary style, according to the whims and desires of the people in charge of the production.
3.
What is shown of free mixing between men and women in those dramas, and who knows what goes on during filming and beforehand. Indeed, anyone who knows the nature of that environment, and the attitude of the people involved and those who work in it, does not need any further information to find it reprehensible.
4.
What is played of music before the show begins, during it and at the end.
5.
Wanton display and unveiling in all types of TV shows is obvious to anyone. The appearance of women in the first place is not permissible, so how about if women appear wearing make-up and adorned?
6.
What some of these shows include of dancing, singing and drinking alcohol on the part of slave women, which is shown on the grounds of showing what really happened of immoral deeds and blatant sin, which also involves telling lies and distorting the biographies of many of those whose life stories they claim to be presenting.
7.
Portrayal by actors of the Sahaabah in a very bad way; these roles may be played by an actor who is an evildoer or a disbeliever!
In the answer to question no. 14488 you will find the ruling on playing the role of the Sahaabah.
8.
Playing the role of a disbeliever who wears a cross or prostrates to it, or the role of a disbeliever who reviles the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or Islam. All of that is tantamount to disbelief in Allah, may He be exalted, and apostasy from Islam. We do not know of any shar‘i concession that allows actors to say or do anything that constitutes kufr.
This also applies to the one who does plainly evil actions in a real manner, such as one who drinks real alcohol when acting, or he kisses a woman who is not permissible for him, and so on. In fact the scholars have stated that it is haraam to pretend to do such things or to imitate people who do such things, such as the one who drinks water in the manner of one who drinks alcohol, and the like.
9.
Distracting the Muslims and wasting their time with the foolish drama shows that present a distorted picture of our glorious history or of a great character, or that provoke desires in young men and women, or encourage them to form haraam relationships, and many other things contained in these shows.
It is regrettable that this distraction comes to the Muslims in Ramadan, which is the month of the Qur’aan, qiyaam and i‘tikaaf. This is indicative of evil intent and plotting on the part of the devils of mankind, who take on the role of the chained devils and distract the Muslims from obedience and worship, and cause them to watch and listen to haraam things.
Hence we think that it is not permissible for the Muslim to watch any type of these shows, and that the prohibition is more emphatic when they contain many things that are contrary to sharee‘ah.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
What is required of every Muslim, man and woman, is to avoid these evils and to beware of them. The same applies to watching TV shows that include wanton display on the part of women. It is haraam to watch them because of the grave danger that watching them poses of causing spiritual sickness and loss of protective jealousy, and because that might cause him to fall into that which Allah has forbidden, whether the viewer is a man or a woman.
Fatawa Islamiyyah, 3/72
For more information please see the answer to question no. 125535
And Allah knows best.