Ruling on watching Arabic and foreign movies and soap operas, and the ruling on listening to music
Question

                Is watching soap operas and movies haraam or halaal? And listening to music – is it haraam or halaal?.
Praise be to Allah.Allaah has enjoined the 
    Muslim to protect his physical faculties from doing haraam actions. This 
    guarding the physical faculties comes under the heading of gratitude for the 
    great blessings that Allaah has bestowed upon His slaves. Allaah has warned 
    of a stern punishment for using these blessings in sinful actions. Among the 
    most important of these physical faculties are hearing and sight. They are 
    the two ways to ruin the heart (spiritually), do immoral actions and commit 
    major sins that may doom one to Hell. Allaah has told us that He will ask us 
    about that on the Day when we meet Him. He says (interpretation of the 
    meaning):
“Verily, the hearing, 
    and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by 
    Allaah)”
[al-Isra’ 17:36]. 
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah 
    have mercy on him) said:  
The seven physical 
    faculties are the eye, ear, mouth, private part, hand and foot, which may be 
    the cause of doom or the cause of salvation. The one who neglects them and 
    does not protect them will be doomed, and the one who protects them and 
    takes care of them will be saved. So guarding them is the basis of all good, 
    and neglecting them is the basis of all evil. Allaah says (interpretation of 
    the meaning):
“Tell the believing men 
    to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their 
    private parts (from illegal sexual acts)”
[al-Noor 24:30]. 
Ighaathat al-Lahfaan 
    (1/80). 
The fact that the aayah 
    mentions lowering the gaze and protecting the private part together 
    indicates that lowering the gaze is a means of protecting the private part 
    (or guarding one’s chastity), and that letting the gaze wander freely is a 
    cause of falling into immoral actions. 
It was narrated from Abu 
    Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The zina of the eye is looking, the 
    zina of the tongue is speaking; the soul longs and wishes, and the private 
    part confirms that or denies it.” 
According to a version 
    narrated by Muslim: “The zina of the eyes is looking, the zina of the ears 
    is listening, the zina of the tongue is speaking, the zina of the hands is 
    touching, and the zina of the foot is walking. The heart longs and wishes, 
    and the private part confirms that or denies it.” 
Narrated by al-Bukhaari 
    (6243) and Muslim (2657). 
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen 
    al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 
Our evidence here is the 
    words of the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “The 
    zina of the eye is looking.” The fact that the name zina is given to the 
    looking of the eye at that which is not permissible clearly indicates that 
    it is haraam, and is a warning against it. The ahaadeeth which say something 
    similar are many and well known. 
It is well known that 
    looking is the cause of zina, because the one who looks a great deal at the 
    beauty of a woman – for example – may develop a strong love for her in his 
    heart as a result of that, which may be the cause of his doom – Allaah 
    forbid – for the gaze is the route to zina. 
Adwa’ al-Bayaan 
    (5/510) 
Secondly: 
What is seen in soap 
    operas, movies and plays of the blatant and wanton display of women 
    (tabarruj), and their soft voices, enticing walks, dancing and singing – all 
    of these are things that are forbidden in the religion of Allaah, and they 
    are among the easiest means that enable the shaytaan to enter and settle in 
    the heart of the viewer, when he can take the reins and direct the person 
    and his physical faculties in ways that incur the wrath of the Lord, may He 
    be exalted. 
The hadeeth quoted above, 
    “The zina of the eyes is looking, and the zina of the ear is hearing” 
    undoubtedly applies to these shows.  
No one should dispute the 
    bad effects that these soap operas and movies have on societies in general, 
    and on young men and women in particular. An actor may charm a married woman 
    so that she becomes infatuated with him, and she destroys her family by her 
    actions. And young men may become infatuated with beautiful actresses and 
    for that reason they forego halaal marriage in pursuit of haraam pleasure. 
    In addition to that there is the effect that these shows may have of 
    diluting Islamic beliefs, teaching violence, making crime look attractive, 
    making people dare to drink alcohol, keep company with non-mahram women and 
    other bad effects.  
See also the answers to 
    questions no. 3633, 
    3324, 
    1107 and 
    13003 for the rulings on watching TV, 
    scientific films and so on. 
What we said about haraam 
    viewing may also be said about haraam listening. The songs and music with 
    which the world is filled, with their evil content and promotion of 
    immorality, such as infatuation with non-mahram women and setting up dates 
    with them and feeling sorry when one is away from them, are undoubtedly 
    haraam. 
For the prohibition on 
    listening to music, please see the answer to question no. 
    5000. 
From the above it may be 
    known that the ruling on listening to music, and watching movies and soap 
    operas, which are shown on public and private channels, is that it is 
    undoubtedly haraam to broadcast them and it is haraam to watch them or 
    listen to them. 
We ask Allaah to set the Muslims’ affairs straight. 
And Allaah knows best.