The question of whether engaging with music and movies while fasting is permissible often arises as individuals strive to perfect their worship and maintain their spiritual focus. While fasting, a Muslim should train their soul to draw nearer to Allah by engaging in good deeds and strictly refraining from wasting time in valueless or idle activities. Understanding how daily entertainment impacts the validity of the fast is essential for achieving the spiritual goals of the season.
The True Essence of Fasting
Fasting in Islam is a profound spiritual discipline aimed at training the faithful both spiritually and morally. To reap the true benefits of this act of worship, an individual must not only abstain from food, drink, and sexual relations from dawn to dusk but must also shun all activities and behaviours that contradict the sacred spirit of fasting. Proper fasting requires actively guarding the eyes, ears, hands, feet, and mind against sins.
The Impact of Idle Deeds and Entertainment
Activities such as listening to music or watching movies may easily fall under the categories of sins, idle deeds, or time-wasting behaviours. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasised the absolute necessity of guarding one’s actions, stating:
Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1903).
He further described fasting as a protective barrier, saying:
“Fasting is a shield. So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relations with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, ‘I am fasting'” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1894).
Does Entertainment Invalidate the Fast?
There is a nuanced discussion within Islamic jurisprudence regarding whether engaging in idle chats, gossip, or watching questionable entertainment completely breaks the fast. Some early scholars and members of the pious generations held the strict view that activities like backbiting, gossiping, and engaging in foul behaviour render a fast completely null and void, meaning the individual must make up the fast on another day.
However, the majority of scholars hold the view that while such activities do not technically break the physical fast, they undoubtedly strip away its true rewards and blessings. Consequently, a person might end the day having gained nothing from their hunger and thirst except physical fatigue.
It is, therefore, imperative that a fasting person abstains from vain behaviour altogether. Utilising the spiritual season to break free from such habits preserves the sanctity of the fast and ensures that the individual achieves the maximum spiritual reward.
