Najafi Q&A: Acting and Sculpturing Ahlulbait

Answer

In the name of Allah, acting itself is permissible, but two problematic issues are to be borne in mind: First: Acting cannot be performed as per the scenario required because the scenario is written to match the acting and thus it will change the narrations. Besides, the narrations which relate the whereabouts of any event in the life of the Imams (PBUH) are contradicting and conflicting. Therefore, setting and writing the scenario will definitely lead to using one narration more than another without following the rules which are used in such cases; such rules are only known by the specialized people. Second: We do not know who is appropriate to represent those pure people, whether male or female. The difficulty does not lie in uncovering the face or representing the face of the pure people, but the difficulty is far bigger. It is that any part of the existing people is not in a position to represent any of the parts of the infallibles and the voice of all the existing people is not in a position to match the voice or tone of the infallibles. For these two issues and some other, acting becomes a grand sin as it includes lying to Allah, the prophet (PBUH&HF) and the Imams (PBUH). So, fear Allah, O men of understanding that you may prosper, and peace be upon those who follow guidance. Moreover, the incidents which are used as an argument against the wrong people should be presented in the way in which Islam and Ahlulbait (PBUH) instructed us. Conveying religion to the people is to be in a peaceful way like what Allah says ((Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and have disputation with them in the best manner; surely your Lord best knows those who astray from His path, and He knows best those who follow the right way)). We hope that Almighty Allah will enable us all to serve the religion and to spread it in a way that is required. He is the Benevolent Guardian.

Answer

In the name of Allah, acting itself is permissible, but two problematic issues are to be borne in mind: First: Acting cannot be performed as per the scenario required because the scenario is written to match the acting and thus it will change the narrations. Besides, the narrations which relate the whereabouts of any event in the life of the Imams (PBUH) are contradicting and conflicting. Therefore, setting and writing the scenario will definitely lead to using one narration more than another without following the rules which are used in such cases; such rules are only known by the specialized people. Second: We do not know who is appropriate to represent those pure people, whether male or female. The difficulty does not lie in uncovering the face or representing the face of the pure people, but the difficulty is far bigger. It is that any part of the existing people is not in a position to represent any of the parts of the infallibles and the voice of all the existing people is not in a position to match the voice or tone of the infallibles. For these two issues and some other, acting becomes a grand sin as it includes lying to Allah, the prophet (PBUH&HF) and the Imams (PBUH). So, fear Allah, O men of understanding that you may prosper, and peace be upon those who follow guidance.