What does Islam say about watching good Drama?

Question

I hear many times from others, that watching tv is Haram. My question is, is watching Drama in which men and women all are in normal cloths, meaning they are not naked, nor are there any nude scenes, and one can watch drama with their families for it has a great story. So is watching this type of Drama also Haram? are there any authentic/reliable sources which supports it is Haram?

Answer 1

Asking "Is watching Drama haraam?", is like asking "Is a pencil haraam?" where both questions can't be answered unless the questions are given further direction, as in their current state, are too general and can't be answered with any useful meaning.

For example: Is a pencil haraam? No, but it can be used for haraam! Therefore, using that style of thought, I have tried to give your question some much needed direction to make it more of a valid question. Keeping all that in mind, please read the answer below.

Please note that this answer is not about looking at non-covered men/women, it's about looking at covered and/or appropriately dressed men/women, which is me trying to add further direction to the question asked as explained above.

We know that we have been told to lower our gaze. The prophet of Islam would lower his gaze when women would pass in camel-borne sedan chairs, i.e. he would lower his gaze even when he could hardly see the women as they were covered in sedan chairs:

In Saheeh Muslim (1218) it is reported that Al-Fadl ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) was riding behind the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr) from Muzdalifah to Mina, when some women riding on camel-borne sedan chairs passed by. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) turned his [al-Fadl’s] head away. This was prevention and denunciation through action, for if looking were permissible he would have approved of what he did.

Here is an example of what sedan chairs probably looked like in those days considering the required cover from the burning desert sun:

We also know that both men and women have been told to lower their gaze:

“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts)” [al-Noor 24:30-31].

So, it doesn't really seem to matter if they are wearing "normal cloths" or revealing cloths, it seems you should be lowering your gaze no matter how well covered the opposite gender is.

Therefore, if you're male and the drama you watch does not have females, and if you're female and the drama you watch has no males, then it "might" be all good. However, all I can really say is, watch at your own risk.

Source of quoted text: islamqa.
Source of example image: wikipedia.