Television undoubtedly dominates the free time or leisure of millions who have become addicted to it. Hours of precious time are daily squandered in the presence of the TV set. This malady of waiting hours daily doing "justice to the TV screen" is so serious that even necessary and important work and activities are neglected, especially when the TV program or serial clashes with the time when a particular work has to be done. The Eastern Province Herald dated 23rd October, 1975, states in a report:
"Britons spend more time with television that with radio, books, theater, and newspaper combined."
"The average person watches television nine hours and six minutes a week in winter and seven hours 42 minutes in summer - but these estimates seem conservative."
"Three-quarters of home sin one British Midlands industrial area were found to have the ‘tally’ on the entire evening everyday and in one national survey many young viewers claimed to watch up to 46 hours a week."
"When early in 1974 the Government put a 10:30 PM curfew on television to save electricity for several weeks the outcries were loud and long."
A recent survey conducted by the Audio-Visual Center of Sydney Teacher’s College (Australia) revealed that the average child watched over 21 hours of TV a week. Mr. Tindall, Director of the Center asked: "What does TV offer the child in exchange for about 1100 hours of almost undivided attention each year?"
Time in Islam is of GREAT importance. So important indeed is Time that Almighty Allah in the Quran takes an Oath by Time, and says:
"Wal-Asri" - "By the Time." (Al-Asr 103:1)
A Muslim is NOT permitted to WASTE time, more so, when the wasting of time is a result of an institution portraying vice and evil, and when the wasting of time on a practice or ‘past-time’ involves interference or neglect with ones duties to Allah and man. The addictive grip of television over its viewers is so powerful that the viewer become a helpless victim wasting sacred hours glued to the TV screen, thus neglecting his Salaat, his family duties and his social duties. The student, undoubtedly neglects his studies and learning. In a survey, teachers have said that a direct link exists between television and the failing standard of literacy, particularly among lethargic children continually sitting up late in front of the "goggle box."
"By the Time. Verily! Man is in loss, Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience.""(Al-Asr 103:1-3)