A person from Jeddah poses the following question:
What is the ruling on publishing porno magazines where scantily dressed women appear in a seductive way and with covers displaying the news of actors and actresses? What is the ruling on those who work for these magazines and help distribute them, and on those who buy them?
It is not permissible to publish magazines that contain pictures of women or propagate Zina (premarital sexual intercourse and/or adultery), immorality, homosexuality, drinking alcohol, or other forms of falsehood. Also, it is not permissible to work as an editor, writer, or distributor for such magazines, because this involves cooperating in sin and transgression, spreading mischief throughout the land, calling for the corruption of the society, and propagating promiscuity. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) states: Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: Whoever calls to right guidance will have a reward equal to that of the one who follows him without their reward being diminished in the least and whoever calls to misguidance will bear sin equal to that of the one who follows it without their sins being diminished in the least. (Related by Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stated: There are two types of the people of the Fire whom I have not seen: people with whips like the tails of cattle with which they beat people and women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait
and their heads looking like the humps of camels leaning to one side. They will not enter Jannah (Paradise) or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such-and-such a distance. (Related by Muslim in his Sahih).There are many Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) and Hadith on this topic.
We ask Allah to guide Muslims to do what is good for them and what will bring them salvation. We also ask Him to guide those in charge of the media and press to do what brings safety to the society and to protect them from the evils within themselves and from the tricks of Satan, for He is indeed the Most Bountiful and Generous.