Assalaamu alaykum. I am a parent to three young kids, two boys and a girl, aged 17, 14 and 12, God bless them. Like other children in our neighborhood, I let them watch TV for limited times during the afternoon and evening hours. Lately, a show called “Game of Thrones” started in Malaysia, and after watching some episodes with my children, I was horrified to discover what kind of haram contents are presented there. These include shameful nudity, dirty English-language talking, and other Western diseases that poison the children’s pure hearts. I have already forbidden them from watching TV, but I fear that they might be watching this filth with other kids on the internet, as I know that their parents are just as worried as me. That is why I am writing to you. I turn to your wise advice concerning this pure evil, as I am confident that your wisdom and experience may help put an end to this shame. Are there any religious restrictions about this disgrace? Thank you, and may Allah be with you.

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, we thank you for your trust in our site and for writing to us. May Allah reward you.

We ask Allah to benefit you with what you read on our site, and we ask Him to preserve your children and grant them a good upbringing, as He is over all things Omnipotent.

There is no doubt that such programs contain many evil matters that distort the thinking of children and corrupt their conduct, and because of it, they get tempted in two aspects: the aspect of misconceptions, and the aspect of lusts.

Therefore, it is an obligation to protect them from such programs, as they are a trust in the hands of their parents, who will be asked about them on the Day of Judgment.

Allah says (what means): {O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.} [Quran 66:6]

Shaykh As-Saʻdi said in his Tafseer (interpretation of the Quran):

"It means: O parents, your children are trusts deposited with you, and Allah has enjoined you to take care of them. You must strive to preserve their religious and worldly interests; you should teach, discipline, and protect them from corruption and evils. You should command them to obey Allah and adhere to Taqwa (piety and mindfulness of Allah) ... Children are entrusted to the parents; the parents either honor the trust or they neglect it and accordingly incur the relevant warning and punishment upon themselves."

Hence, you must prevent your children from watching this show. Letting them watch it on the grounds that they might watch it with other children is not the correct thing to do. You should strive to find a suitable alternative for them that is free from violations of the Shariah. You should guide them and give them a good education that would be a reason for their protection from the causes of corruption, especially that they are at an age at which they can comprehend what you say to them.

You should try to connect them with some good environments that can help you in their upbringing, such as Islamic centers run by wise, forbearing scholars who know how to handle children of their age and can provide them with programs that satisfy their spiritual needs of Da‘wah (calling to Allah) and educational programs and their physical needs of sports and the like.

Allah knows best.