Can muslim actors do kissing scenes?
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Thanks for all the answers. The reason I'm asking this is because I'm an actor(still an amateur at this stage, though).
I'm going to avoid scripts with kissing scenes for as long as possible, though I know that I will have to face this dilemma as soon as I land a lead.to RA786 1732 seems to mention adultery, which is not related to the topic at hand, especially since I'm not married.
Sahih International
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
Muhsin Khan
And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a Fahishah , and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allah forgives him).
Pickthall
And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.
Yusuf Ali
Nor come nigh to adultery for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils). -
Hello Captain Awesome, long time no hear.
There seems to be a lot of modesty and morality debates going on at the moment her on f-m....
Before you decide to stay away from kissing, let me ask you something.
Have you ever asked yourself why a sexual act (and I am generalizing grossly now, from holding hands to getting jiggy) under certain circumstances is not allowed by Allah? He has given us the sensations such as falling in love, getting warm and tingly inside from a kiss, loving someone so much that you just can't keep yourself from hugging her (or him)?
Why does Allah give all these wonderful things to us and then forbids us to use them?
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Peeing and shitting has also been given us by Allah, but somehow we seem to get through without portraying peeing and shitting in films ad nauseam. Does it result in lacking realism? No. Actually anybody can fill in the blanks and have a very good idea of things ging on without everything being explicited. Also, if we go that far, should people be actually killed in films when murders or deaths or battles are depicted in the films? Those scenes are done and nobody needs to die or anything like it. We rely on imagination and we rely in good effects. (that said a lot of gore scenes are also unnecessary, for sure, even more than kissing scenes). Even in theater, it never happens that in performances of say Wilhelm Tell real arrows are shot to the apple on top of Tell's child head.
What we are getting nowadays is bullshit disguised as acting or artistic needs. Has kissing been ever necessary in anciente greek theater pieces? Why or what for do we need to see actual tongue kissing in order to understand or imagine any feelings or emotions or passions in a film. Are we idiots? Probably we are trying very hard to become idiots.
Salaam
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I think any rational person would know that kissing does incite lust and is an excessive step passed looking or even hand-shaking.
But acting in a kissing scene is not real kissing, and usually the actors feel awkward more than anything else. I seriously doubt that doing a kissing scene is inciting lust in any of the people participating.
I dont even want to be left in a room alone with another woman
wow
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Interesting subject, one that I've been thinking about quite a bit as well... Honestly, I don't see why not; the question is, will they do kissing scenes? I think the issue with that lies not only in the ignorance of filmmakers about Muslims/Middle Easterners (whom they all lump in the same category), but with the ignorance of Muslims themselves that impose hadithist laws unto themselves due to none other than tradition.
I'm a bit too flustered and inexperienced in Islam to give a statement based on a religious POV, but I see this as a very cultural issue as well. So far, the only market for Arab/Persian/actors of "Muslim" heritage in the West are those of a terrorist or a refugee or taxi driver, etc. It'd be nice to see some variation on that, but due to the restrictions that Muslims seem to place upon themselves about super-modesty/rejection of photography, they also make it difficult for the west to see them as anything but.
I don't want to inflame any arguments any more, but kissing/love scenes do add depth to some stories you can't have every film on the market finding subdued, no-contact ways for characters to fall in love (although, today, those movies are so rare that they're quite lovely!) It would become rapidly exhausting.
I have here a semi-relevant video interview with the Sudanese-Arab/English actor Alexander Siddig (points to her avatar) during the Doha film festival, in which the interviewer asks him "What is the future of Arab films?" (time index 221) He gives a very down to earth, honest answer that I agree with. (Let me remind you that in the entertainment world, Arab almost exclusively means "Muslim" in subcontext.)
http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzfCULf10OY (i would embed it, but I'm not sure how. XD d'oh.)
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Thanks for all the answers. The reason I'm asking this is because I'm an actor(still an amateur at this stage, though).
I'm going to avoid scripts with kissing scenes for as long as possible, though I know that I will have to face this dilemma as soon as I land a lead.to RA786 1732 seems to mention adultery, which is not related to the topic at hand, especially since I'm not married.
Sahih International
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
Muhsin Khan
And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a Fahishah , and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allah forgives him).
Pickthall
And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.
Yusuf Ali
Nor come nigh to adultery for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).Yes, I am well aware that it is Regarding Adultry, however I myself in my opinion take it to mean do not go anywhere Near it as in do not do actions that would lead me or tempt me to go forth towards it. Catch my drift?
Having Sexual Intercourse with a woman who is not your wife is considered Adultery. Some would argue that just having Oral Sex/Master baiting Someone else is then not prohibited because Its not "Sexual Intercourse" Technically. I would say I consider them ALL (including Kissing) to be wrong behavior (maybe not Adultery Technically) but at least wrong behavior that would lead to adultery or have adultery roots.
But acting in a kissing scene is not real kissing, and usually the actors feel awkward more than anything else. I seriously doubt that doing a kissing scene is inciting lust in any of the people participating.
Leyna perhaps we are not talking about the same type of kissing and same type of movies... let me Clarify
In my country (USA) most Films that have Scenes where Actors Kiss consist of a Male putting his Real Tongue inside the mouth of the Woman actress and Moves it around. This is Considered Real Kissing Not "Fake Kissing". Now, I can say at least for myself (who had been in plays and acting before) when you Literally Kiss the other person (tongue or no tongue) you are in a lustful state (at least me anyways).
So this leads me to believe you are talking about a different type of kissing... meaning the two people go in for the kiss but stop right before they touch?
therefore their lips and tongue never touch? please clarify what you are talking about in regard to fake kissing? -
You cannot argue against a kissing scene via the Quran.
And therefore there is nothing wrong with it - it's not forbidden.
Peace
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Quote Captain Awesome
which is not related to the topic at hand, especially since I'm not married.Oops, Sorry then, I had misunderstood the initial discussion. -\
If You are Single and Kiss a Single woman (in a movie) I dont think thats near adultery....
I thought this was regarding a married person, my bad.Then Ill say Kissing someone isnt considered sex or fornication obviously...just be careful about it.
I then dont really see much wrong with it if you both are single and can control yourselfs...Sorry about the mix up..
Can We delete those blank posts I accidentally made?
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Peace
I think in some films kissing and even having full on sex scenes would make the film more realistic, better and perhaps even of more artistic value BUT also a film in which someone actually kills someone for real would add to the film's realism and originality. Its not about what improves the films its about the limits it should necessarily have.
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with the idea of kissing scenes and I think in cases they do improve films but there is possibility that sin can come out of it. Just like with the internet and other good things which need to be done or used responsibly.
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Thankis again for all the answers.
As for sex scenes they will hopefully not be a problem. Most of the scenes are today so 'blurry' and dark that nobody would notice if there was a body double instead of me. The exception would be if it was really graphic (like in the newly released Blue Valentine).But what are your opinions on sex scenes where there's actually no intimacy or nudity (or kissing) involved, like in the movie 'The Town'? In this scene, the man is shown sitting on a chair face-to-face with the woman on his lap, while she goes up and down. The camera only shows waist-and-up, and they are fully dressed. It is not known whether their parts touch (shouldn't be a problem, there are many scenes where shy actors put several layers of pillows between them).
And therefore there is nothing wrong with dry humping - it's not forbidden.
Is there not a quranic verse stating that we won't be judged by our actions, but rather the intentions behind them? Your example would be quite different if that happens to be the case.
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Is there not a quranic verse stating that we won't be judged by our actions, but rather the intentions behind them? Your example would be quite different if that happens to be the case.
I was alluding to the attitude that just because the quran remains silent on a specific issue, there are no moral considerations. I find this to be utterly false.
I understand your dilemma, and I pray Allah guides you to the best outcome.
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And therefore there is nothing wrong with dry humping - it's not forbidden.
I think it comes under lewdness (fahisha) and so it is forbidden.
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I was alluding to the attitude that just because the quran remains silent on a specific issue, there are no moral considerations. I find this to be utterly false.
I understand your dilemma, and I pray Allah guides you to the best outcome.
If it's not prohibited in the Quran, what authority do we have to prohibit it on our own? Is this no implying that the book is incomplete?
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Peace Captain Awesome
There are verses that remind that God is aware of what is in our hearts. So obviously God is aware of our intentions. Considering the attributes of God (most understanding and most just) I'd say intentions are certainly taken into account. As for the example you gave, I think the right and wrong of it depends on the intention of the film makers. Are they trying to add realism, artistic value emotion, passion etc to the film or just arouse the audience sexually. Whatever their intentions, i honestly don't think it wrong for an actor to take up such scenes provided his intentions are not wrong. Full out sex scenes i'd say are prohibited but the scene you mentioned in "the town" i'd say is fine. It's an imitation where in which the actual prohibited act does not take place. Murder is quranically prohibited but not pretend murder if you get what i'm saying.
You can pretend to have sex with someone and you can pretend to kill someone. So long as you don't do the act or be unreasonable in your attempts to imitate the act.
Please explain how you decided that dry humping someone who is not your spouse is fahisha but kissing that someone is not.
Peace Mushu
Is your question regarding real life or film sets?
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Peace Mushu
My subjective feelings tell me dry humping is lewdness and kissing is not. I think kissing can be done without or with very little sexual intent but dry humping is more less all sexual intent thus lewdness and thus quranically prohibited.
If we were to hypothetically say there is no sexual intent in kissing, would you consider it acceptable?
What do you think of holding hands? -
I should add that i am speaking of kisses that do not involve tongues but are on the lips. I say this because i have never had the experience of kissing someone and sticking my toungue in their mouth thus i can't say whether lust is involved or not. Although by the sounds of it does so im against the act unless of course with Zawj or MMA of the right sort.
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But what are your opinions on sex scenes where there's actually no intimacy or nudity (or kissing) involved, like in the movie 'The Town'? In this scene, the man is shown sitting on a chair face-to-face with the woman on his lap, while she goes up and down. The camera only shows waist-and-up, and they are fully dressed. It is not known whether their parts touch (shouldn't be a problem, there are many scenes where shy actors put several layers of pillows between them).
Is there not a quranic verse stating that we won't be judged by our actions, but rather the intentions behind them? Your example would be quite different if that happens to be the case.
Peace,
I watched The Town, so I know of the scene you speak of. As is typical in Hollywood as far as I am aware, the genitals don't touch (they use something to protect the actors). And just as you pointed out, many stars use body doubles/camera tricks for racy scenes, etc.
Yes, 2225 and 463.
I agree that intent is the key component.