The topic seems controversial enough to drag your attention, isn’t it? What has been seen in the showbiz industry is the fact that money goes where there is popularity and celebrities love to become popular, If not through their work then for the things that are not a part of the industry. If you take a look few years back, it seemed like a tradition where many singers and actors gave a farewell to their showbiz career, proclaiming to return to Islam and its teachings. The move did bring them limelight where they became a subject for few months, or perhaps few days probably. We saw them conducting Islamic shows on different channels and then they disappeared again.
It seems that their planning to be a true Muslim was for temporary and many of them are now coming back to their previous career, relaunching themselves. Although there are celebrities like Junaid Jamshed who are steadfast on their decision, most of them found their showbiz career more satisfactory. Here is a small list of them that are in my knowledge. Have a look!
1) Najam Shiraz
Najam Shiraz was always considered as an average singer who earned popularity through Indus Music, especially when Indian Channels were all blocked in the country, if you go 7-8 years back. It was then when he said that he has left singing and turn towards Islam. He married a non-muslim who turned towards Islam and was renamed as ‘Marium’. Najam Shiraz, following the foot steps of Junaid, started reciting Naats and Hamds that are still what people remember him for. He often came on religious shows where he condemn singing according to the laws of Islam but now he is back again. He re-launched himself as a singer and also sung the OST of Hum TV Drama , ‘Yaha Pyaar nahi hai’.
2) Farhan Ali Agha
An actor by nature, Farhan Ali Agha has enjoyed a good, satisfactory career as an actor since the day he foots in the industry. It was the same era as of Najam’s that Farhan too left showbiz for the same reason and talked about Islam often on Islamic Channels. He disappeared from screen and again, we see him on screen as an actor.
3) Ali Haider
The most interesting of all is the story of Ali Haider. The ‘purani jeans’ guy left singing when his son was severely ill and doctors lose all the hopes. It was then when Ali Haider decided to say bye to his singing if his son gets well, God was great on him and his son recovered after that. The same year, in Muharram, Ali recited Nohay and Naats for his fans and people started talking about him that way. However, just like others, Ali too launched his music album, coming in showbiz again! I wonder what made him bring back to the industry even when he promised not to!
4) Ali Afzal
Falling in the same category as of Najam’s and Farhan’s. Ali Afzal too left acting for the sake of Islam. He was seen talking about Quran, the Holy book of Muslims on several channels but again, he made his re-launch sooner than others. Now Ali is seen in every next drama on several channels, Sitamgar been an example!
5) Shiraz Uppal
‘Roya Re’ singer, Shiraz Uppal who did’t only enjoy popularity in Pakistan but also earned respect as a singer in India for his songs too left Music to become a true Muslim. He turned out to be the shortest of all and is now back after few months of his decision. When Shiraz was asked about this, he said:
“Allah gave me all the talent, fame and above all “Respect” and everything I have and I am really grateful Alhamdulillah, I was going through a phase of my life where I felt that whatever I was doing was not right… So I quit back in Feb. 2012… I was listening only to scholars who say that music is forbidden… Where as there are even more who say that its not but i never paid attention to them,”
It is difficult to analyse these fluctuations that the above stated actors made in their career, What do you think? Share your Views about it. Have I missed few names? Feel free to add them. :)
Best Wishes,
Nida Zaidi
Najam Shiraz is well placed at the top of the list
.
seems suspicous. but i have often myself have these moments where i only want to turn to Allah and after some time dunya lets me forget everything what i have learnt during that time.
deen is not an easy thing. i always struggle since 5 years.
lets pray for them and all of us.
Aameen
Shiraz Uppal is still on the track of Islam MashAllah:)
Not really, he has launched his new album recently. search about it
Still they are much better than Dr. Amir Liaqat ,, who is the biggest drama of the century…..
Lol, true !
Well I have heard that Ali Haider lost his son and he was so shattered that he didnt feel like singing, he never said that singing is HARAAM… You said Junaid Jamshed has stood by his decision It's because his garmen business is doing well so he doesn't need to sing for earning money but I still doubt his religious beliefs as he was seen wearing swimming trunks in Ek din Geo ke saath…
whats wrong with swimming trunk if he is going for swimming
Islam has strictly told men to cover the area between the belly button and knees,, i think now u understand whats wrong with swimming trunk, plus u are getting yourself captured in camera while swimming and later this video is played on a tv channel and viewed by millions, what type of islam junaid jamshed boasts of???
This is a phase when people go towards islam shaytaan attacks them more; these fluctuations in emaan and faith are natural. May Allah SWT guide these people and ake them more strong and steadfast in their deen and ive them the full strength to leave music permanently, Ameen. Its is difficult to understand why these fluctuaions occur but having not had an islamic upbringing and the discovering the true islam whilst growing in my teenage years I can understand that these fluctuations happen.
I wouldnt say they are doing this to try and gain fame only Allah SWT knows that he knows what is concealed in their heart.
Leaving glamorous life is not an easy thing. It's not only money but the fame and fans that keeps you in the limelight. Turning to Islam is a big decision for these people. Unfortunately, there are all kinds of religious scholars available in the market which include very strict, moderate and liberal. Religion now in Pakistan is the biggest industry. Look around and you will find various types of religious groups whose ideology even differ from others and in our country people pay millions and millions of rupees in charities only for the sake of religion. So, religious exploitation is at peak nowadays. To some extend we all should be blamed for this because we spend hours and hours on the internet reading gossips but we never try to learn our own religion and we have left this duty to a certain group who is exploiting the whole society because they know that people can easily be exploited in the name of religion. These actors are also the part of same society and if someone wants to quit this profession, some liberal scholar certifies his profession as fully allowed in our religion.
Guidance from Almighty Allah will come only when some one seeks for it whereas money comes even without prayers because all non believers do not pray to Allah for money but Allah gives them money whereas guidance will come when they will ask for it.
May Allah show us the right path and keeps us on the right path.
i agree with you. i just want to know where in Islam it is justified to be acting in romantic scenes with girls, touching them, hugging them and saying romantic dialogues and where you can sing romantic songs and dance around. if thats Islam, then why rest of us are suffering?
I think you should be very careful of accusing people of using Islam. Perhaps becoming more aware of religion helped them to center their lives better. Then Allah blessed them with more success. Islam does not encourage asceticism or withdrawal from society to be virtuous. Calling people Hypocrites or trying to judge them in public ,when you don't know their personal situation is not right . Nida , you have so many good ideas and you are improving day by day. As a writer you must understand the power and responsibility that entails. Criticize their work as much as you like but I think this is inappropriate.
I completely agree with you. You don't know what they are doing presently and how they have/haven't modified their lives – so please don't make such accusations ..let them be.. you are no one to judge.
agree with u, nida u have judges them too harshly. its said that u shouldnt say any thing about a person untill he is in his grave. human heart can change any minute by the grace of ALLAH.
Sorry to say guys, but you really need to go through the words again because neither were my intentions to criticize anyone nor did I. The topic is about the fluctuation. and yes, this is what all of them has done. I have not passed my judgements over it because obviously I am no one to do so.
The world has seen them one day singing, next day reciting and the next day singing again. Its the truth. we are not goin in details that what made them do so.
Thats all i wanted to say.
Regards
I have read the article Nida , and I am glad your intention was not to judge them. Withdrawing from singing does not make you a better Muslim. Allah does not need our sajdas even , WE need to do those prayers to be better. From my own poor knowledge, Islam is about how we treat others . Allah is merciful otherwise do you think anyone of us is deserving of anything. Our Prophet, (SAW ) the most perfect man ever , was known to pray and beg for forgiveness…then who are we ? Let us be more forgiving . Having said that I agree on your point that people should stop bringing religion into everything. If they have a crisis of confidence and need to go on a spiritual retreat ..fine stop painting everyone else as bad and themselves as good for withdrawing from the world .
That is what my point was. I didnt mention anywhere,neither did I feel that they left singing and became a true Muslim, No! But Sadaf, he viewers have all the right to at least talk about what has been shown to them. They left their career for whatever reason, we had no interest in that. but the way they chose Islamic programs to appear on religious channels, talking about how good they feel after coming out of showbiz seriously brings a question mark on their comeback in the media industry.
They might have their own reasons for doing this, and no one here is even targeting that, but the fact remains constant, they did this and landed up in a controversy.
You tell me, didn't your family or your friends talk casually when they saw Najam's singing the OST? Didn't people noticed Ali Haider launching his album after saying that he has left music? At least people around me did. They still do!
Would like to mention again on this forum that this article is ONLY mentioning those celebrities who have gone through the similar phase in their career and there is no aim to judge or criticize anyone.
Shitan get upset when you choose right path, his duties doubled and he fullfill his promise with Allah
how can you forget fazeela qazi and her husband qaiser nizamani…………….and nighat butt
why do we take islam for granted?? i mean look at ali haider ..he got ill and made kind of manat to leave showbiz after getting off rom illness?? these are the people making fun of religion. i wish all of us take example of junaid jamsheed, sara choudry, saeed anwar etc…..i. wish and pray to be a good muslim for all of us
what do u ppl think about the actor Asad Malik…he says that He is the student of the holy Quran and also he justifies the arguments with the help of different Qurani Ayats?? ….I do like his way…!!
Quran asks us to have 'acha gumaan' about others. dear Nida if they are as u are saying they r ,even then its wrong to write such things in an article. n if they r not what u think them, then its a sin . u must not touch such sensitive issues about people. I think most of them never showed an intention of leaving showbiz..did they?
I would just like to add to all those people who have started to criticize the author and started saying she does not know if they are really true on their way. Please guys instead of the usual taking Islam and its content and dragging it down everywhere why not for a change, please look it from a little open mind. I am gonna get a lot of hate for this I am sure as that what people like to do and start giving lectures about what they dont do them self but what she meant was they are just fluctuating, no judgement was passed and their was none needed as these action depict the story them selves. So instead of bringing Allah, Rasool and Quran into everything please try to change your prospective. I have some of my own opinions and dont listen to every word an Aalim says because they are wrong on somethings to I am sure of it.
Thank You Hasan :) I really appreciate readers like you who decode the idea behind the written content.
Wishes
well i do agree with u aldo we are nt here to judge them bt its nuthnh more thn makin fun of islam like i rea the status of sheraz uppal he used to say tat i thought ALLAH didnt ask me to gve ths scrfce bt i gave it so i dcded to kum again n ALLAH awarded me wd the honor of singing with AR REHMAN ….GOD sake man wake up wat the hell ur relating wd ur ths stpd dcsn … n we cnt say nythng else xcpt RABBANA LA TUZIGH QALOOBANA BAADA IZ HADAITANA ,,,, May ALLAH guide thm .
Maya, Really!!
u have given wrong info abt Ali Haider….1st search n do work n thn write
masha Allah……
well who wrote all this i dnt knw …its v good effort but i wanna tell abt Ali Haider dat his son was dead 8 dat time …
he is only having a daughter now…..
when he promised Allah he will not sing let his son be recovered unfortunately his son was dead n he left singing aftr saying dat Allah has given him so much other blessings like life, daughter, health, wife n parents n much more
but i m really surprised y he is back again
Thank you so much waqas for adding up.
i guess dosron k andar kafir dhondny k bajye apny andar ka kafir dhondna zaroori hae…baqi hur insan ka Allah mian sae apna apna rabta hota hae….. may be Allah mian (upar jitni bhi personalities din hain) un sae zayda muhabat karty hoon kun kha shyed wo achy muslim na hoon( hamari nazar main) lakin acchy insan hoon or aghr in main sae koi aik bhi asa hae to just think shyed yea ziati hae kisi ko point out kur k us k bary main intahai personal level ki baat likhna jasy religion…as far as I am concerned i think we don't have a right to judge other people espically when it comes to religion.
I think no kafir is being searched in any one this article is only talking about contradictions in what these personalities said about their own religious thoughts on media….
yahan junaid jamshed ka zikar q nhi hy………?
Because he hasn't return to singing yet.
aur kabhi aainge bhi nahi
inshallah
Junaid Jamshed in sab celebrities ki trah nai hain..
he'x a true muslim..
has my comment being deleted….wow!…so much for a democrated country
You need to watch out the thread carefully, Your comments are there.
you think these so called celebs are serious about Islam. ha! think again! only using Islam to show they are pious people. you see farhan agha touching his heroines hands, hair, putting head in a heroine lap, acting intimate and romantic. what kind of Islam is that? which God of Islam allows that. Najam Sheraz singing beeghey hoont type of song, and then singing hamds, which Islam would allow that? also Ali Afzal was acting the same way. Pakistani dramas are not the same now. they show romance with physical touch and Farhan Agha and even Ali Afzal are shown in those scenes. so what kind of Muslim are they and what Islam they represent. after years of showing how Muslim they are, they do not leave showbiz, because it is good money and money is all. money, fame, love from the public is an addiction and no love of God is changing that. it is all lip service to tell public about Islam, go first change your own life and then preach us. bunch of hypocrites and fooling the world, cannot fool God.
showbiz for acting and singing is a bad atmosphere, where girls are dressed up not so religiously, bad talks, loose talks are done there. it is not a good environment and why and how one who claims to be so Muslim can tolerate such kind of place.
All I have to say is, do whatever you got to do but at least don’t say music is not prohibited in Islam. No one stops you from singing but by saying or pretending that what they are doing is right; is another sin they are adding to their account.
Dear Aysha, i regard your post but let me clarify on your point of prohibitted music:
Music and singing is not prohibited. Songs of merriment and Duff is allowed.
Secondly, It’s neither Ms N. Zahid nor we are to decide if a singer’s ibadaat are accepted in Bargah-e-Illaahi, if one turned to God and didn’t remain steadfast on the point of singing or acting, let it be the matter between him and God please! You cannot decide at all. We daily commit unwanted acts and sins, do not keep promise, hurt people, do not keep our own business, interfere others’ personal lives and use foul language besides heinous, dehumanised and obscene crimes we daily watch in news are committed by our people. Why do you raise pen when you do not know matter between God and man??? Why do humiliate or defame them before people by sowing the seed if doubt? Use your pen for constructive purpose please!! You cannot claim to be a better human before Allah than these celebs! They might be far btter than us in many respects! No offense please,
Regards
Huma
But that shouldn’t stop one from condemning if anything is wrong. Of course, we cant judge anyone.
There is a Hadith that says that if you see a sin, stop it from the hand, then the mouth and if you cant do either consider if bad from the heart and that is the weakest form of faith. Ayesha here is just pointing out a fault in our society; we tend to follow Islam only where it is easy for us and often twist Orders to act in our favour. She is clearly not ‘defaming or humiliating’ them as you stated.
It was reported from ‘Awf ibn Maalik who said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews were divided into seventy-one sects, one of which is in Paradise and seventy are in the Fire. The Christians were divided into seventy-two sects, seventy-one of which are in the Fire and one is in Paradise. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects, one of which will be in Paradise and seventy-two will be in the Fire.” It was said, O Messenger of Allaah, who are they? He said, “Al-Jamaa’ah.” Sunan Ibn Maajah, no. 3982.
Al-Jamaa’ah: ‘aqeedah and actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions
And the companions and the generations that followed them had consensus on the issue that music is haram.There are many reasons for its prohibition,like it makes one addicted to the tune,when our heart should be filled with Allah’s love all the time,it also becomes a source of our time being wasted,when we as Muslims know more than anyone else the importance of time and the limited period of time we are here in this temporary world.
Allah says in the Quran(51:56)
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
We as Muslims should realize the essence of this above verse ,and try to utlilize each and every moment of our lives that pleases our Lord and becomes a source of His worship,be it in the form of raising our children,dealing with family,friends,neighbours,work ethics,education/gaining knowledge,eating,drinking,etc etc,our ultimate goal should be to please Allah (SWT)..so worship is not only prayers and fasting,,it can be achieved in our other wordly acts as well,but only if we realize how important and precious every moment of our life is.
Those who advocate music and think it gives you peace,and food for ones soul,in my opinion have not experienced the peace,tranquilityand internal satisfaction one experiences when one whole heartedly submits to Allah,instead of going from one scholar to another in order to find a fatwa that allows music.
Lastly,I shall quote the following hadith of our beloved Prophet(s)
“The best of you are my generation, then those that follow them and then those that follow them. Then there shall come after them a people who will betray and be untrustworthy, will give witness even though they have not been asked to, will make vows yet will not fulfil them and obesity will appear amongst them.” (Bukhari)
So in a nutshell,if we are still not convinced about the reasons for prohibition of music ,then ateast we should follow this hadith,and try to follow the footsteps of our righteous predecessors,if they understood music to be haram,then that means it is haram ,because as per the hadith they were the best of the generations,both in piety and in understanding of Islam
And Allah knows Best
I would just like to bring this point out that why should we highlight the names of all these celebrities and popular people and such news about them. Leave it. I am not pro or against what is being said. The review very well highlights what all these people have done. But is it really necessary to highlight such sensitive issues and might I add personal too. Ask yourself what does one gain out of writing this review/observation/article? and giving out this information. Is it really required and necessary information?
I will be honest I too was attracted to read this article but i felt bad for things being written about them. Cause these are their personal choices and by writing about them, we are making our selves and the audience more judgemental towards them. I or the other people might be looking and feeling about these people differently now.
I never knew what these people had done in their personal lives and especially regarding their religious /spiritual journeys (except for a few) but by this article one would tend to now notice these celebrities more critically and may even turn judgemental about them. Some might stop liking them for their confusing statements.
What I say is that give people their personal space and time. Everyone is very human. They tried doing something good and if they could not sustain it, then don’t highlight it, even as an observation. Who knows what they felt and how they feel when they were taking these decisions. Don’t make them become a target of criticism. Even in our religion Islam its best to not even discuss the controversial or sensitive personal doings of a person. If one wants to do so then do it in private and to that person only. else it is not for the whole world. and yes this world of media is no help and in fact highlights even the most unnecessary things.
Don’t rip these people of the chance of turning back to the good things by discouraging them directly or in a way highlighting that they are so indecisive or they should not have done this thing (leaving music or showbiz career) in the first place if they had to come back. Am sure they had their situations and reasons to come back. May be they are still confused. May be they are fightiing within themselves or yes maybe they are happy for what they did. Just pray Allah guides us all better. We all wish to be on the right path. Some know and do it consciously while others wish to be, be it only sub consciously.
We surely could have written this article in general without taking names and writing it as an observational article/review. It is indeed a wonderful point to ponder over like how people from the showbiz industry have had phases in their lives and how some continued and how some came back. Such things could surely help us make decisions in our lives too.
May Allah guide us all better. Aameen.