As Salamu 'Alaykum,
As was stated television in and of itself is neither Halal or Haraam in and of itself, if we are honest with ourselves. It's programing and propaganda is haraam. The United Pentecostal and some Baptists denominations have from the very beginning labeled television as a negative influence in the home which should be avoid.
The argument that it has an on and off switch and a channel changer doesn't really hold water when once something is seen it can be unseen. When watching television, the hand isn't quicker than the eye.
I know we use Al Qur'an and Sunnah as our guide; however, the bible has useful verses in it:
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Rom 1:18 لأَنَّ غَضَبَ اللهِ مُعْلَنٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ عَلَى جَمِيعِ فُجُورِ النَّاسِ وَإِثْمِهِمِ الَّذِينَ يَحْجِزُونَ الْحَقَّ بِالإِثْمِ.
Rom 1:19 إِذْ مَعْرِفَةُ اللهِ ظَاهِرَةٌ فِيهِمْ لأَنَّ اللهَ أَظْهَرَهَا لَهُمْ
Rom 1:20 لأَنَّ مُنْذُ خَلْقِ الْعَالَمِ تُرَى أُمُورُهُ غَيْرُ الْمَنْظُورَةِ وَقُدْرَتُهُ السَّرْمَدِيَّةُ وَلاَهُوتُهُ مُدْرَكَةً بِالْمَصْنُوعَاتِ حَتَّى إِنَّهُمْ بِلاَ عُذْرٍ.
Rom 1:21 لأَنَّهُمْ لَمَّا عَرَفُوا اللهَ لَمْ يُمَجِّدُوهُ أَوْ يَشْكُرُوهُ كَإِلَهٍ بَلْ حَمِقُوا فِي أَفْكَارِهِمْ وَأَظْلَمَ قَلْبُهُمُ الْغَبِيُّ.
Rom 1:22 وَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ حُكَمَاءُ صَارُوا جُهَلاَءَ
Rom 1:23 وَأَبْدَلُوا مَجْدَ اللهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَفْنَى بِشِبْهِ صُورَةِ الإِنْسَانِ الَّذِي يَفْنَى وَالطُّيُورِ وَالدَّوَابِّ وَالزَّحَّافَاتِ.
Rom 1:24 لِذَلِكَ أَسْلَمَهُمُ اللهُ أَيْضاً فِي شَهَوَاتِ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَى النَّجَاسَةِ لإِهَانَةِ أَجْسَادِهِمْ بَيْنَ ذَوَاتِهِمِ.
Rom 1:25 الَّذِينَ اسْتَبْدَلُوا حَقَّ اللهِ بِالْكَذِبِ وَاتَّقَوْا وَعَبَدُوا الْمَخْلُوقَ دُونَ الْخَالِقِ الَّذِي هُوَ مُبَارَكٌ إِلَى الأَبَدِ. آمِينَ.
Rom 1:26 لِذَلِكَ أَسْلَمَهُمُ اللهُ إِلَى أَهْوَاءِ الْهَوَانِ لأَنَّ إِنَاثَهُمُ اسْتَبْدَلْنَ الاِسْتِعْمَالَ الطَّبِيعِيَّ بِالَّذِي عَلَى خِلاَفِ الطَّبِيعَةِ
Rom 1:27 وَكَذَلِكَ الذُّكُورُ أَيْضاً تَارِكِينَ اسْتِعْمَالَ الأُنْثَى الطَّبِيعِيَّ اشْتَعَلُوا بِشَهْوَتِهِمْ بَعْضِهِمْ لِبَعْضٍ فَاعِلِينَ الْفَحْشَاءَ ذُكُوراً بِذُكُورٍ وَنَائِلِينَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ جَزَاءَ ضَلاَلِهِمِ الْمُحِقَّ.
Rom 1:28 وَكَمَا لَمْ يَسْتَحْسِنُوا أَنْ يُبْقُوا اللهَ فِي مَعْرِفَتِهِمْ أَسْلَمَهُمُ اللهُ إِلَى ذِهْنٍ مَرْفُوضٍ لِيَفْعَلُوا مَا لاَ يَلِيقُ.
Rom 1:29 مَمْلُوئِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ وَزِناً وَشَرٍّ وَطَمَعٍ وَخُبْثٍ مَشْحُونِينَ حَسَداً وَقَتْلاً وَخِصَاماً وَمَكْراً وَسُوءاً
Rom 1:30 نَمَّامِينَ مُفْتَرِينَ مُبْغِضِينَ لِلَّهِ ثَالِبِينَ مُتَعَظِّمِينَ مُدَّعِينَ مُبْتَدِعِينَ شُرُوراً غَيْرَ طَائِعِينَ لِلْوَالِدَيْنِ
Rom 1:31 بِلاَ فَهْمٍ وَلاَ عَهْدٍ وَلاَ حُنُوٍّ وَلاَ رِضىً وَلاَ رَحْمَةٍ.
Rom 1:32 الَّذِينَ إِذْ عَرَفُوا حُكْمَ اللهِ أَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ مِثْلَ هَذِهِ يَسْتَوْجِبُونَ الْمَوْتَ لاَ يَفْعَلُونَهَا فَقَطْ بَلْ أَيْضاً يُسَرُّونَ بِالَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ!
If one watches videos that are faith (what is the Arabic word for faith?) strengthening and educational, informational, etc than television is wonderful. However, even the most innocent appearing programs can have commercials that are haraam.
