Question Summary:
Q : 1.My question is, if it is haraam to have a television in your house & also if you use it just to watch the weather forecast only . 2. Is one allowed to predict the weather for example the climatologist would say there is a 30% chance of rain or it is going to be 30degress of sunshine weather for the next day

Question Detail:

1.My question is, if it is haraam to have a television in your house & also if you use it just to watch the weather forecast only .

2. Is one allowed to predict the weather for example the climatologist would say there is a 30% chance of rain or it is going to be 30degress of sunshine weather for the next day or  days maybe predicting the wind is going to be 35 knots aswell can you please give me advise what to do, with regards to going according to a weather channel .
3.Can you please explain the above topics prohibition in detail or give any authentic ahaadith to prove it is haraam or permissible to do any of the 2.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
 
1) The television falls in the category of "لهو و لعب" (play and amusement) and there are many other evils directly linked to it (e.g. images of animate objects, men and women looking at opposite gender who are not their Mahram etc).
In the verse of the Holy Qur’ān, Allah Ta’āla via the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) instructs the believers to lower their gaze and to safeguard their private organs, whilst on the contrary, people sit together to watch television whilst filthy images are being displayed.
قل للمؤمنين يغضوا من أبصارهم ويحفظوا فروجهم ذلك أزكى لهم إن الله خبير بما يصنعون (24:30)
“Say to the believers that they should lower their gaze and protect their private organs. That is more pure for them, verily Allah is well informed of what you do” (24:30)
In the Ahadeeth, Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has mentioned curses against those who abuse their sight and praises for those who protect themselves from the evils of Shaytaan.
لعن الله الناظر والمنظور إليه
(كنز العمال - ج 7 / ص 338(
“Allah has cursed the one who looks (with a lustful glance) and the one who is looked at”.
النظرة سهم من سهام إبليس مسمومة فمن تركها من خوف الله أثابه الله إيمانا يجد حلاوته في قلبه
(كنز العمال - ج 5 / ص 329)
 “Verily, the evil glance is a poisonous arrow from Shaytaan, whoever abandons it out of the fear of Allah, Allah will reward him with such Imaan, he will perceive its sweetness in his heart” 
There is no need to watch the weather forecast on television, if you wish to find out the weather forecast, you may listen to it on the radio instead. Many people say that have absolutely no evil intentions when watching certain programs, but it has been programmed such that every now and then an advertisement is showed, either encouraging him towards some evil or getting involved.
Hence, it is not permissible to watch television or to keep in the home and there is no need for it.
(Fatawa Rahimiyyah, vol.10 pg 147, Ishaat).
 
2) If a person follows the weather forecast, this does not necessary mean that he believes in them having control over the weather. After adopting different means an observation is done, thereafter, they issue a forecast which is not absolute, but only a chance or possibility. Many a times, the weather turns out to be totally contrary to what had been predicted.
A simple example is: A person sees dark gray clouds in the horizon approaching. He informs those around him that it is going to rain. It is possible that he is correct or incorrect. If he is correct, this does show that he plays a role in the change of the weather.
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalamu Alaikum
Ml. Rayhaan Docrat,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah