Balancing my hobby and sticking to the deen - need to get this off my chest
Assalamu alaikum, I'm writing this just to clear my mind because I keep coming back to these thoughts. I enjoy games, especially fighting games, but the issue is they often include music, portray fictional deities, or have women dressed immodestly. I like the core idea-the fighting and mechanics-but I dislike those other elements (it depends on which game, I won't name them). When I was younger I ran a gaming channel, but I set the videos to private after I realized I was basically promoting those games. I really want to make videos again, but I hesitate because of all the haram aspects. It feels conflicting. My rule has been: if I can't stop the haram thing right away, at least I won't spread it. I don't always stick to it perfectly, but every time I think about creating content I go back and forth: "I really want to make videos again." "But I can't because I'd be promoting the game and people might buy it because of me." I also think about making an animated story. I'm unsure about the ruling on creating 3D characters, so I can't say much there. Another worry is music in the animation - I could avoid music, but if the project grows and others join, it might be harder to keep it music-free. If the animations get popular, there are two ways I could earn: 1) Ads - not something I can rely on because ad content may include haram things like music, and 2) Merch like T-shirts - I'd have to be careful about designs so they don't depict faces. Again, I genuinely don't know the ruling on 3D character creation, so please don't judge me on that; I'm still learning. All these concerns are about avoiding haram even when it's socially accepted here (I'm in a Muslim country). I'm an introvert and don't like confronting people, because I already anticipate reactions when I say I avoid certain things for religious reasons. I also want to make ads for local stores, but I'm nervous about telling them I won't include music. Some will be fine-I've seen local ads without music-but others may reject the idea without checking. Sometimes I'm afraid to mention that something is haram because I can already hear the backlash and worry about being treated like an outcast. If you read this far, thank you for listening. I wanted a space where people understand my intentions and goals, because even in a Muslim country you can still feel isolated if you refuse socially accepted haram things. Jazakum Allah khair for reading 💙