I live with my mom and grandmother and my mom likes to read the quran and my grandmother likes to watch T.V alot and she doesn’t understand it soo she askes my mom too translate for her. will my mom get any sin for doing so?.


Praise be to Allaah.

The problem is not the ruling on your mother’s translating
for her mother what comes in the TV screen, rather it actually has to do
with the grandmother being preoccupied with those shows when it is better
for her – as she is getting on in years – to spend her time in worshipping
and obeying Allaah, and striving to acquire provisions for the day when she
undertakes the journey (i.e., death), and doing a lot of the means of
attaining success before Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. 

Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, as quoted by
al-Qurtubi in his Tafseer (7/276): 

I met the people of knowledge in our land and they would seek
worldly gain and mix with people until they reached the age of forty, then
when they reached that age, they would withdraw from people. End quote. 

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Allaah has left no excuse for a man whose lifespan He
expanded until he reached the age of sixty years.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(6419). 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari (11/240): 

“left no excuse” means He gave him plenty of opportunities,
therefore he has no excuse for not doing acts of worship even though he was
able because of the lifespan that was granted to him. Therefore he should do
nothing but seek forgiveness, obey Allaah and turn his full attention to the
Hereafter. What is meant is that Allaah did not leave him any reason or
excuse. Ibn Battaal said: Sixty is mentioned here because it is very close
to death and it is the age when people turn to Allaah and focus on worship
and watch for death, so he should turn his full attention to the Hereafter,
because it is impossible for him to go back to his former state of energy
and strength. End quote.  

Our advice to you and your mother is to keep advising your
grandmother to occupy herself with prayer, dhikr, reading Qur’aan and saying
du’aa’, and help her to do that by all means available. You will find that
this will distract her from watching the things shown on the TV which incur
the wrath of Allaah and which are of no worldly or religious benefit. 

Whatever the case, it is not permissible for your mother to
translate for her mother anything but that is permissible of the things that
appear on the TV. As for the haraam things, such as foolish soap operas and
interviews, it is not permissible for her to help her understand them,
rather she should tell her not to watch them, but there is nothing wrong
with her watching beneficial programs. 

We ask Allaah to grant you goodness and happiness in this
world and in the Hereafter. 

For the ruling on watching TV please see the answer to
question no. 3633

And Allaah knows best.