Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wb,
Even if cartoons aren't real, they're depicting something that is haram to look at in reality. It's sort of like asking 'is it ok to read a rude story because you're not seeing anything?' You're brain is still processing descriptions that are associated with the forbidden.
My son did a simple experiment on me to prove the effectiveness of subliminal messages. He asked me to think of two shapes but not tell him. When I'd thought of them, he then told me I'd thought of a square and a triangle. I was like "How did you know?" :ooh:
He said that while he was asking me the question he had made the shapes with hand gestures. And while I hadn't noticed it, my brain obviously did and I'd ended up saying the shapes he'd wanted me to see.
So if this is the effect subtle images have on the mind, then imagine how explicit images/information affects the brain/thoughts. If not now, then they will at a later stage. So avoid all such cartoons. In fact avoid all TV unless it is Islamic programs you are watching. It's important we feel haya, since haya is directly related to one's iman.
- The Prophet (s) said, “Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya’ is a part of faith.” (
Bukhari)
What does haya’ have to do with iman?
- Your conviction determines how you see things and how you react to things
- Whatever you have faith in will produce haya’ in relation to that thing
- The stronger your belief in Allah, you realize you’re always in the presence of Allah subhaanhu wa ta’ala. The connection is there and thus that triggers haya’
- The more haya’ you have and exercise the stronger your iman becomes
- Haya’ will encourage the things that strengthen your iman and discourage things that weaken your iman
- They increase each other all the way until you reach a level that Allah is pleased with you (i.e. no limit)
The Prophet (s) said, “Iman and Haya’ are like twins, they go hand in hand .” (Hakim)