Pictures are Prohibited in Islam

[sweet_gal]

As Salaamu Alaikoum,

 

Praise be to Allah.

 

So many people ask questions about whether or not we as Muslims can draw pictures, have them hanging on the walls in our homes, wear them on our clothes, keep them in books in a drawer in the home. InshaAllah here is the Daleel on why it is Haraam for us as Muslims to draw or have pictures on display.

 

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The people who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection are the picture-makers." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/382).

 

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah says: 'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like My creation; let him create a grain of wheat or an ear of corn . . .'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 10/385).

 

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Every picture-maker will be in the Fire, and for each picture that he made he will be given a soul, and he will be punished in Hell." Ibn 'Abbaas said: If you must make pictures, draw trees and things that do not possess a soul." (Reported by Muslim, 3/1671).

 

These ahaadeeth clearly indicate that it is haraam to make images of animate beings, whether they be humans or different kinds of animals, whether the images are two- or three dimensional. Pictures are forbidden whether they are drawn, engraved, carved, etched or cast from moulds. The ahaadeeth which forbid making pictures cover all these methods.

 

The Muslim should accept what the Sharee'ah says, without arguing. Some may say "Well, I am not worshipping these pictures or prostrating to them!" But if you look closely and think about just one of the bad effects of the widespread presence of pictures in our times, you will understand the wisdom behind this prohibition: this bad effect is the provocation of sexual desire which leads to immorality, because of these pictures.

 

The Muslim should not keep any pictures of animate beings in his house, because this prevents the angels from entering his home. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house where there is a dog or pictures." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/380).

[Bambina]

Salam Alaykum ,

 

Hey sweet_gal wassup , if I understood your topic does that mean you cant take pictures of your friends and relatives? I havent seen my parents for a while and I wanted to send them some pics of me , but islamically I dont know if it is right, so sista could you confirm this for me?Thanks.

[La Fidele]

Assalaam alaikum,

 

Firstly I'd like to say jazakallahu khairan to sweet_gal for posting this thread with all best intentions, but I must seriously advise the greatest caution in providing a general fatwa on such a complicated issue such as this.

 

Coincidentally, I attended a fiqh halaqa this past week where the sheikh spent a good amount of time explaining the question of pictures. Inshallah, I will summarize what I remember, but again I warn that this is from my memory and I am susceptible to mistakes, as are we all.

 

We must first make the distinctin between paintings and photos taken by a camera. I apologize for not providing clear evidence, but again this is from my opinion firstly and inshallah I will provide stronger proof if there is interest. From my understanding, the difference between a painting and a photo is that the former is created by man, while the latter is but a reflection on lens and paper in reality. The sheikh nevertheless stated that a painting depicting a person in their whole and detailed self is haraam, but the painting may be permissible if the figure is distorted in some manner---eg. it is not in focus or it is mutilated in some way that is unnatural, or the painting does not depict the entire person (just a head-bust). I believe the idea behind this is to not create a true caricature of the person. The sheikh mentioned that on the Day of Judgement, Allah (swt) will command all those painters who insisted on painting live things in a prohibited way to breathe souls into their paintings. The point is that only Allah (swt) can create beings; a painter cannot with his paintbrush. But if it is only a painting of a partial caricature, that is obviously not an entirely whole being that is only lacking in a soul.

 

The sheikh also cautioned that photos (by camera) may also be manipulated by some people, believers and non-believers, as they may resort to idolizing the image. Pictures as memoribilia, such as of parents and family, are fine so long as what they are showing are halal otherwise (obviously a pornographic picture is haram!). And when praying, these images (whether paintings or photos) should not obstruct the direction to the qibla.

 

The Muslim should accept what the Sharee'ah says, without arguing.

:confused:

Ahhh, with the humble knowledge I do have, I don't recall ever being discouraged from questioning the Shari'ah. The Shari'ah is not set in stone. It is a body of many units, one section falling under the Words of Allah (swt) and the ahadeeth---which clearly are undoubtable---but the other section falls under the interpretation of humans, and this always demands constant ijtihaad, questioning and sometimes argument.

 

Well, that's my lengthy two-cents. Inshallah I hope that this is of benefit to anyone. If I have said anything improper, please excuse me and indeed correct me, since disagreements almost always lead to greater knowledge, inshallah.

[Thought_Control]

salam folks

 

through all of my childhood i was told takin pictures or drawings were haram. and ALLAH will ask on judgement day, the perpetrators to put life into their drawings or pictures they have taken, also i understand that allah is merciful.

 

sis la fidele please do not differentiate drawings from photos theres no distinction common sense says its all the same....

 

"while the latter is but a reflection on lens and paper in reality." in this case ur refering if i understand to the camera which also is created by man "person"

 

anyways am brain dead for now cant seem to think

but i think to distinct photos and drawings is is to find a scapegoat.

 

 

"hypocrisy is the only evil that walks invisible except to ALLAH alone"

[La Fidele]

Thought Control,

 

I did not make the distinction between paintings and drawings. The sheikh that I was referring to throughout my post did. I personally would not be so quick to paint such broad strokes either (ha, no pun intended!) in analyzing the two. I respect judgements based on analogy, but I think we should all be cautious in calling something haram that may otherwise be permitted to us.

 

If you have questions, Thought Control, I advise that you take this to a knowledgeable person on matters of fiqh. So if you have a differing opinion then find a sheikh who will corroborate with it.

 

I did make a disclaimer that what I had posted was what I had heard from a sheikh at a fiqh halaqa. So please, on a future post, don't respond so hastily and imply that anyone posts with ill intentions.

 

Inshallah, I will ask the sheikh to elaborate on this next halaqa, which will be next week. If you will be patient with me, we may all come out of this stronger.

[La Fidele]

Assalaam alaikum,

 

Alhamdullilah, I have found online audio of a previous halaqa by the same sheikh that I have referred to in my previous posts. I will provide notes (they're short-form, so you'll have to form your own complete sentences! ) below of a question and answer session in regards to pictures, and also provide the website where you can listen to this halaqa, inshallah.

 

Photography is not haram except based on old opinion of Hanafi, rarely taken today---photography is “catching of shadow”—falling into trap of definitions: “sawwar” = take a picture assumed to be what Rasullulah (saws) spoke of; but it was painting that wareferred to---hand painted to compare to the creation of Allah (swt) or even claims to do better---with the intention. On the Day of Judgement “Blow in it soul if you can” will be commanded of the painters, and they will not be able to create life as Allah (swt) although they imitate Him. Paintings lack soul---without soul they are nothing. Those who try to overdo the creation of Allah (swt) will be gravely punished. Anything that is painted perfectly to resemble creation is haram. But if it is humiliated (broken nose, torn ear, etc) becomes “mubah” or “makrooh.”

Those that are painted complete are prohibited; plants and nature are fine, perhaps even recommended. Market scenes of non-distinguishable peoples are fine, b/c not trying to compete with the creations of Allah (swt).

 

Statues should not be used. If it is, it must be humiliated in a similar fashion as paintings.

 

Photos are not haram unless they uncover awrah. Do not hang photos in front of qiblah. If a photo is developed by sisters, strictly, does not come across the hands of man, it is fine for a sister not to wear the hijab in the photo.

 

Beyond this, we delve into details.

And you can find the online halaqa audio at MSA McGill Halaqas

 

Inshallah, this will suffice for my side of the discussion.

[La Fidele]

double post

[Salafi_Online]

Innalhamdulillah….wa Salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah

 

La Fidele Baarakallahu feekum, I must say I disgree you in many fronts…they are as followed!

 

Vol 3, Book 34. Sales And Trade. Hadith 299.

 

Narrated By 'Aun bin Abu Juhaifa: My father bought a slave who practiced the profession of cupping. (My father broke the slave's instruments of cupping). I asked my father why he had done so. He replied, "The Prophet forbade the acceptance of the price of a dog or blood, and also forbade the profession of tattooing, getting tattooed and receiving or giving Riba, (usury), and cursed the PICTURE-makers ."

 

(There’s a thousand hadith on this…but I thought one would suffice)

 

We can see that Allah’s messenger cursed the pictures makers…now we all know that back in the old days people maked pictures with pencils…or whatever tool they used….Now in our times these tools have advance…so if you paint a picture with a paint brush 1400 years ago….or with a camara in 2004…you are no doubt still making pictures….just the tool has changed…so to say making pictures with pencils(or whatever they used 1400 ago)… haram…but now camara are not! is foolish and illogical... your still making pictures…

 

Know may Allah have mercy on you Allah’s messenger cursed the picture makers…how they make these pictures is irrelevant!

 

Shaykh Nasir Albani gave a beautiful fatwah concerning the impermissibility of photography…(Qadar Allah ma Sha fa3al( By the will of Allah) I cant find it! inshallah ill still look for it!

 

Shaykh Uthaymin:

 

The basic principle concerning making pictures of any animate being, whether it is a human or any animal, is that it is haraam, whether the pictures are three-dimensional or are drawn on paper, cloth or walls, etc., or are photographs (taken with a camera), because of the reports in the saheeh ahaadeeth which state that that is not allowed, and threaten the one who does that with a painful torment, and because they may lead to shirk in the form of standing respectfully before them, humbling oneself before them, drawing close to them and venerating them in a manner that is only befitting for Allaah. They are also forbidden because this is a kind of trying to match the creation of Allaah, and because of the temptation inherent in some of them, such as pictures of actresses and naked women, and so-called beauty queens

 

Among the ahaadeeth which state that this is haraam and that it is a major sin is the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said, “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Whoever makes an image in this world will be told to breathe the soul into it on the Day of Resurrection, and he will never be able to do that.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). He [ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him)] also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and every image that he made will be made to appear to him and will torment him in Hell.” Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “If you must do that, then make trees and things that have no soul.”

 

See Allah’s Messenger did not make a distinction between the tool…the picture maker uses…The end product is what is impermissable!

 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said, when he was asked about pictures: making pictures for this purpose is haraam and is not permitted. That is because making pictures for memories is haraam, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The angels do not enter any house in which there is an image,” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, Bid’ al-Khalq, 2986), and whatever the angels do not enter had no goodness in it.

 

Fataawa Manaar al-Islam, 3/759