The Ruling on Photography and Children’s Toys Containing Images

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Question:
What is the ruling on photography and children’s toys and keepsakes that contain images?

Answer:
Photography is forbidden in all its forms. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

May Allah curse the image-makers

لعن الله المصورين

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be

أشد الناس عذابا يوم القيامة الذين

Sunan an-Nasa'i 5356Sahih (Darussalam)

They compete in the creation of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

He who painted pictures in the world would be compelled to breathe soul in them on the Day of Resurrection

من صور صورة في الدنيا كلف أن ينفخ فيها الروح يوم القيامة

Sahih Muslim 2110b

, The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The makers of these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection

إن أصحاب هذه الصور يعذبون يوم القيامة

Sunan an-Nasa'i 5362Sahih (Darussalam)

They will be given a soul for every image they created,

يجعل لهم بكل صورة نفس،

He who painted pictures in the world would be compelled to breathe soul in them on the Day of Resurrection

من صور صورة في الدنيا كلف أن ينفخ فيها الروح يوم القيامة

Sahih Muslim 2110b

, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The makers of these images will be punished; it will be made for them that every image of theirs has a soul that is punished with it in the Hellfire.

إن أصحاب هذه الصور يعذبون، يجعل لهم بكل صورة صورها نفس يعذب بها في نار جهنم،

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

And who is more unjust than the one who seeks to create like My creation? That is the image-maker. So let them create a grain or let them create a barley grain or let them create a mustard seed.

ومن أظلم ممن ذهب يخلق كخلقي يعني المصور فليخلقوا حبة أو ليخلقوا شعيرة أو ليخلقوا ذرة

This is a warning from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib:

Spare no portrait unwiped out

لا تدع صورة إلا طمستها

Riyad as-Salihin 1687

And when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to enter Aisha’s room, he saw a curtain on the wall with images on it, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) refused to enter until the curtain was removed, and then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered. He said:

The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.

إن الملائكة لا تدخل بيتا فيه كلب ولا صورة

Sunan Ibn Majah 3650Hasan (Darussalam)

Therefore, it is not permissible to possess images or keep them for memories, for art, or for anything else. Photography and keeping images are only permissible in cases of dire necessity, if a person is compelled to have an ID card, a passport, or a driver’s license, and these cannot be obtained without a photograph. This is due to dire necessity. Allah the Exalted said:

while He has explained in detail to you what He has forbidden you, excepting that to which you are compelled

وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا مَا اضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ

[Al-An'am 6:119]

This is a case of dire necessity. As for any other photography, images, or keeping them, this is forbidden and a major sin among the major sins, whether the image is made by hand-drawing, by carving (statues), or by taking a photograph with a camera; all of it is called image-making. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exclude any type of image; he did not exclude whether the image is of such and such or such and such. He (peace and blessings be upon him) generalized the ruling, so it is not permissible except what is necessitated by dire necessity.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you. Your Eminence the Shaykh

Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 141/103 شرح زاد المستقنع/ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com (9:29)

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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