The Reality of Forbidden Images and Photography
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, people have spoken a great deal about the reality of forbidden images. Are they those that are drawn and made by hand, or do they include photographs, video cameras, and the like?
Answer:
This is a futile argument, the most futile of arguments, and it has no benefit. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited images in general. A person comes along, trying to be clever, and says there is a difference between images, specifying the words of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) without any evidence. This is a false statement and a form of deception. This is what is called *tanaffu'* (seeking benefit through deception).
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited images in general and condemned the image-maker. Then a person says, "No, photography is lawful; photography is not forbidden." But it may be permitted out of dire necessity. If the prohibition is lifted due to dire necessity, it is only to the extent of that necessity. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) prohibited water, blood, and the flesh of swine, and He said, "except what you slaughtered."
Except for the image,[Al-Baqarah 2:173]. If one is compelled to make an image, he does so from the perspective of the spirit of frankness, or rather, he only conceals it. And the default ruling regarding image-making is that it is all forbidden. No,
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, people have spoken a great deal about the reality of forbidden images. Are they those that are drawn and made by hand, or do they include photographs, video cameras, and the like?
Answer:
This is a futile argument, the most futile of arguments, and it has no benefit. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited images in general. A person comes along, trying to be clever, and says there is a difference between images, specifying the words of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) without any evidence. This is a false statement and a form of deception. This is what is called *tanaffu'* (seeking benefit through deception).
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited images in general and condemned the image-maker. Then a person says, "No, photography is lawful; photography is not forbidden." But it may be permitted out of dire necessity. If the prohibition is lifted due to dire necessity, it is only to the extent of that necessity. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) prohibited water, blood, and the flesh of swine, and He said, "except what you slaughtered."
Except for the image,
But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 23 من 60 / شرح كتاب قرة عيون الموحدين / صالح الفوزان / العقيدة / كبار العلماء — youtube.com (1:10:39)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.