The Ruling on Image-Making and the Absence of the Cause for Prohibition

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Some people say that the cause for the prohibition of image-making is the worship of those images and statues. They claim that since the cause has ceased to exist today, image-making is therefore permissible. What is the answer to this?

Answer:
Who is it that denies this cause? The cause remains until the Hour stands. The fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) intensifies as time passes and ignorance prevails, and the fitnah with this matter grows stronger. How can one say such a thing while seeing the worshippers of graves and shrines, and those who attach themselves to relics and seek blessing from them? How can one say such a thing? This is not correct. Rather, the confusion has increased now due to ignorance and the passing of time. The trials have multiplied, and as time passes, alienation and fitnah intensify. This statement is false. They said that this has ended; this statement is false. Yes.