The Generality of the Hadith Prohibiting Images of Living Creatures and Others

Question:
The Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, says: In the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the prohibition of images, and the statement, "Who is more unjust than the one who attempts to create like My creation?" Does this not include every image, whether it is of a living creature or of something else, such as trees and mountains? Because these are among the creations of Allah, and it has been reported.

Answer:
This is a general statement, but it was specified by His saying, "Who is more unjust than the one who attempts to create like My creation, so that I will command him to blow the spirit into it on the Day of Resurrection?" Blowing the spirit is specific to living creatures. This is what the Salaf of the Ummah and the majority of the Ummah understood. Otherwise, there are scholars who see the prohibition of image-making in general, including trees, by taking the general meaning. Yes. But the majority of the scholars hold that this is specific to living creatures, or to those who are commanded to have the spirit blown into them. Yes.