Taking image-making as a means of earning a livelihood and bringing images of living beings into the homes
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Fatwa No. ( 413 ):
Q: When I read in the chapter on what has come regarding image-makers in [Kitab al-Tawhid] , I found the severe warning for image-makers; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan an-Nasa'i 5356Sahih (Darussalam) Do the current image-makers (owners of studios) fall under this? And what is the ruling on one who keeps some pictures of himself or of one of his friends or relatives, and that is only for remembrance, not for seeking blessing from them, or one who keeps some useful magazines like al-Arabi magazine; and that is for the knowledge, awareness, and useful culture they contain, not for the pictures in them.
A: What appears to the Committee is that image-making of living beings is not permissible; due to the established evidence regarding that from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), such as the hadith mentioned by
the questioner, and these evidences are general for whoever takes that as a profession to earn a livelihood from it, and for whoever does not take it as a profession, and whether the image-making is by drawing with the hand, or by taking from a studio, or by other machines. But if dire necessity calls for taking a picture, such as image-making for the national ID and passport, and image-making of criminals to track them and know them so they can be arrested if they commit a crime and flee, and the like of what is necessary - then it is permissible. As for bringing images of living beings into the homes, if they are trampled underfoot and the like, then there is no religious concern in their presence in the house. And if they are in a wallet or national ID or the like, it is permissible to bring them into the homes and carry them for the need. And if the one keeping the pictures is doing so for the sake of exalting them, then this is not permissible. The ruling differs in terms of it being major shirk or a sin, depending on what is in the heart of this person who brought them in. And if he brought them in and kept them for the sake of remembering their owner, then this is not permissible; because the original ruling is to prohibit them, and it is not permissible to make images of them or bring them in except for a religious purpose, and this is not one of the religious purposes. As for the indecent pictures found in magazines, these are not permissible to buy or bring into the house; due to the harms in that which outweigh the intended benefit of the benefit of remembrance - if there is a benefit - otherwise the matter is even more forbidden. And
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1599a , and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 5711Sahih (Darussalam) , and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to a man who came to ask him about righteousness: Mishkat al-Masabih 2774 . And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and his companions.
Q: When I read in the chapter on what has come regarding image-makers in [Kitab al-Tawhid] , I found the severe warning for image-makers; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be those who try to match the creation of Allah.
أشد الناس عذابًا يوم القيامة الذين يضاهون بخلق اللهA: What appears to the Committee is that image-making of living beings is not permissible; due to the established evidence regarding that from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), such as the hadith mentioned by
the questioner, and these evidences are general for whoever takes that as a profession to earn a livelihood from it, and for whoever does not take it as a profession, and whether the image-making is by drawing with the hand, or by taking from a studio, or by other machines. But if dire necessity calls for taking a picture, such as image-making for the national ID and passport, and image-making of criminals to track them and know them so they can be arrested if they commit a crime and flee, and the like of what is necessary - then it is permissible. As for bringing images of living beings into the homes, if they are trampled underfoot and the like, then there is no religious concern in their presence in the house. And if they are in a wallet or national ID or the like, it is permissible to bring them into the homes and carry them for the need. And if the one keeping the pictures is doing so for the sake of exalting them, then this is not permissible. The ruling differs in terms of it being major shirk or a sin, depending on what is in the heart of this person who brought them in. And if he brought them in and kept them for the sake of remembering their owner, then this is not permissible; because the original ruling is to prohibit them, and it is not permissible to make images of them or bring them in except for a religious purpose, and this is not one of the religious purposes. As for the indecent pictures found in magazines, these are not permissible to buy or bring into the house; due to the harms in that which outweigh the intended benefit of the benefit of remembrance - if there is a benefit - otherwise the matter is even more forbidden. And
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
What is lawful is evident and what is unlawful is evident, and in between them are the things doubtful which many people do not know. So he who guards against doubtful things keeps his religion and honour blameless, and he who indulges in doubtful things indulges in fact in unlawful things, just as a shepherd who pastures his animals round a preserve will soon pasture them in it. Beware, every king has a preserve, and the things God his declaced unlawful are His preserves.
إن الحلال بيّن وإن الحرام بيّن وبينهما أمور مشتبهات لا يعلمها كثير من الناس، فمن اتقى الشبهات فقد استبرأ لدينه وعرضه، ومن وقع في الشبهات وقع في الحرام كالراعي يرعى حول الحمى يوشك أن يرتع فيه، ألا وإن لكل ملك حمى ألا وإن حمى الله محارمهLeave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبكRighteousness is that with which the soul is tranquil and the heart is tranquil, but sin is that which rouses suspicion in the soul and is perplexing in the breast, even if people give you a decision in its favour.
البر ما اطمأنت إليه النفس واطمأن إليه القلب، والإِثم ما حاك في النفس وتردد في الصدر وإن أفتاك الناس وأفتوك
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.