Photographing Women
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Fatwa No. ( 3377 ):
Q: A confidential letter from the Director of the Capital Police, No. (2598/S2), dated (14/12/1398 AH), a copy of which is attached, was received. It is based on a confidential letter from the Director of the Makkah Prisons, No. (1834/M/K/23), dated (10/12/1398 AH), which stated that the Director of the Makkah Prisons frequently suffers from troubles and problems in the women’s prison, particularly regarding the application of their names from the detention memos. He finds it difficult to identify a detention memo because the inmate assumes a name other than her own. He requested that they be photographed and the photo sent with the detention memo so that this would resolve these problems and troubles. He requests that all inmates in the prison be photographed and their photos placed on their detention memos to facilitate identification.
A: Photographing living beings is forbidden and not permissible to engage in, especially
photographing women; for they are an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) that must be covered, and a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) that men are to be guarded against, due to what is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Riyad as-Salihin 1683 , and what is established from his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 5356Sahih (Darussalam) , and other authentic hadiths indicating the prohibition of image-making, the cursing of image-makers, and the command to obliterate images. And success is from Allah. May Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: A confidential letter from the Director of the Capital Police, No. (2598/S2), dated (14/12/1398 AH), a copy of which is attached, was received. It is based on a confidential letter from the Director of the Makkah Prisons, No. (1834/M/K/23), dated (10/12/1398 AH), which stated that the Director of the Makkah Prisons frequently suffers from troubles and problems in the women’s prison, particularly regarding the application of their names from the detention memos. He finds it difficult to identify a detention memo because the inmate assumes a name other than her own. He requested that they be photographed and the photo sent with the detention memo so that this would resolve these problems and troubles. He requests that all inmates in the prison be photographed and their photos placed on their detention memos to facilitate identification.
A: Photographing living beings is forbidden and not permissible to engage in, especially
photographing women; for they are an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) that must be covered, and a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) that men are to be guarded against, due to what is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
The Almighty Allah said: 'Who is more an oppressor than him who goes to create like My creation? Let him make an ant or a grain of corn or a grain of barley
قال الله تعالى: ومن أظلم ممن ذهب يخلق كخلقي، فليخلقوا ذرة أو ليخلقوا حبة أو ليخلقوا شعيرةThe 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 الله
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.