Demolishing Statues, Erasing Their Depictions, Defacing Images, and Removing Their Features
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Fatwa No. ( 1258 ):
Q: The gist is that a person made an idol out of something useful, such as gold
and silver or something less valuable, in the shape of a human or an animal for the purpose of adornment, for example. Then he repented of it and wished to convert it into something of lawful benefit, such as currency, jewelry, or building material. Is that permissible? And what is understood by the word "worships" in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the one who vowed to sacrifice camels at Bawānah:Mishkat al-Masabih 3437 ?
A: It is obligatory to demolish statues and eliminate their images, deface the pictures, and remove their features, whether they were made for worship or for adornment; this is to deny what is wrong, to protect the oneness of Allah, and the word "worships" in the phrase:Mishkat al-Masabih 3437 is a descriptive attribute indicating that the predominant purpose of making idols or adopting them is for worship, not for caution. It is permissible to utilize the ruins of statues and idols in what is appropriate for them, such as building houses, walls, and mosques, or making coins or jewelry for women, and the like. Similarly, it is permissible to utilize papers, boards, and cars that have pictures on them after blurring them and removing their features; for what was narrated by Muslim from Abu al-Hayyaj who said: 'Ali said to me: So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was content in his command to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) with blurring the images and leveling the raised graves
with the ground, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was content from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) with making the curtain in her room into cushions after she cut it into pieces that removed the features of the images that were in it, and he approved her doing so and did not order her to destroy it. And because the original ruling is the permissibility of using these materials, and the prohibition is an incident; so when what was incident upon them is removed, they return to the original permissibility of use in what is appropriate for them religiously. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: The gist is that a person made an idol out of something useful, such as gold
and silver or something less valuable, in the shape of a human or an animal for the purpose of adornment, for example. Then he repented of it and wished to convert it into something of lawful benefit, such as currency, jewelry, or building material. Is that permissible? And what is understood by the word "worships" in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the one who vowed to sacrifice camels at Bawānah:
whether the place contained any idol worshipped in pre-Islamic times
هل فيها وثن من أوثان الجاهلية يعبدA: It is obligatory to demolish statues and eliminate their images, deface the pictures, and remove their features, whether they were made for worship or for adornment; this is to deny what is wrong, to protect the oneness of Allah, and the word "worships" in the phrase:
whether the place contained any idol worshipped in pre-Islamic times
هل فيها وثن من أوثان الجاهلية يعبدShall I not send you with the same mission with which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me: that you leave no image without defacing it, and no raised grave without leveling it
ألا أبعثك على ما بعثني عليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ألا تدع صورة إلاَّ طمستها، ولا قبرًا مشرفًا إلاَّ سويتهwith the ground, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was content from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) with making the curtain in her room into cushions after she cut it into pieces that removed the features of the images that were in it, and he approved her doing so and did not order her to destroy it. And because the original ruling is the permissibility of using these materials, and the prohibition is an incident; so when what was incident upon them is removed, they return to the original permissibility of use in what is appropriate for them religiously. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.