What is the meaning of the hadith: “The angels do not enter a house in which there is an image, except a design on a garment”?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Regarding the interpretation of: Sahih al-Bukhari 5958?
Another questioner : My Shaykh, I have this tape.
The Shaykh : The word “raqm” does not mean an image; an image is one that has a soul. Rather, it means a design, i.e., a pattern. This is evidenced by the fact that when the Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) made a cushion from brocade, she made it after the features of the image had been altered. This is from one aspect. From another aspect, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was expecting Jibril and was seen by his wives as if he was preoccupied, and then Jibril was seen outside the door, he ran to him or hastened to him, and Jibril said to him:. This alteration is what is permitted. After the alteration, it becomes a design on a garment. So there is no objection to it remaining in that state. However, if it remains in its reality and its image, that contradicts the generality of his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 2106e. And this is the basis of the hadith. So his statement: Sahih al-Bukhari 5958; means except a design on a garment in which the image that can be said to have a soul is not represented. Because the hadith of Jibril said: . So this is how the hadiths should be reconciled.
The questioner : Even if it is a garment...
The Shaykh : If it is a garment, what?
The questioner : ...thrown away, meaning, for example, a sheet or something like that, meaning it needs to be covered because of an image, or do we try to alter the image?
The Shaykh : This alteration is necessary. What brings the matter closer to you is that there is a hadith in “Sahih al-Bukhari”: “That the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), when he found a cross on a carpet, would cut it off.”
The questioner : Cut off its end, meaning, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Meaning, “cut it off” means he removed its features.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is no doubt that the image, in terms of the hadiths that came regarding its prohibition, is more severe than the cross. Even regarding the cross, we have only this hadith: “That when he saw a cross, he would cut it off.” So if he sees an image, it is also necessary to cut it off. And regarding the image, we took the detail from the hadith of Jibril: “Until it becomes like a tree.” Meaning, this head, either we remove it, or we also make markings on it so that it ceases to be a human with this complete image.
The questioner : My Shaykh, some of our noble brothers in Zarqa stopped prohibiting the image, or rather permitted it, because of this hadith.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, my Shaykh, and bless you.
The Shaykh : And to you.
except a design in a garment
إلا رقمًا في ثوبAnother questioner : My Shaykh, I have this tape.
The Shaykh : The word “raqm” does not mean an image; an image is one that has a soul. Rather, it means a design, i.e., a pattern. This is evidenced by the fact that when the Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) made a cushion from brocade, she made it after the features of the image had been altered. This is from one aspect. From another aspect, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was expecting Jibril and was seen by his wives as if he was preoccupied, and then Jibril was seen outside the door, he ran to him or hastened to him, and Jibril said to him:
We, the angels, do not enter a house in which there is an image or a dog. So look, and if there is in the house a brocade with images of men, then order that the image be altered until it becomes like a tree.
إنَّا - معشر الملائكة - لا ندخل بيتًا فيه صورة أو كلب ؛ فانظر فإنَّ في البيت قِرَامًا فيه صور رجال ، فَمُرْ أن تُغيَّر الصورة حتى تصير كهيئة الشجرةAngels do not enter a house in which there is a picture
لا تدخل الملائكة بيتًا فيه صورة أو كلبexcept a design in a garment
إلا رقمًا في ثوبUntil it becomes like a tree.
حتى تصيرَ كهيئة الشجرةThe questioner : Even if it is a garment...
The Shaykh : If it is a garment, what?
The questioner : ...thrown away, meaning, for example, a sheet or something like that, meaning it needs to be covered because of an image, or do we try to alter the image?
The Shaykh : This alteration is necessary. What brings the matter closer to you is that there is a hadith in “Sahih al-Bukhari”: “That the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), when he found a cross on a carpet, would cut it off.”
The questioner : Cut off its end, meaning, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Meaning, “cut it off” means he removed its features.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is no doubt that the image, in terms of the hadiths that came regarding its prohibition, is more severe than the cross. Even regarding the cross, we have only this hadith: “That when he saw a cross, he would cut it off.” So if he sees an image, it is also necessary to cut it off. And regarding the image, we took the detail from the hadith of Jibril: “Until it becomes like a tree.” Meaning, this head, either we remove it, or we also make markings on it so that it ceases to be a human with this complete image.
The questioner : My Shaykh, some of our noble brothers in Zarqa stopped prohibiting the image, or rather permitted it, because of this hadith.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, my Shaykh, and bless you.
The Shaykh : And to you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.