Children's Dolls
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question: What is the ruling on keeping some of the three-dimensional images known as dolls for children, which are sold in the markets? Is this permissible or forbidden?
Answer: First: Keeping images in general, whether they are three-dimensional or drawn
by hand or photographic, taken by machine, this is forbidden; it is not permissible to keep them or leave them in the houses, except for images taken for necessity and dire need, such as images in passports, identity cards, and driver's licenses, because these have become mandatory things for people, so they are a pressing need. As for what is other than this, which is taken for adornment and decorating the house with it, or for remembrance as they claim, this is not permissible; it is forbidden, and its doer sins with a great sin. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the angels do not enter a house in which there is an image or in which there is a dog.
As for children's toys, the scholars have granted a dispensation to leave images in the form of toys for children specifically, and evidence has come regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he saw with Aishah, when she was young, a girl, and he saw with her something of these images and left it.
So children's toys are permitted or tolerated if they are for children specifically, on the condition that the images mentioned in the hadith are not clear or verified to be like the images that exist now; rather, they may have been images made of sticks or the like of what was known at that time, and until recently, known as children's toys. They used to assemble sticks or bones and put on them some of the rags in a shape, or approximating for example the shape of clothing, so that the children would practice with them, and for play and amusement, and there is no prohibition in them.
As for this image that exists now, which seems to imitate bodies with its colors and shapes, this is what should be destroyed, and should not remain even with children. Rather, children should take images of what we mentioned, the images that they assemble themselves from sticks or the like.
Question: Is there anyone who permits taking such things or playing with them, especially for children?
Answer: Yes, some of the scholars hold that keeping images with children for the sake
of playing with them, that there is no harm in it, and they have granted a dispensation in it. As for keeping them in the houses and placing them in the houses for adornment and remembrance or the like of that, this is forbidden, by the consensus of the Muslims, especially images in the form of statues.
Question: There is another thing: which is like some of the animals or birds after they die, perhaps their skins are stuffed with what resembles their body while they were alive, and they remain in their shape as they were alive, and are placed in the houses for adornment. Do these take the ruling of images?
Answer: Yes, they take the ruling of images; because they are from frivolity, and because they are also a means to expanding this matter, and that three-dimensional images and statues are taken in the houses if this door is opened. Even if they are stuffed birds or stuffed animals, this is not appropriate because this is from frivolity, and there is no benefit in it, and because it opens the door to taking statues.
Then, the stuffing of these animals is also—and these are carrion and dead things, and carrion is ritually impure, and it is not permissible to touch it or use it, and to stuff it—does not remove from it the ruling of ritual impurity. So it is also prohibited from the aspect of ritual impurity, as it is prohibited from the aspect that it opens the door to keeping statues.
Answer: First: Keeping images in general, whether they are three-dimensional or drawn
by hand or photographic, taken by machine, this is forbidden; it is not permissible to keep them or leave them in the houses, except for images taken for necessity and dire need, such as images in passports, identity cards, and driver's licenses, because these have become mandatory things for people, so they are a pressing need. As for what is other than this, which is taken for adornment and decorating the house with it, or for remembrance as they claim, this is not permissible; it is forbidden, and its doer sins with a great sin. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the angels do not enter a house in which there is an image or in which there is a dog.
As for children's toys, the scholars have granted a dispensation to leave images in the form of toys for children specifically, and evidence has come regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he saw with Aishah, when she was young, a girl, and he saw with her something of these images and left it.
So children's toys are permitted or tolerated if they are for children specifically, on the condition that the images mentioned in the hadith are not clear or verified to be like the images that exist now; rather, they may have been images made of sticks or the like of what was known at that time, and until recently, known as children's toys. They used to assemble sticks or bones and put on them some of the rags in a shape, or approximating for example the shape of clothing, so that the children would practice with them, and for play and amusement, and there is no prohibition in them.
As for this image that exists now, which seems to imitate bodies with its colors and shapes, this is what should be destroyed, and should not remain even with children. Rather, children should take images of what we mentioned, the images that they assemble themselves from sticks or the like.
Question: Is there anyone who permits taking such things or playing with them, especially for children?
Answer: Yes, some of the scholars hold that keeping images with children for the sake
of playing with them, that there is no harm in it, and they have granted a dispensation in it. As for keeping them in the houses and placing them in the houses for adornment and remembrance or the like of that, this is forbidden, by the consensus of the Muslims, especially images in the form of statues.
Question: There is another thing: which is like some of the animals or birds after they die, perhaps their skins are stuffed with what resembles their body while they were alive, and they remain in their shape as they were alive, and are placed in the houses for adornment. Do these take the ruling of images?
Answer: Yes, they take the ruling of images; because they are from frivolity, and because they are also a means to expanding this matter, and that three-dimensional images and statues are taken in the houses if this door is opened. Even if they are stuffed birds or stuffed animals, this is not appropriate because this is from frivolity, and there is no benefit in it, and because it opens the door to taking statues.
Then, the stuffing of these animals is also—and these are carrion and dead things, and carrion is ritually impure, and it is not permissible to touch it or use it, and to stuff it—does not remove from it the ruling of ritual impurity. So it is also prohibited from the aspect of ritual impurity, as it is prohibited from the aspect that it opens the door to keeping statues.