The wisdom behind the prohibition of image-making.

The Shaykh : Then, we look at what is the wisdom behind the prohibition of images? The scholars mentioned two wisdoms behind the prohibition of images. One of them is competing with the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Competing with the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) exists in mechanical photography. Let us say mechanical photography, or rather, let us say camera and video, and so on; all of it falls under mechanical photography. Mechanical photography is more precise in competing [with creation] than hand-drawn photography. If a hair, for example, a stray hair, appears in the image perfectly, that is competing [with creation]. As for the one who draws with a brush and a pen, no matter how precise he is, his precision will not be like the precision of the photographic machine. So, if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified in some of his hadiths, as came in "Sahih al-Bukhari" from the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned from a journey to her, so Lady Aisha prepared to receive him and adorned herself for him with some curtains. When he entered, or when the Messenger intended to enter, he stopped; because he saw the embroidered curtain and on it were images, so he (peace be upon him) refused to enter. So Lady Aisha hastened to him saying: O Messenger of Allah, if I have sinned, then I seek forgiveness from Allah. He said: . She said: It is an embroidered curtain I bought for you. He said (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him): The most severely punished people on the Day of Resurrection are these image-makers, who compete with the creation of Allah, who compete with the creation of Allah . Now, imagine with me the reality of that image. Undoubtedly, it was an embroidered image. An embroidered image is further from precision than an image made with a brush and pen, so it is a very simplified image. He (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) considered it competing with the creation of Allah and established upon that that these image-makers are among the most severely punished people on the Day of Resurrection. Do you not see that the one who draws with his brush is not competing with the creation of Allah? I say: This is even more so. Is the one who photographs with the machine not competing with the creation of Allah? The answer is yes, yes, and yes. So why do we say that this image drawn by hand is forbidden and prevents the entry of angels, while the other image taken by machine is permissible and does not prevent the entry of angels? Take two images: a naked woman drawn by hand and a naked woman taken by machine. What is the difference? The result is exactly the same. Perhaps they will remember. I was once returning in the company of a young man with me from Aleppo to Damascus in a car, and this discussion took place. I was inspired at that moment to give a hypothetical example of an incident that did not happen. I said: It is claimed that a noble Shaykh visited a diligent student in his house one day. When he sat down, he saw an image of himself in the front of the room. So he advised his student and said: O so-and-so, how many times have I taught you his saying (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him): So what do you say about placing this image? He said: By Allah, O honorable Shaykh, out of love for you, no, no, this is not permissible. So the student hastened and removed the image. Days passed and days came until the story was forgotten. Then the noble Shaykh returned to visit his student, and he saw the image in its place. He said to him: What is the matter, O so-and-so? My memory of you is that you removed the image. He said: Yes, my master, I removed it, but this is a photographic image, and we understood from you that the photographic image is permissible, while the hand-drawn image is the forbidden one. So he patted him on the shoulder and said: May Allah bless you. You are a juristic student. This is a wretched superficiality. So I say: May Allah bless you. Do not be deceived by some of the words you hear that these images are not covered by the hadiths of the Messenger, because they claim that these images occurred after the Messenger. And I say: In their word, there is a hint of disparagement toward the hadiths of the Messenger, a hint of disparagement toward the hadiths of the Messenger that they do not intend, but at least their error is a verbal error. Listen, O brothers. If you have become bored and the talk is slipping away from you, I have not become bored of you, so listen to what I am saying to you. Yes, and it is.

The questioner : There is no room for questions.

The Shaykh : Answers to one question are sufficient for you. Answers to one question are sufficient for you.