Commentary on the researcher’s use of the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: We had a curtain with an image of a bird on it

The Shaykh : The author said: And similar to this is what Muslim also narrated from Aisha, who said: We had a curtain—pay attention—we had a curtain with an image of a bird on it, and whenever someone entered, they would face it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: It was narrated by Muslim.
He said: So he (peace be upon him) did not order her to cut it, but rather he ordered her to move it from its place facing the entrance of the house. This was out of his (peace be upon him) dislike of seeing these things that usually remind one of this world and its adornments, especially since he (peace be upon him) used to pray the regular voluntary prayers and all other voluntary prayers in the house. Such patterns and curtains with images and statues are likely to distract the heart from maintaining humility and full devotion in addressing Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Al-Bukhari narrated from Anas, who said: Aisha had a decorated curtain with which she screened the side of her house. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: .
Here is something important, which is also related to the science of usul. It is true that this hadith does not show the Messenger (peace be upon him) ordering Lady Aisha to cut or destroy these images or this curtain containing the images. So what is in this hadith? It shows that the Messenger (peace be upon him) approved of this situation in the sense that he did not forbid it. This is undoubtedly indicated by the hadith. But why does the author mention this hadith and ask: Why did the Messenger not order her to cut it, when he knows that the Messenger cut it himself?! This is more emphatic in prohibition.

Eid Abbasi : ... .

The Shaykh : In the hadith of the decorated curtain that we mentioned, which is narrated in "al-Sahihayn".
The important point in the subject from the perspective of fiqh and scholarship is that citing this hadith alone is not permissible; because it misleads the reader into thinking that the Messenger approved of this situation forever. Is that the case? Of course not. Whoever knows the hadiths narrated in this chapter—and the author is, I think, among them—knows that there is a more authentic hadith than this one; because that hadith is agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim, and this one is in this first context from the individual narrations of Muslim. And yet he neglected that agreed-upon hadith and left this one. Scientific research obliges the researcher, when he researches by way of opposition and discussion, to do so. But if one is asked a question and answers with one hadith that he relies on, there is no need for him to now engage in comparative fiqh and present all the evidence and clarify the stronger and weaker positions. On the contrary, if he is discussing the issue by way of comparative fiqh, it is not sufficient for him to cite his evidence while knowing the opponent’s evidence, then not address it or answer it with a response.