The analogy between photographic imaging and the image in a mirror
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
His Eminence the Shaykh: What is your opinion of the one who says: “Photography with a camera does not imitate the creation of Allah; rather, it is like looking in a mirror”?
We say in this matter: It is a statement that has a basis, because the photographer does not draw the eye, nose, mouth, or anything else with his hand; he is like a mirror. However, the difference is that the mirror does not retain an image, whereas this does. But we consider this retained image to be a picture, and keeping pictures for no need or necessity is forbidden.
We say in this matter: It is a statement that has a basis, because the photographer does not draw the eye, nose, mouth, or anything else with his hand; he is like a mirror. However, the difference is that the mirror does not retain an image, whereas this does. But we consider this retained image to be a picture, and keeping pictures for no need or necessity is forbidden.