Is it permissible to use images for education?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The issue associated with the question about television and photographic images: Is it permissible for a teacher to draw or photograph animals to use them as a means of illustration for the student to teach him or make him understand?
The Shaykh : I say it is permissible and not permissible, to clarify: If the image he intends to photograph is one that the child cannot understand, then it is permissible. For example, if we have children who are well-acquainted with seeing donkeys, for instance, why photograph the donkey? He says he wants the small child to understand. The small child, as he is raised and grows up, if he has not seen a donkey, he will see one and learn about it without photography. In this case, I do not see the permissibility of photography. But in some countries, they do not know the camel, and they do not know whether its meat is lawful or forbidden, and they do not know that its meat invalidates the ablution. So, in order to make them understand the final legal ruling, the camel is photographed for them in order to achieve the legal objective, yes. But in this way, in the European manner, for the sake of knowledge for knowledge's sake only, this is not permissible in Islam, especially in a sensitive issue like this, where the original ruling is prohibition. Is the answer clear?
The questioner : The answer is clear.
The Shaykh : But the answer is not clear. (laughs)The Shaykh : Do you see your answer? (far away)
The questioner : There is something in the mind.
The Shaykh : This is what I feel. There are things in the mind that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) clarifies.
The questioner : Does the description of the internal organs of the heart or ... apply to it?
The Shaykh : There is no objection to photography. What is prohibited in photography is that which has a soul, has life, and the life that lives by the soul. And trees do not have life, as we know. It is possible that stone has life, but a life that corresponds to its stoneness, and so on.
The questioner : Do images on television prevent the entry of angels?
The Shaykh : If it is permissible in the issue, there are two opinions. Some say it prevents them, and some say it does not. I am with those who say it does not, because as long as the Lawgiver has permitted it, the prohibition regarding the non-entry of angels is removed.
The questioner : ... television for da'wah ...
The Shaykh : What do you mean by this?
The questioner : I mean that sometimes ... foreign documentary ... serves this da'wah for Allah ...
The Shaykh : What is the nature of the service ... for example, a man gives a lecture ... we show his image on television
The questioner : ... sometimes it is a dialogue between theologians and Muslim scholars, for example.
The Shaykh : ... in the manner of the radio, not television
The questioner : If you reached ...
The Shaykh : It is not permissible ... yes.
The Shaykh : I say it is permissible and not permissible, to clarify: If the image he intends to photograph is one that the child cannot understand, then it is permissible. For example, if we have children who are well-acquainted with seeing donkeys, for instance, why photograph the donkey? He says he wants the small child to understand. The small child, as he is raised and grows up, if he has not seen a donkey, he will see one and learn about it without photography. In this case, I do not see the permissibility of photography. But in some countries, they do not know the camel, and they do not know whether its meat is lawful or forbidden, and they do not know that its meat invalidates the ablution. So, in order to make them understand the final legal ruling, the camel is photographed for them in order to achieve the legal objective, yes. But in this way, in the European manner, for the sake of knowledge for knowledge's sake only, this is not permissible in Islam, especially in a sensitive issue like this, where the original ruling is prohibition. Is the answer clear?
The questioner : The answer is clear.
The Shaykh : But the answer is not clear. (laughs)The Shaykh : Do you see your answer? (far away)
The questioner : There is something in the mind.
The Shaykh : This is what I feel. There are things in the mind that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) clarifies.
The questioner : Does the description of the internal organs of the heart or ... apply to it?
The Shaykh : There is no objection to photography. What is prohibited in photography is that which has a soul, has life, and the life that lives by the soul. And trees do not have life, as we know. It is possible that stone has life, but a life that corresponds to its stoneness, and so on.
The questioner : Do images on television prevent the entry of angels?
The Shaykh : If it is permissible in the issue, there are two opinions. Some say it prevents them, and some say it does not. I am with those who say it does not, because as long as the Lawgiver has permitted it, the prohibition regarding the non-entry of angels is removed.
The questioner : ... television for da'wah ...
The Shaykh : What do you mean by this?
The questioner : I mean that sometimes ... foreign documentary ... serves this da'wah for Allah ...
The Shaykh : What is the nature of the service ... for example, a man gives a lecture ... we show his image on television
The questioner : ... sometimes it is a dialogue between theologians and Muslim scholars, for example.
The Shaykh : ... in the manner of the radio, not television
The questioner : If you reached ...
The Shaykh : It is not permissible ... yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.