What is the meaning of the hadith "except a design on a garment" in the hadiths prohibiting image-making?

Al-Halabi: Our Shaykh, we would like clarification on the issue of image-making and reconciling the hadiths that prohibit image-making with the hadith containing , especially since it has confused some of our distinguished brothers, causing them to hesitate on this issue?

The Shaykh : This garment... this design mentioned in the hadith: if this design is a three-dimensional, clearly visible image, there is a difference between that and a fragmented image whose features are not clearly visible. There is no doubt that in the second case, it is permissible and lawful. In my opinion, the difficulty remains with the first case, i.e., the first situation, where the image is, for example, on this garment, and the image is clear and distinct. We say in that case: If this garment is not respected or honored, but is rather despicable, not hung in the heads of the gathering or the like... then it can be said that this is what is intended by this hadith. But we must always remember a very important scientific rule, which is that verbal hadiths must be interpreted by practical hadiths. Regarding "except a design on a garment," we said it is possible that it is a clear design like this image, or that it has no clear features. If we study the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) disapproval of her regarding the cushion—the cushion being the pillow she bought for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in joy at his return—and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved of her and informed her that the angels do not enter a house in which there is an image, then this hadith means that even if the image is something one leans on, what did Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) do with this cushion? She cut it. This cutting, without doubt, must be interpreted as I mentioned in my book *Adab al-Zafaf* (Etiquette of the Wedding), that the cutting was done to the image; otherwise, we would gain nothing from it being a pillow or a blanket or... or the like. At that point, interpreting the verbal hadith by the practical hadith is very necessary. So we interpret it not as the narrator of the hadith used it as evidence, i.e., in a clear image, but rather "no design on a garment" meaning the remaining traces of the image, but it is not a complete image; rather, it has become as Gabriel (peace be upon him) told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who ordered that the image be altered until it becomes like a tree. It is an image and a design on a garment, but its features have been altered. On this basis, should be interpreted. After this answer, I want to draw attention to which was an exception from the hadith , and that narrator came with his statement . After we have interpreted this exception to reconcile it with the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), we want to draw attention to the fact that this does not mean it is permissible for us to buy a garment with an image, a carpet, or a blanket. We are afflicted today with buying clothes for children that are all images. This is another matter. It is not permissible for a Muslim to go to the market and buy clothes with images on the pretext that they are a "design on a garment," because the hadith, first of all, did not address the issue of buying, because this buying involves assisting in what is wrong. It only addressed the issue of the angels entering: do the angels enter a house in which there is an image? The answer is no, except if it is a design on a garment. In that case, the angels enter, with the aforementioned details. But this does not mean it is permissible for us to buy these clothes that have been printed with these forbidden images, because by doing so, we assist in what is wrong. It is clear...

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : No, may Allah reward you with good, until the takbir is completed...

The questioner : ... It is of two parts.

The Shaykh : Please proceed.