The Shaykh mentioned a discussion that took place between him and some preachers regarding the issue of image-making.

The Shaykh : And I remember well that a discussion took place between me and some Islamic preachers who, unfortunately, do not have knowledge of the Sunnah regarding this issue. He went so far as to say that the images whose prohibition is mentioned in the hadiths are intended to refer only to hand-drawn images. His argument was that this machine did not exist, and these people who use it to make images were not present in the time of the Messenger (peace be upon him). So I first reminded him of this fact which I have explained to you: that the Messenger (peace be upon him) speaks about Allah, even about hidden matters. This is part of the comprehensiveness of Islam. In many of our lectures, we go on and on about the greatness of Islam and that it is suitable for every time and place, and that its rulings are comprehensive and general. Then we ignore this fact in such general texts.
This is just as we say: , so they say: No; not every religious innovation is misguidance. Likewise, every image-maker is in the Fire; no; not every image-maker is in the Fire. This is a blow to the chest of these hadiths. And this is what the believer does: he believes in Allah and His Messenger. So I said to this preacher mentioned: If you argue that this machine did not exist in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and therefore the hadiths do not include it; then you are required to say that these idols which are now produced by machines—we have not seen these machines, but we imagine, as they say, that the animal is slaughtered from here and comes out, I don't know, after so many meters, canned and stored in the can. Likewise, these huge factories where the solid thing, like nylon material for example, is thrown in and liquefied, and then comes out there as ready-made idols...
These idols are undoubtedly three-dimensional statues. So one could say—also, on the same basis as that speaker (and how many of them there are!): Then these idols made by machines are not idols and are not forbidden. Even though the apparent meaning of his statement: , , and so on, includes this type, but this type did not exist in the time of the Messenger (peace be upon him). Would you say this? By Allah, we rarely find someone who is fair. And this was one of that few who was fair; he said: No; these are idols. I said to him: These are images; what is the difference?! These are idols, but now they are different, and these are images, now they are different; so they fall under the generality of his statement (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned earlier in many hadiths.