Is it permissible to paint natural landscapes such as mountains and rivers, and can they be hung in the house or kept?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, is it permissible to paint natural landscapes such as mountains, rivers, and trees? And is it permissible to hang pictures of plants or natural landscapes in the house or keep them? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible for a person to paint pictures of trees, seas, rivers, the sun, the moon, stars, mountains, and other things created by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is permissible to strive for accuracy in depicting them so that they appear like a natural landscape, but on the condition that they do not contain images of beings with souls, such as humans or animals. This is because depicting humans and animals is forbidden, indeed it is among the major sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the painters and informed that whoever paints an image will be given a soul for it by which he will be tormented in Hellfire. And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 2109a And he informed (peace and blessings be upon him) that it will be said to them as a challenge and to demonstrate their inability: Therefore, it is not permissible for a person to depict anything that has a soul, whether human or otherwise, whether he depicts it independently or depicts it within these landscapes mentioned by the questioner. This is among the major sins; I mean that depicting beings with souls is among the major sins because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) attached the curse to it. Whoever does any of this must repent to Allah and tear up or burn what he has depicted so that he does not bear its sin.
As for what does not have a soul, there is nothing wrong with it, because the hadiths point to this. They indicate that he is commanded to breathe life into it, but he is not one who breathes life. This is an indication and a hint that what is forbidden is what has a soul. If it is permissible to depict what does not have a soul, such as trees, rivers, seas, the sun, the moon, mountains, houses, and the like, then it is permissible to hang them in his house, look at them, and give them to others. However, he should not be extravagant in this by spending large amounts of money on buying such landscapes, hanging them on walls, or giving them to others, for extravagance is forbidden, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-An'am 6:141]
The questioner : Thank you, Your Eminence, for your kindness in answering the questions of the honorable listeners.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible for a person to paint pictures of trees, seas, rivers, the sun, the moon, stars, mountains, and other things created by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is permissible to strive for accuracy in depicting them so that they appear like a natural landscape, but on the condition that they do not contain images of beings with souls, such as humans or animals. This is because depicting humans and animals is forbidden, indeed it is among the major sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the painters and informed that whoever paints an image will be given a soul for it by which he will be tormented in Hellfire. And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
the most grievously tormented people on the Day of Resurrection would be the painters of pictures
أشد الناس عذاباً يوم القيامة المصوّرون الذين يضاهئون بخلق اللهBring to life what you have created.
أحيوا ما خلقتمAs for what does not have a soul, there is nothing wrong with it, because the hadiths point to this. They indicate that he is commanded to breathe life into it, but he is not one who breathes life. This is an indication and a hint that what is forbidden is what has a soul. If it is permissible to depict what does not have a soul, such as trees, rivers, seas, the sun, the moon, mountains, houses, and the like, then it is permissible to hang them in his house, look at them, and give them to others. However, he should not be extravagant in this by spending large amounts of money on buying such landscapes, hanging them on walls, or giving them to others, for extravagance is forbidden, as Allah the Exalted said:
And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.
وَلا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَThe questioner : Thank you, Your Eminence, for your kindness in answering the questions of the honorable listeners.