Prayer in a house containing pictures and magazines
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Question: What is the ruling on praying in a house that contains pictures and magazines? Please inform us of this, may Allah reward you.
Answer: It is known in the religion of Islam that pictures are forbidden, that making pictures is forbidden, and that keeping pictures is forbidden; because of the severe prohibition that came in multiple authentic hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and because of the severe warning therein, which indicates that making pictures is among the major sins, and that it is severely forbidden.Because of the serious dangers it leads to, first: In it is an imitation of the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and a claim of partnership with Allah in His creation, which He has made exclusive to Himself, for He is the Creator, the Originator, the Fashioner, to whom belong the best names.
And from the perspective of: Making pictures is one of the means of shirk (associating partners with Allah). The first time shirk occurred on earth, it was due to making pictures. When the people of Noah made pictures of righteous men who died in the same year, they grieved for them. Then Satan came to them and suggested to them that they make pictures of these righteous men and set them up in their gathering places so that they would remember them for worship, as they claimed. They did so. When that generation died, Satan came to those who came after them.And he said: He said, "Your fathers did not set up these images except to be given rain by them and to worship them." So they worshipped them besides Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Thus, shirk occurred on earth due to making pictures. Likewise, the people of Ibrahim (Abraham) used to worship statues, as the Exalted said,A report about Ibrahim (Abraham) that he said to his people: [Surat al-Anbiya: 52, 53]. Likewise, the polytheists among the Arabs used pictures in their religion. They used to place pictures on the walls of the Sacred Ka'bah, until the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and removed them.
So the trial of making pictures and the trial of statues is an old trial, and it is a serious trial.
And a third aspect of the dangers of making pictures: And it is that it may be a cause for the corruption of morals. This happens when beautiful girls and naked women are depicted in magazines and newspapers, or depicted for memories, or the like. This leads to being captivated by those pictures, and consequently places disease and desire in the heart. For this reason, the corrupters have taken making pictures as a means and a tool to corrupt morals by depicting beautiful, captivating women in magazines and elsewhere, and in films and other types of pictures that are exposed to trial. Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to keep or retain non-essential pictures.
As for essential pictures that a person needs, such as a driver's license, a passport, and proof of identity, these have become necessary. They are not taken for the sake of loving pictures, but rather out of necessity and need.
As for pictures other than these, it is not permissible to keep them, neither for memories, nor for looking at them, nor the like. A person must destroy the pictures and clear his house of them as much as he is able.
If there are pictures in a house that are hung on the walls or set up, whether they are statues or drawings on paper of beings with souls, such as animals, birds, humans, and others, from everything that has a soul, then they must be removed.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry when he saw a curtain that Aisha had placed on the wall, and it had pictures on it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry and refused to enter the house where she was until it was torn down and changed. This indicates that it is not permissible to keep pictures, or to set them up, or to stick them on walls, or to place them in frames and hang them on walls. All of this is a trial and among the forbidden things.
So if there is a place that has pictures and hung images, it is not recommended to pray in that place; because in that is an imitation of the worship of pictures and those who worship idols and pictures. One should not pray in a place where pictures are hung, as Imam Ibn al-Qayyim and others have explicitly stated.
And the jurists say: One should not face a picture while praying. This is a known matter among the scholars of knowledge. In fact, it is not recommended to pray in a place that has pictures.
A person should not pray in that place even if he does not face the pictures, even if they are on his side or on a wall not facing his qiblah (direction of prayer). It is disliked for him to pray in this room, or this place, until these pictures are removed. In fact, it is disliked for him to sit in it and sleep in it, as long as the pictures are set up and hung. In fact, it is disliked for a Muslim, or it is forbidden for a Muslim, to reside in this room except after he removes these pictures.
Answer: It is known in the religion of Islam that pictures are forbidden, that making pictures is forbidden, and that keeping pictures is forbidden; because of the severe prohibition that came in multiple authentic hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and because of the severe warning therein, which indicates that making pictures is among the major sins, and that it is severely forbidden.Because of the serious dangers it leads to, first: In it is an imitation of the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and a claim of partnership with Allah in His creation, which He has made exclusive to Himself, for He is the Creator, the Originator, the Fashioner, to whom belong the best names.
And from the perspective of: Making pictures is one of the means of shirk (associating partners with Allah). The first time shirk occurred on earth, it was due to making pictures. When the people of Noah made pictures of righteous men who died in the same year, they grieved for them. Then Satan came to them and suggested to them that they make pictures of these righteous men and set them up in their gathering places so that they would remember them for worship, as they claimed. They did so. When that generation died, Satan came to those who came after them.And he said: He said, "Your fathers did not set up these images except to be given rain by them and to worship them." So they worshipped them besides Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Thus, shirk occurred on earth due to making pictures. Likewise, the people of Ibrahim (Abraham) used to worship statues, as the Exalted said,A report about Ibrahim (Abraham) that he said to his people:
"What are these statues to which you are devoted?" (53) They said, "We found our fathers worshippers of them."
مَا هَذِهِ التَّمَاثِيلُ الَّتِي أَنْتُمْ لَهَا عَاكِفُونَ قَالُوا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا لَهَا عَابِدِينَSo the trial of making pictures and the trial of statues is an old trial, and it is a serious trial.
And a third aspect of the dangers of making pictures: And it is that it may be a cause for the corruption of morals. This happens when beautiful girls and naked women are depicted in magazines and newspapers, or depicted for memories, or the like. This leads to being captivated by those pictures, and consequently places disease and desire in the heart. For this reason, the corrupters have taken making pictures as a means and a tool to corrupt morals by depicting beautiful, captivating women in magazines and elsewhere, and in films and other types of pictures that are exposed to trial. Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to keep or retain non-essential pictures.
As for essential pictures that a person needs, such as a driver's license, a passport, and proof of identity, these have become necessary. They are not taken for the sake of loving pictures, but rather out of necessity and need.
As for pictures other than these, it is not permissible to keep them, neither for memories, nor for looking at them, nor the like. A person must destroy the pictures and clear his house of them as much as he is able.
If there are pictures in a house that are hung on the walls or set up, whether they are statues or drawings on paper of beings with souls, such as animals, birds, humans, and others, from everything that has a soul, then they must be removed.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry when he saw a curtain that Aisha had placed on the wall, and it had pictures on it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry and refused to enter the house where she was until it was torn down and changed. This indicates that it is not permissible to keep pictures, or to set them up, or to stick them on walls, or to place them in frames and hang them on walls. All of this is a trial and among the forbidden things.
So if there is a place that has pictures and hung images, it is not recommended to pray in that place; because in that is an imitation of the worship of pictures and those who worship idols and pictures. One should not pray in a place where pictures are hung, as Imam Ibn al-Qayyim and others have explicitly stated.
And the jurists say: One should not face a picture while praying. This is a known matter among the scholars of knowledge. In fact, it is not recommended to pray in a place that has pictures.
A person should not pray in that place even if he does not face the pictures, even if they are on his side or on a wall not facing his qiblah (direction of prayer). It is disliked for him to pray in this room, or this place, until these pictures are removed. In fact, it is disliked for him to sit in it and sleep in it, as long as the pictures are set up and hung. In fact, it is disliked for a Muslim, or it is forbidden for a Muslim, to reside in this room except after he removes these pictures.