What is the ruling on bringing school textbooks containing images into the mosque during exam days?
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The questioner : May the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : It is not hidden from you, O honorable Shaykh, that the exams are now approaching and many young men are studying in the mosques. It is well known, especially in primary, middle, and secondary schools, and in some universities, that some books contain images. What is the ruling on bringing these books into the mosque to study from them?
The Shaykh : As for prominent, raised images, such as those on the cover, for example, it is not permissible to bring them into the mosque, because the angels do not enter a house in which there is an image. And if the angels are harmed by the smell of onions and leeks, they are harmed by this image which prevents them, meaning: it prevents the angels from entering the mosque. As for if they are hidden and not intended for their own sake, I hope there is no harm in that, because they are hidden inside the book, and also they are not intended. And if a person sees that doing what is more complete and better is preferable, let him cover them up. If he covers them up, what is wrong with them is removed.
The questioner : Does it make a difference, O Shaykh, whether the images are few or many?
The Shaykh : There is no difference in that, but the difference is that if there are many, there is difficulty in covering them up, whereas if there are few, there is no difficulty in covering them up.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : It is not hidden from you, O honorable Shaykh, that the exams are now approaching and many young men are studying in the mosques. It is well known, especially in primary, middle, and secondary schools, and in some universities, that some books contain images. What is the ruling on bringing these books into the mosque to study from them?
The Shaykh : As for prominent, raised images, such as those on the cover, for example, it is not permissible to bring them into the mosque, because the angels do not enter a house in which there is an image. And if the angels are harmed by the smell of onions and leeks, they are harmed by this image which prevents them, meaning: it prevents the angels from entering the mosque. As for if they are hidden and not intended for their own sake, I hope there is no harm in that, because they are hidden inside the book, and also they are not intended. And if a person sees that doing what is more complete and better is preferable, let him cover them up. If he covers them up, what is wrong with them is removed.
The questioner : Does it make a difference, O Shaykh, whether the images are few or many?
The Shaykh : There is no difference in that, but the difference is that if there are many, there is difficulty in covering them up, whereas if there are few, there is no difficulty in covering them up.