We ask you to clarify the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
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The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. His Eminence says:The Shaykh : We ask you to clarify the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 2109a. Are the image-makers those who use a machine, a brush, or engraving?
The Shaykh : As for the image-makers who create something with a body, they fall under this warning because they rival the creation of Allah. For example, if a person makes a body in the form of a human or an animal, there is no doubt that he falls under the hadith. If he creates it in the form of a drawing, the scholars differed on this. Some said it is forbidden and falls under image-making, while others said it does not fall under it, because the one who drew it did not rival the creation of Allah. Is the creation of Allah a drawing or a body? Answer, everyone! Does the one who engraves an image with a drawing resemble the creation of Allah? No, because the creation of Allah is a body. Therefore, some scholars said that what is not a body is not forbidden. However, the stronger opinion, which is the view of the majority, is that if it is drawn by hand, it falls under the hadith. This is based on the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), who passed by a man engraving images and rebuked him, saying, "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the image-makers." He said to him:. Therefore, the correct view is that it is not permissible for a person to draw the image of a human or an animal if he draws it with his hand.
As for when it is captured by a machine, the machine is of two types: a machine that requires developing and adjusting. There is no doubt that the precaution is to leave it, and that the person who does so has exposed himself to this punishment.
And as for when the only thing the person does is move the machine, and these lights that are directed at the body in front of it print it on these cards, this does not fall under image-making at all. Because the one who captured it with the fast photographic machine did not draw an eye, a nose, a mouth, or anything; he merely transferred an already formed image. This is made clear by the fact that if you wrote a letter to a person with your pen and then put it through the camera and the paper came out as an image, would it be said that the one who drew these letters is the one who moved the machine, or would it be said that this is the first person's writing?
Answer: It is the first person's writing. There is no doubt about this. Therefore, this does not fall under the hadith at all. This is what we see in this issue.
But the question remains: why did the person photograph this human being? Why did he photograph him? If he says, "I photographed her because, for example, she is a beautiful woman and I enjoy looking at her face whenever I miss her," this is forbidden, without doubt. Or if he says he photographed him to hang it in his house to honor him, this is not permissible. Or if he says he photographed him for remembrance, this is also not permissible, because if he makes it for remembrance, it necessitates that it remains with him in his room. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4155Sahih (Al-Albani).
the most grievously tormented people on the Day of Resurrection would be the painters of pictures
أشد الناس عذابا يوم القيامة المصورونThe Shaykh : As for the image-makers who create something with a body, they fall under this warning because they rival the creation of Allah. For example, if a person makes a body in the form of a human or an animal, there is no doubt that he falls under the hadith. If he creates it in the form of a drawing, the scholars differed on this. Some said it is forbidden and falls under image-making, while others said it does not fall under it, because the one who drew it did not rival the creation of Allah. Is the creation of Allah a drawing or a body? Answer, everyone! Does the one who engraves an image with a drawing resemble the creation of Allah? No, because the creation of Allah is a body. Therefore, some scholars said that what is not a body is not forbidden. However, the stronger opinion, which is the view of the majority, is that if it is drawn by hand, it falls under the hadith. This is based on the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), who passed by a man engraving images and rebuked him, saying, "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the image-makers." He said to him:
If you must do it, then draw trees, seas, rivers, mountains, and the like
إن كنت لابد فاعلا يعني فصور الأشجار والبحار والأنهار والجبال وما أشبههاAs for when it is captured by a machine, the machine is of two types: a machine that requires developing and adjusting. There is no doubt that the precaution is to leave it, and that the person who does so has exposed himself to this punishment.
And as for when the only thing the person does is move the machine, and these lights that are directed at the body in front of it print it on these cards, this does not fall under image-making at all. Because the one who captured it with the fast photographic machine did not draw an eye, a nose, a mouth, or anything; he merely transferred an already formed image. This is made clear by the fact that if you wrote a letter to a person with your pen and then put it through the camera and the paper came out as an image, would it be said that the one who drew these letters is the one who moved the machine, or would it be said that this is the first person's writing?
Answer: It is the first person's writing. There is no doubt about this. Therefore, this does not fall under the hadith at all. This is what we see in this issue.
But the question remains: why did the person photograph this human being? Why did he photograph him? If he says, "I photographed her because, for example, she is a beautiful woman and I enjoy looking at her face whenever I miss her," this is forbidden, without doubt. Or if he says he photographed him to hang it in his house to honor him, this is not permissible. Or if he says he photographed him for remembrance, this is also not permissible, because if he makes it for remembrance, it necessitates that it remains with him in his room. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: