What is your opinion of the one who says that photography with a camera is permissible because it is like a mirror?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What do you say, O Shaykh, about the one who says: Photography with a camera does not imitate the creation of Allah, but rather it is like looking in a mirror?
The Shaykh : Yes, we say regarding this: It is a statement that has a basis. This is because the photographer does not draw with his hand, neither the eye, nor the nose, nor the mouth, nor anything else. So it is like a mirror. But the difference is that the mirror does not retain an image, whereas this does retain an image. However, we consider this retained image to be a picture. And keeping pictures for no need or necessity is forbidden. Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah preserve you.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say regarding this: It is a statement that has a basis. This is because the photographer does not draw with his hand, neither the eye, nor the nose, nor the mouth, nor anything else. So it is like a mirror. But the difference is that the mirror does not retain an image, whereas this does retain an image. However, we consider this retained image to be a picture. And keeping pictures for no need or necessity is forbidden. Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah preserve you.