Does a video image fall under the prohibition mentioned in the hadith regarding image-making?
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The questioner : The Shaykh, may Allah forgive you: Regarding image-making, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Shaykh, does a video camera fall under this hadith?
The Shaykh : No, it does not fall under this hadith, nor does photographic image-making. The reason is that the photographer does not actually draw the face, the eyes, the nose, or the lips. The most he does is direct specific lights to capture the image of the thing as it was created by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). However, taking images is where the details lie, and here there are three categories. The first category is representational image-making that is three-dimensional. This is forbidden for the maker and for the buyer, because this is an image that rivals the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The second category is hand-drawn images, meaning that one draws the shape of a human, a wolf, a lion, or something similar. This is also forbidden according to the stronger opinion, even though some of the Salaf differed on this. However, the stronger opinion is that it is forbidden.
The third category is captured images. These do not fall under the hadith at all, because the one who captures it does not draw it. The most he does is press a specific button, and the light captures this image on the paper. This was not known in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so we cannot say that the wording includes it by generality. If we are in doubt about its inclusion in image-making, and it did not exist in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then a person cannot say, "This man is cursed" or "These people are cursed." It is difficult. Entering into the warning without evidence or without knowledge is not permissible. A person must be scrupulous in forbidding the lawful, just as he must be scrupulous in permitting the forbidden. In fact, the one who presumes to forbid the lawful is more sinful than the one who presumes to permit the forbidden. This is with doubt, just as it is with certainty or suspicion. It is clear that one must follow what is predominant in his suspicion, because the forbidden is a ruling and a prohibition. It is a ruling, and it is in the domain of the right of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). To err in this is to prevent people from what Allah has made lawful for them, when he does not know that it is forbidden and it is not predominant in his suspicion that it is forbidden. Yes.
May Allah curse the image-makers.
لعن الله المصورينThe Shaykh : No, it does not fall under this hadith, nor does photographic image-making. The reason is that the photographer does not actually draw the face, the eyes, the nose, or the lips. The most he does is direct specific lights to capture the image of the thing as it was created by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). However, taking images is where the details lie, and here there are three categories. The first category is representational image-making that is three-dimensional. This is forbidden for the maker and for the buyer, because this is an image that rivals the creation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The second category is hand-drawn images, meaning that one draws the shape of a human, a wolf, a lion, or something similar. This is also forbidden according to the stronger opinion, even though some of the Salaf differed on this. However, the stronger opinion is that it is forbidden.
The third category is captured images. These do not fall under the hadith at all, because the one who captures it does not draw it. The most he does is press a specific button, and the light captures this image on the paper. This was not known in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so we cannot say that the wording includes it by generality. If we are in doubt about its inclusion in image-making, and it did not exist in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then a person cannot say, "This man is cursed" or "These people are cursed." It is difficult. Entering into the warning without evidence or without knowledge is not permissible. A person must be scrupulous in forbidding the lawful, just as he must be scrupulous in permitting the forbidden. In fact, the one who presumes to forbid the lawful is more sinful than the one who presumes to permit the forbidden. This is with doubt, just as it is with certainty or suspicion. It is clear that one must follow what is predominant in his suspicion, because the forbidden is a ruling and a prohibition. It is a ruling, and it is in the domain of the right of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). To err in this is to prevent people from what Allah has made lawful for them, when he does not know that it is forbidden and it is not predominant in his suspicion that it is forbidden. Yes.