What is the ruling on buying girls' dolls and the images found in children's books?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, what is the ruling on girls' dolls that are not different from the human form, and the images found in books and shops, especially for children, such as images of animals, birds, and others? Because children find pleasure in looking at them and learn through looking at them, so I do not know what the ruling on this matter is, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, what is called children's dolls, which are three-dimensional images in the form of a woman, is divided into two categories:
The first category is permissible and there is no issue with it. This is what is being made recently, where the image is like a shadow, having no eyes, no nose, and no mouth. There is no issue with the permissibility of this.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had dolls of this type with which she used to play.
As for what is made of plastic and is in the exact form of the human image, even in the eyes, the lips, the eyelashes, the eyebrows, and everything, to the point that some of them may walk and make sounds, there is a difference of opinion regarding its permissibility. However, I do not emphasize strictness in this, because the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she used to play with dolls may be said to indicate a dispensation and leniency for the girl.
Especially since, as I said, she gets some pleasure from it and a way to pass the time.
But with this, we say that since something has emerged that suffices for that, one should not turn to something doubtful when there is something without doubt, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:.
As for images of other animals, such as the horse and the lion and the like, there is absolutely no reason to possess them. One can do without these by using images of manufactured machines, such as the car and the tractor and the like, for the boy plays with them just as he plays with images of other animals. And if it is unavoidable that something of these animals is gifted to a person, he cuts off its head and keeps it without a head, with the legs, tail, and body, and there is no harm in this.
The Shaykh : Yes, what is called children's dolls, which are three-dimensional images in the form of a woman, is divided into two categories:
The first category is permissible and there is no issue with it. This is what is being made recently, where the image is like a shadow, having no eyes, no nose, and no mouth. There is no issue with the permissibility of this.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had dolls of this type with which she used to play.
As for what is made of plastic and is in the exact form of the human image, even in the eyes, the lips, the eyelashes, the eyebrows, and everything, to the point that some of them may walk and make sounds, there is a difference of opinion regarding its permissibility. However, I do not emphasize strictness in this, because the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she used to play with dolls may be said to indicate a dispensation and leniency for the girl.
Especially since, as I said, she gets some pleasure from it and a way to pass the time.
But with this, we say that since something has emerged that suffices for that, one should not turn to something doubtful when there is something without doubt, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Leave what causes doubt for what does not cause doubt.
دع ما يريبك إلا ما لا يريبكAs for images of other animals, such as the horse and the lion and the like, there is absolutely no reason to possess them. One can do without these by using images of manufactured machines, such as the car and the tractor and the like, for the boy plays with them just as he plays with images of other animals. And if it is unavoidable that something of these animals is gifted to a person, he cuts off its head and keeps it without a head, with the legs, tail, and body, and there is no harm in this.