A man has pictures of others; should he keep them as a trust or destroy them?
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The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, a relative of mine married fifteen years ago. During his marriage, he took pictures with a camera of himself, his bride, their families, and the wedding guests. Then he traveled with his bride to Libya, where he works.
He had asked me to print the pictures and send them to him. When I did so, the pictures were returned to me because of a change in his address. By the guidance of Allah, I had already destroyed all the pictures I had with me.
Should I keep his pictures as a trust with me until I meet him and advise him, or should I destroy them?
The Shaykh : Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said in the Noble Book:[Al-Ma'idah 5:2] And I think it is obligatory for you to destroy them, because you are able to change them with your hand, and you can tell him that the first pictures were lost, is that not so? You should say that they were lost.
The questioner : No, they were not lost, but they are still, meaning, with me.
The Shaykh : Well, then you must destroy them and explain to him that this is an abominable matter and that it is obligatory to destroy them, based on the hadith of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to Abu al-Hayyaj: "Shall I not send you with the same mission with which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any image without destroying it, and do not leave any raised grave without leveling it".
Unless you fear that a great harm will result from it, such that it leads you to the courts or something similar that harms you, then there is no blame on you in this case to send them to him immediately and not keep them with you. Yes.
He had asked me to print the pictures and send them to him. When I did so, the pictures were returned to me because of a change in his address. By the guidance of Allah, I had already destroyed all the pictures I had with me.
Should I keep his pictures as a trust with me until I meet him and advise him, or should I destroy them?
The Shaykh : Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said in the Noble Book:
And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.
وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوانThe questioner : No, they were not lost, but they are still, meaning, with me.
The Shaykh : Well, then you must destroy them and explain to him that this is an abominable matter and that it is obligatory to destroy them, based on the hadith of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to Abu al-Hayyaj: "Shall I not send you with the same mission with which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any image without destroying it, and do not leave any raised grave without leveling it".
Unless you fear that a great harm will result from it, such that it leads you to the courts or something similar that harms you, then there is no blame on you in this case to send them to him immediately and not keep them with you. Yes.