What is the ruling on photographic image-making?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on photographic image-making, with details, because this has become confused for me? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Regarding photographic image-making, we have several answers in the collection of letters and elsewhere as well, so refer to them.
And I say, my brothers: Image-making is not the problem of the world today; it is not the problem of the world. Many of the Salaf, not the Khalaf, say that image-making with color and drawing is not forbidden, even if done by hand, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 5958.
But we see that image-making by that method is forbidden, even if by drawing, just as acting is forbidden, where a three-dimensional image is made by a person with his hand; this is forbidden.
As for the modern image-making now, where a person directs a machine at a specific body and that body is imprinted on the paper, this is not actually image-making, because image-making is derived from "image," meaning: making a thing in a specific form. And what was captured by this machine did not make it in a specific form; the specific form is that he himself draws, drawing the eyes, the nose, the lips, and the like.
But the question that should be asked remains: Is it permissible to photograph with an instant camera to keep it for remembrance? We say: No, it is not permissible to keep it for remembrance, but for need, there is nothing wrong. Yes, the one after, the one after.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Regarding photographic image-making, we have several answers in the collection of letters and elsewhere as well, so refer to them.
And I say, my brothers: Image-making is not the problem of the world today; it is not the problem of the world. Many of the Salaf, not the Khalaf, say that image-making with color and drawing is not forbidden, even if done by hand, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
except a design in a garment
إلا رقما في ثوبBut we see that image-making by that method is forbidden, even if by drawing, just as acting is forbidden, where a three-dimensional image is made by a person with his hand; this is forbidden.
As for the modern image-making now, where a person directs a machine at a specific body and that body is imprinted on the paper, this is not actually image-making, because image-making is derived from "image," meaning: making a thing in a specific form. And what was captured by this machine did not make it in a specific form; the specific form is that he himself draws, drawing the eyes, the nose, the lips, and the like.
But the question that should be asked remains: Is it permissible to photograph with an instant camera to keep it for remembrance? We say: No, it is not permissible to keep it for remembrance, but for need, there is nothing wrong. Yes, the one after, the one after.