The Meaning of the Hadith: (Every Image-Maker Is in the Fire)

Her second question is: What is the interpretation of this hadith? —In reality, she is asking about image-making, and we receive a great many, great many letters about it, and the scholars also have many answers— She says: What is the interpretation of this hadith: , what is its interpretation, may Allah guide you?
Answer: This hadith, on its apparent meaning, indicates the prohibition of image-making and that it is not permissible, and that the image-maker is punished with the images he created in Hell, and these images that he made are a punishment for him on the Day of Resurrection. In another hadith: , and in the second hadith: , this is a type of punishment with them. Image-making of living creatures with souls, such as camels, sheep, cattle, human beings, and birds, is prohibited. As for image-making of things without souls, such as mountains, cars, and trees, there is no harm in that. The scholars of this era have differed regarding photographic image-making, the well-known type found in cameras. Some of them said: It is not image-making, but rather the capturing of a shadow, and they were lenient in that. However, the established view among the people of knowledge and insight is that it is image-making and that it is not permissible, and that its ruling is the same as the ruling on the well-known artistic image-making by hand. This type of image-making is not permissible for living creatures, except out of a need of dire necessity, such as for identification documents, or for photographing criminals whose evil is feared, or for driving a car out of necessity. So, if the need calls for it, and it is not possible for him to obtain identification documents or a permit except by means of a picture, we hope that there is no blame on him due to dire necessity.
The presenter: Thank you to His Eminence Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Baz.