The texts indicating the prohibition of image-making
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This is a message received by the program from a brother, a student of knowledge. He says in his message, and at its beginning:
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh: And upon you be peace, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The first question asks: Are the following hadiths authentic or not? Please clarify the meaning of the hadith if you would be so kind. The first hadith: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 5951 If this hadith is authentic, what is the ruling on the images circulating among people today in markets, homes, cars, and the images required in schools and universities, as well as all images of every kind? And what are the images that are permissible in the religion? Please inform us, may Allah reward you?
Answer: Yes, this hadith is authentic. Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated it in his Sahih and others from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). There are other hadiths in this chapter in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 5362Sahih (Darussalam).
The reason for this was that he (peace and blessings be upon him) returned from a journey and saw a curtain with images in it in the house where Aisha was, a cloth with images in it. He became angry and tore the curtain, saying:Sunan an-Nasa'i 5362Sahih (Darussalam) He said, may the prayers and peace be upon him: Sahih Muslim 2109a He said, may the prayers and peace be upon him: .
He also said, may the prayers and peace be upon him:Sahih Muslim 2110b
These are indicative of the prohibition of making images of living beings, from livestock, birds, and human beings; all of this is forbidden, except out of necessity. For he (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Al-An'am: 119].
The necessity that is unavoidable, there is no harm in that, such as imaging those who are given custody of the people’s minds so that it becomes clear whether he is from this state or that state, and so that he is not confused with others, and so that the authority is not used by one who is not among its people. If the image is found, no one other than its owner can attribute it to himself. And so in other needs, such as known criminals, if the authorities image them and distribute their images among the guards at the borders of the lands so that they know them and arrest them, or what is similar to these important, necessary, and great needs, there is no harm in that.
Otherwise, it is obligatory to refrain from image-making and to obliterate the images. It is established in the authentic narrations from 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) -the Commander of the Faithful- from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Riyad as-Salihin 1687 This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) Riyad as-Salihin 1687 Muslim narrated it in his Sahih.
This indicates the obliteration of images, and that if you see an image in your house, you obliterate it, remove it, whether it is on a wall or separate and kept with your family, or so, you remove it, obliterate it, destroy it. And so, elevated graves are demolished; nothing is built on a grave, neither a mosque nor a dome nor anything else.
For this reason, it is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 529 And 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 532 Muslim narrated it in his Sahih from Jundub ibn 'Abd Allah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) .
And it is established in the authentic narrations from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: So nothing is built on a grave, neither a dome nor a mosque nor a room, but it is to be open to the sky, like the graves of the Companions in al-Baqi', the graves of Muslims in lands safe from this affliction, to be open and exposed, the grave raised from the ground by the width of a hand, and nothing built on it, but it is to be exposed, with no roof or building on it.
And so, the graves of Muslims are raised from the ground by the width of a hand with the earth that came out of the grave, to be above the grave so that it is known that it is a grave, so that it is not trampled or disrespected, and no dome, mosque, room, or anything else is built on it. Thus the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded, and thus he warned us against imitating others.
As for the image on a bed that is trampled, there is no harm in it, if it is on a bed that people trample, there is no harm in that; for it is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):.
This indicates that the image that is disrespected on a bed or pillow does not prevent the entry of the angels. But it is not permissible to make images; no one has the right to make them on a bed or on a pillow or on rags. But if a rag with images or a carpet with images comes to you, there is no harm in making it a pillow, and there is no harm in making the bed in your house to be trampled, to sit on it, there is no harm in that, and Allah is the Helper. Yes.
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh: And upon you be peace, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The first question asks: Are the following hadiths authentic or not? Please clarify the meaning of the hadith if you would be so kind. The first hadith: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Those who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them. 'Make alive what you have created.'
إن الذين يضعون هذه الصور يعذبون يوم القيامة، يقال لهم: أحيوا ما خلقتمAnswer: Yes, this hadith is authentic. Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated it in his Sahih and others from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). There are other hadiths in this chapter in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The makers of these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them: 'Bring to life that which you have created.'
إن أصحاب هذه الصور يعذبون يوم القيامة، ويقال لهم: أحيوا ما خلقتمThe reason for this was that he (peace and blessings be upon him) returned from a journey and saw a curtain with images in it in the house where Aisha was, a cloth with images in it. He became angry and tore the curtain, saying:
The makers of these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them: 'Bring to life that which you have created.'
إن أصحاب هذه الصور يعذبون يوم القيامة، ويقال لهم: أحيوا ما خلقتمthe most grievously tormented people on the Day of Resurrection would be the painters of pictures
أشد الناس عذاباً يوم القيامة المصورونEvery image-maker is in the Fire, and a soul is created for him in every image he made, by which he will be punished in Hell
كل مصور في النار يجعل له في كل صورة صورها نفس يعذب بها في جهنمHe also said, may the prayers and peace be upon him:
He who painted pictures in the world would be compelled to breathe soul in them on the Day of Resurrection, but he would not be able to breathe soul (in them).
من صور صورة في الدنيا كلف أن ينفخ فيها الروح وليس بنافخThese are indicative of the prohibition of making images of living beings, from livestock, birds, and human beings; all of this is forbidden, except out of necessity. For he (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :
while He has explained in detail to you what He has forbidden you, excepting that to which you are compelled
وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُمْ مَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا مَا اضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِThe necessity that is unavoidable, there is no harm in that, such as imaging those who are given custody of the people’s minds so that it becomes clear whether he is from this state or that state, and so that he is not confused with others, and so that the authority is not used by one who is not among its people. If the image is found, no one other than its owner can attribute it to himself. And so in other needs, such as known criminals, if the authorities image them and distribute their images among the guards at the borders of the lands so that they know them and arrest them, or what is similar to these important, necessary, and great needs, there is no harm in that.
Otherwise, it is obligatory to refrain from image-making and to obliterate the images. It is established in the authentic narrations from 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) -the Commander of the Faithful- from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Spare no portrait unwiped out
لا تدع صورة إلا طمستهاSpare no portrait unwiped out, and leave not a high grave unlevelled.
لا تدع صورة إلا طمستها ولا قبراً مشرفاً إلا سويتهThis indicates the obliteration of images, and that if you see an image in your house, you obliterate it, remove it, whether it is on a wall or separate and kept with your family, or so, you remove it, obliterate it, destroy it. And so, elevated graves are demolished; nothing is built on a grave, neither a mosque nor a dome nor anything else.
For this reason, it is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians that they took the graves of their prophets as mosques
لعن الله اليهود والنصارى اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجدHe warned against what they did
يحذر ما صنعواBeware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.
ألا وإن من كان قبلكم كانوا يتخذون قبور أنبيائهم وصالحيهم مساجد ألا فلا تتخذوا القبور المساجد فإني أنهاكم عن ذلكAnd it is established in the authentic narrations from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited plastering graves, sitting on them, and building over them.
نهى رسول الله ﷺ عن تجصيص القبور والقعود عليها والبناء عليهاAnd so, the graves of Muslims are raised from the ground by the width of a hand with the earth that came out of the grave, to be above the grave so that it is known that it is a grave, so that it is not trampled or disrespected, and no dome, mosque, room, or anything else is built on it. Thus the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded, and thus he warned us against imitating others.
As for the image on a bed that is trampled, there is no harm in it, if it is on a bed that people trample, there is no harm in that; for it is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):
That he saw a curtain with images in it at Aisha’s, so he tore it. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: So I made it into two cushions, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to lean on them
أنه رأى عند عائشة قراماً فيه تصاوير فهتكه، قالت عائشة رضي الله عنها: فجعلته وسادتين يرتفق بهما النبي ﷺThis indicates that the image that is disrespected on a bed or pillow does not prevent the entry of the angels. But it is not permissible to make images; no one has the right to make them on a bed or on a pillow or on rags. But if a rag with images or a carpet with images comes to you, there is no harm in making it a pillow, and there is no harm in making the bed in your house to be trampled, to sit on it, there is no harm in that, and Allah is the Helper. Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.
