Question:

Asalaam alaikum wrb,
Hazrath jazaak Allah hu khair for taking time out to answer my question. My question is regarding pictures and sharia’s ruling on it. Are we allowed to take pictures? Are we allowed to keep pictures framed in the house as a memory of somebody or any other intention? What did our beloved Rasool SAWs say about pictures?

Jzk

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Drawing or taking pictures is absolutely impermissible (Haram) in Islam. The following narrations are clear in this regards:

عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ يَقُولُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ» (صحيح مسلم، بَابُ  تحريم تصوير صورة الحيوان، وتحريم اتخاذ ما فيه صورة ونحوه، وأن الْمَلَائِكَة لَا يدْخُلُون بَيْتًا فِيهِ صُورَةٌ وَلَا كَلْبٌ (

It is reported from Abdullāh bin Masood Radhiyallahu Anhu that Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam said, “Those who create pictures will be most severely punished on the Day of Judgment.” (Sahīh Muslim)

عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا أَخْبَرَهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ” إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَصْنَعُونَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرَ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ، يُقَالُ لَهُمْ: أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ ” (صحيح البخارى، بَابُ عَذَابِ المُصَوِّرِينَ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ)

Nafi’ Rahimahullah reports that Abdullah bin Umar Radhiyallahu Anhuma informed him that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam said, “Those who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Judgement. It will be said to them, “Give life to that which you have created.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: لاَ أُحَدِّثُكَ إِلَّا مَا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مُعَذِّبُهُ حَتَّى يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ، وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ فِيهَا أَبَدًا» (صحيح اللخارى، بَابُ بَيْعِ التَّصَاوِيرِ الَّتِي لَيْسَ فِيهَا رُوحٌ، وَمَا يُكْرَهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ)

Ibn Abbas Radhiyallahu Anhu said, “I will tell you exactly what I heard Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam saying. I heard Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam saying, “Whoever creates a picture, indeed Allah will punish him until he blows the soul into it (the picture). However, he will never be able to blow the soul into it (the picture).” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Similarly, hanging pictures in one’s home is absolutely impermissible (Haram). Consider the following narrations:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: «قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ، وَعَلَّقْتُ دُرْنُوكًا فِيهِ تَمَاثِيلُ، فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَنْزِعَهُ فَنَزَعْتُهُ» (صحيح البخارى، بَابُ مَا وُطِئَ مِنَ التَّصَاوِيرِ)

Aishah Radhiyallahu Anha narrates, “Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam returned from a journey and I hung a pictured cloth on the wall. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam commanded me to remove it so I removed it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ المَلاَئِكَةَ لاَ تَدْخُلُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ الصُّورَةُ» (صحيح البخارى، بَابُ إِذَا قَالَ أَحَدُكُمْ: آمِينَ وَالمَلاَئِكَةُ فِي السَّمَاءِ، آمِينَ فَوَافَقَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا الأُخْرَى، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ)

Indeed Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam said, “Indeed the Angels do not enter a home in which there is a picture.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

(Mufti) Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman

Disclaimer:

The Shar’a ruling herein given is based specifically on the question posed and should be read in conjunction with the question.

Darul Iftaa Texas bears no responsibility to any party who may or may not act on this answer and is being hereby exempted from loss or damage howsoever caused.

This answer may not be used as evidence in any Court of Law without prior written consent of Darul Iftaa Texas.