ANSWERED: What is the ruling of photography in Islam?

[JM1]

ive bin a bit confused about exactly what the rulings are on photography.. i kno there is sum disagreement (for want of a better word) on the subject, but was wondering if ne1 knew of, or cud direct me to sumwer where i can find the opinions and basis used for them? I mean mostly for pictures of ppl, so family etc, and also kinda linked, for example with a cartoon character that is inanimate (ryt??) wud pics of these b allowed?

i found this on sunnipath.com, and thats wot confused me.. is it basically sayin that it is ok to follow the opinion that photography is allowed? because of the difference in opinion?


I say this with no offense to you because this website is amazing… but in terms of photography, you say that it is forbidden to have pictures of living beings, but some of the advertisements on this website contain pictures of people. Can you clarify?

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Jazak Allah khayr for your genuine counsel (nasiha). However,

a) The answers explain that there are two sound scholarly positions on photography, and that my teachers and I adhere to the more precautious and (in our understanding) stronger position: that photographs of humans and animals constitute impermissible picture-making, which the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) forbade.

However, the opinion that photography differs from picture-making is also a position adopted by many genuinely god-fearing scholars and jurists of Islam, and is permitted (and not blameworthy) to follow. There is no condemnation or blame in matters of genuine scholarly disagreement—as opposed to aberrant or very weak positions.

b) The pictures are on external links we have no control over.

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani


I apologise for ne mistakes, or if this q has alredy bin asked, i tried searching but cudnt find nething exact.. me excuse is dat im nu to dis!! took me about 5 mins to find de write a nu post button,hehe..

Jazak'Allahu Khairun for de help in advance IA!

[Mossy]

Disagreement is a pretty good word - ikhtilaf pretty much.

I think Sh Kutty sums it up pretty well here:
http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/eng...hFatwaID=69010

The issue is whether or not it constitutes "tasweer". Some say it does, some say it doesn't - being something that wasn't around at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and due to it's nature, opinions can go either way.

To quote Aisha Bewley quoting away on the topic from her updates list:

I think something from the Egyptian scholar Muhammad al-Ghazali (not the
famous al-Ghazzali, but the scholar who recently died) might be of
relevance. In "The Sunna of the Prophet: the People of Fiqh versus People
of Hadith" he states:

"As for images, we must distinguish between two types: three-dimensional
images which sculptors produce now, and drawings which are done on flat
surfaces - paper, skins and other mediums. Depiction, whether through
photography or with a pen, is a component of medicine, security, astronomic
and biological sciences, history and many social matters. The basis in it
is permissibility as is found in the hadith in Muslim, "except marks on a
garment," and the hadith of Razin in which Ibn 'Abbas was asked about a
wage being paid for writing out a Qur'an. He said, "There is nothing wrong.
They are painters. They eat from the work of their hands." No one says that
the form of a face in a mirror in forbidden. No one says that doing that by
one means or other turns the permissibility into the forbidden.

"This sort of image is only forbidden when it carries a religious stamp to
religions which Islam rejects, like images of Buddha, Brahma, or Christian
crucifixes or any religious token contrary to tawhid. Similarly forbidden
is any depiction which violates good manners and provokes instincts to
disobey Allah. As for three-dimensional statues, the texts related about
them are clear about rejecting them, unless they are dolls for girls or
little toys or what we find in various types of jewellery, which no one
would think of venerating or worshipping."

This sounds sensible to me.

Seems sensible to me too. Others disagree, quite legitimately.

Given that you don't ascribe to a particular madhab (they're nice, they keep things neat), I would say it's your call as to what seems the most sensible as I can't give you a recommendation of what the strongest position is on the matter.

[haqq]

DIGITAL PICTURES

The ban o*n pictures of animate objects (people and animals) is unequivocally stated with great emphasis in many highly authentic Ahaadith. The authenticity of these Ahaadith has never been questioned by anyone, not even the deviant learned men who propagate the permissibility of pictures. These deviates make their best endeavors to interpret away the prohibition. But all their interpretations are baseless and no Muslim of intelligence who is not intoxicated by his nafs will find sense in the interpretations to legalize the prohibition of pictures of animate objects.

WORN-OUT

The desperate old and worn-out argument for legalizing pictures produced by the photography method was the laughable contention that the photo-picture is a reflection of the object and not a picture of the object. Any person having some intelligence can understand that a photograph is NOT a reflection. It is a permanent picture notwithstanding the use made of the principle of reflection in the production of the picture.

Just as drawing with a pen or brush is a method which produces a picture, so too is the camera a method or a way of producing a picture. As long as the object remains in front of the mirror, its reflection will be there. As soon as the object is removed, the reflection too disappears. If a picture is drawn of an object reflected in the mirror, the drawn image will not be a reflection. Thus, the picture which was drawn by viewing a reflection in the mirror will remain a picture. It will not be said that it is not a picture, but is a reflection because it was drawn by viewing at the reflection in the mirror. But a picture for its sustainment is not indeed of the permanent presence of the object whose picture it is. The argument is absolutely ludicrous. In fact, it is technically and Islamically bizarre.

We have explained the Islamic ban of pictures, including photopictures, in our booklet, Photography, Picture-Making and Islam. The booklet is available from us.

LEGALIZING

Whenever a new method of making pictures is discovered, the modernistmen of ‘learning’ make their abortive attempts to legalize pictures. The most recent method invented is digital photography. Some Ulama have fallen into the trap of the modernist deviates and have proclaimed digital pictography to be permissible. These Ulama have viewed the issue very superficially. They have deliberately made a superficial and a defective research of the digital method to comply with their nafsaani desires to make haraam pictures halaal. But there is absolutely no validity in their arguments.

METHODS

There are a variety of ways and methods of producing pictures. The Shariah does not attack the method of picture production. It attacks and bans the product of the method, namely, the picture of animate objects. Regardless of the method employed to produce a picture, if it is a picture of a person or animal, it is haraam. It will remain haraam — a major sin— irrespective of the method of its production. By whatever existing methods or future new methods which maybe still be invented pictures are made, they will always remain haraam if the pictures are of animate objects.


The latest method is the digital o*ne. Some Ulama have subtley attempted to legalize haraam pictures by introducing the baseless argument —that pictures made by the digital method are not pictures. Even non-Muslims mock at the absurdity of this stupid argument. Those who claim that pictures produced by the digital method are not pictures should revert to the experts who have invented this method. Ask their opinion regarding the technical issues and see if they say that digital pictures are not pictures.

DIMENSIONS

Muslims should not allow themselves to be misled by the absurd arguments proffered to legalize what Allah Ta’ala has made haraam. Sin has two dimensions. The o*ne dimension renders the perpetrator a faasiq, and the other dimension makes him a murtadd (renegade). It expels him from the fold of Islam. As long as the sinner understands and believes that the sin he commits is haraam, he remains a Muslim and is described a faasiq. But when he becomes so flagrant and shameless in the perpetration of the haraam act that he declares the permissibility of the prohibition, then he leaves the fold of Islam. He has thus become a murtadd. May Allah Ta’ala save us from such calamities. Digital pictures are just as haraam as pictures drawn with the pen, brush, or any other method, past, present and future.

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that among the worstpunished persons o*n the Day of Qiyaamah will be the picture-makers, including those who employ digital pictography. The Hadith places picture-makers in the same category as those who had murdered Ambiya and their own parents.


"The Majlis" Vol.15 No.10

[JM1]

JKK for the help brothers. seems lyk basically u make/follow a decision on de matter urself, but in saying that gota b careful that you are actually making a decision based on de proofs and not jus ur nafs? as brother haqq posted up, the hanafi view point seems to b that photography is haram?? i dont follow a specific madhab as of yet, as im stil kinda confused about the matter, hence de 'dont know' in de profile ting.. but wanted to get to kno de opnions of each? JKK once again..

[faqir]

not even the deviant learned men who propagate the permissibility of pictures. These deviates make their best endeavors to interpret away the prohibition. But all their interpretations are baseless and no Muslim of intelligence who is not intoxicated by his nafs will find sense in the interpretations to legalize the prohibition of pictures of animate objects.

The desperate old and worn-out argument for legalizing pictures produced by the photography method was the laughable contention that the photo-picture is a reflection of the object and not a picture of the object. Any person having some intelligence can understand

The argument is absolutely ludicrous. In fact, it is technically and Islamically bizarre.

Whenever a new method of making pictures is discovered, the modernistmen of ‘learning’ make their abortive attempts to legalize pictures. The most recent method invented is digital photography. Some Ulama have fallen into the trap of the modernist deviates and have proclaimed digital pictography to be permissible.

The latest method is the digital o*ne. Some Ulama have subtley attempted to legalize haraam pictures by introducing the baseless argument —that pictures made by the digital method are not pictures. Even non-Muslims mock at the absurdity of this stupid argument.

Muslims should not allow themselves to be misled by the absurd arguments proffered to legalize what Allah Ta’ala has made haraam. Sin has two dimensions. The o*ne dimension renders the perpetrator a faasiq, and the other dimension makes him a murtadd (renegade). It expels him from the fold of Islam. As long as the sinner understands and believes that the sin he commits is haraam, he remains a Muslim and is described a faasiq. But when he becomes so flagrant and shameless in the perpetration of the haraam act that he declares the permissibility of the prohibition, then he leaves the fold of Islam. He has thus become a murtadd. May Allah Ta’ala save us from such calamities.

Nice to see the mutual respect amongst the Ulema in instances of a difference in opinion.

[faqir]

Maliki Madhhab:

http://www.guidinghelper.com/pdf/GH_Explanation.pdf


2623 In our din, we have laws for looking at the nakedness of people (please refer to Song 37). The rule is that anything that is unlawful to look at in real-life is also unlawful to look at when depicted in a life-like photograph. Therefore, pornography in magazines, billboards, posters, electronic screens, projector screens, etc. is all unlawful. As our definition of pornography is very strict (since it includes the exposure of both the light and coarse nakedness of the human being (please refer to footnote 768)), the person living in the present time (and the future) will face difficulty practicing this ruling. [Anytime that a ruling is difficult to practice, the person should try his best and ask Allah for forgiveness.]



As for other non-pornographic photographs (e.g., of a panda bear, a properly-dressed human, or a building), they are generally mubah to look at (see figure 42-1). [The instructions we gave above in footnote 2622 are only for people who are travelling the Path and have not yet reached the Goal (and not for the general body of the members of our din).]


As for drawing animate life (e.g., humans, animals, and insects) with the hand, it may be employed for instruction purposes, children's cartoons, etc. but only if the depiction is not completely life-like (life-like handdrawn portraits of humans or other animate creatures are unlawful to make or keep). Please note that plant life is not considered to be animate in our din and thus is lawful to draw even if it is life-like.


As for life-like statues of animate life which include the head (e.g., a cavalry horseman in stone or a plastic flamingo/bird), they are unlawful to make or keep.


As for children's toys, they are permissible to make and keep (e.g., a doll, an action figure, an artificial stuffed animal, etc.).

[zs252002]

assalamualikum,
Basically, what i wanted to know and had asked is that many things, like web camera, live recordings of certain events, recognition of people through photographs, all these seem so nesscary at given situations..
Is it really possible to live in a photograph less ,image less world?
even though so many of us do not staunchly take photographs, we do atleast look at them through papers books etc.,.
Is It not brothers and sisters?please will the scholars of this forum tell me, whether they honestly dont look at news papers ?i mean how would we have known any one in this world if photograph didnt exist.
i am just stating a fact in my life, i havent taken photographs for ages, but i do look at newspaper etc.
yes, I AM scared about the punishment mentioned in the hadith and thats what keeps me away so i want one and FINAL reply.
what about the smileys image used by So many members of this forum. AND which is a part of this forum.That TOO is an image is it not?wont we asked to bring life on to it , as stated in the hadith?
PLEASE kindly reply.
jazkALLAH khair

[Flux]

Aslaam walaikum, get mozilla and disable images, www.mozilla.org is the site I think

[Silver Sparrow]

Is it really possible to live in a photograph less ,image less world

I think its the actual MAKING of the images, as opposed to looking at them thats forbidden.
But, if its necessary to take pictures (e.g passports, ID cards, for instance) then its unavoidable, so we have no choice do we?

the following book might be useful if you can find a copy anywhere (al madina no longer trades )
Photography, picture making & islam

[Idrees]

This is Written by Mufti Saiful Islam

Photography

Q. What do the Muslim scholars say regarding photography? Some scholars claim that photography of animate objects is permissible as far as Islamic Law is concerned. They claim that photography cannot be described as picture making (Tasweer) which has been banned in the Ahaadeeth of our Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. They further state that a photo is not a picture, but it is a reflection similar to the reflected image in a mirror or in water or on any polished surface. Please can you state in details with proof from authentic sources. May Allah Ta’ala reward you.

A. Regarding picture the Modern English-Arabic Dictionary Al-Mawrid defines ‘picture’ as ‘Soorat’ and the English-Arabic Dictionary Al-Qaamoosul-Asriyya, defines the term ‘picture’ also as ‘Soorat’.
The Oxford Dictionary gives the following definition of the term ‘picture’, as a representation of something produced on a surface by painting or other means. The Readers Digest Great Encyclopaedic Dictionary describes the term, ‘picture’ as follows:
“Painting, drawing of objects especially as work of art e.g. portrait; cinematography picture or film.”
The Modern English-Arabic dictionary, Al-Mawrid, describes the term ‘Photo’ as:
“Photographic picture.”
This Dictionary in describing the term, ‘photo’, states: “He made a picture by means of PHOTOGRAPHY.”
The Oxford Dictionary defines the term ‘photograph’ as follows:
“A picture taken by means of chemical action of lights on a sensitive film.”
The Readers Digest Great Encyclopaedic Dictionary defines ‘photograph’ as follows:
“Picture, likeness, taken by means of the chemical action of light on a sensitive film super imposed (laid) on glass, paper, celluloid, metal, etc.”
The Home University Encyclopaedia defines ‘photography’ as follows: “Photography is the art of preparing a permanent representation of objects by means of light they emit or transmit.”
The aforementioned quotations establish beyond any shadow of doubt that a photograph is a picture, and that photography is in fact a means, a way or a method of producing pictures. It has a also been proven that the Arabic terms, ‘Soorat’ and ‘Tasweer’, means pictures. These are the precise terms used by our Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam in the Ahaadeeth prohibiting the practise of picture-making.
The camera is the instrument used for the production of the photo-picture or the photograph as mentioned in the Readers Digest Great Encyclopaedia Dictionary, Encyclopaedia International and the Home University Encyclopaedia.
It must be clearly understood that our Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam declared the picture (Tasweer) as unlawful, and not the means of producing the picture. Even during the time of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam there existed various ways of producing images, but our Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam never referred to the method of image-production. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam directly banned the picture.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of a photograph is given as: “A picture taken by means of chemical action of light on a sensitive film.”
This same dictionary defines a picture as: “A representation of something produced on a surface by painting or other means.”
From this definition it will emerge that there are various means of producing a picture. It does not follow that a picture ceases to be a picture if the means of production changes from one method to another. The supporters of photography can argue this question from any angle whatsoever, but it will remain as clear as daylight that a photograph is a picture. The only difference in the photo-picture and the painted-picture as far as the definition of the picture goes, is in method of production. But, regardless of this difference in means of production, a picture remains a picture even though it may be labelled any fancy name so as to get out of the confines of Divine Prosecution.

There are a number of reasons and factors which makes the practice of picture-making unlawful (Haraam). These are as follows:
1. The Ahaadeeth of our Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam condemns and prohibits
picture-making.
2. Pictures of living creatures are the root cause of idolatry.
3. Imitation of the unbelievers.
4. Imitation of Allah Ta'ala’s creation of life.
5. The Angels of Mercy dislike pictures of animate objects.
6. Pictures divert man’s attention from Allah Ta'ala and the Hereafter.
7. Pictures are a powerful agent for pornography and obscure art.
8. Pictures are a source of pride and arrogance.
9. Pictures causes waste.
10. Allah Ta'ala dislikes pictures of animate objects.

Let me mention some Ahaadeeth from the numerous Ahaadeeth regarding the prohibition of animate objects.
1. Hadhrat Abu Talha radhiyallahu anhu narrates that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “The Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or pictures.” (Bukhaari and Muslim)
2. Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood radhiyallahu anhu narrates: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah Ta'ala sallallahu alayhi wasallam saying: “The picture-makers will be punished most severely by Allah Ta'ala.” (Bukhaari and Muslim)
3. Hadhrat Ibn Abbas radhiyallahu anhuma narrates on the authority of Hadhrat Maimoonah radhiyallahu anha: ‘Verily, Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam arose one morning in a state of distress and he said: “Verily, Jibraeel promised to meet me last night, but he never met me. I take oath by Allah Ta’ala that he never broke a promise with me.”
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam then realised that there was a puppy under the bed. He ordered the puppy to be removed, and it was expelled. He then flushed water on the place where the puppy was. During the afternoon Jibraeel met Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam then said: “Verily, you promised to meet me last night.” Jibraeel replied: “Yes, but we do not enter a home wherein there is a dog or a picture.”
4. Hadhrat A'ishah radhiyallahu anha narrates: ‘The Messenger of Allah Ta'ala said: “The severest punished persons on the Day of Judgement will be those who imitate the creation of Allah Ta'ala.” (Bukhaari and Muslim)
5. Hadhrat A'ishah radhiyallahu anha narrates: “Verily, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam did not leave anything in his home which had pictures on it, but broke it.” (Bukhaari)
6. In one narration, Hadhrat Ibn Umar radhiyallahu anhuma narrates: ‘Verily, Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Verily, these people who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Judgement. It will be said unto them. Give life to that which you have created.” (Bukhaari)
7. Hadhrat Abu Zur’ah radhiyallahu anhu said: “I entered with Hadhrat Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu anhu in a house in Madinah, Hadhrat Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu anhu saw on top of the house a picture-maker busy drawing (pictures).
Hadhrat Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu anhu then said: ‘I heard Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam saying that Allah Ta’ala said: “Who is more unjust than that person who imitates my creation. Let him then create a grain, and let him create an atom.” (Bukhaari)
8. Hadhrat Jaabir radhiyallahu anhu narrates: “Verily the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam commanded Umar radhiyallahu anhu during the period of the Conquest (of Makkah) whilst he was in Bathaa, to go to the Kaabah and destroy every picture.”
Today we are adopting the lifestyle of the Kuffar in the following ways:
1. Acceptance and imitation of an evil practice of the unbelievers.
2. Use of pictorial decorations and adornments.
3. Family snaps, wedding photos, holiday photos, etc. are all exclusive Kuffar practices
which Muslims have adopted.
The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said: “Whoever imitates a nation becomes of them.”
Those ‘intelligent’ people who argue that if photography of animate objects be declared unlawful, the image in the mirror should be declared likewise, forbidden. But, since the image in the mirror is lawful, the image on the photograph is also lawful.

This comparison is meaningless to the extreme. It is indeed beyond one’s understanding. How can it be possible for an intelligent person to claim that the photograph is a mere reflection.
1. Firstly, the basic difference between the mirror image and the image on the photograph is; the mirror image is a reflection of the object which stands in its presence. All unbiased and sane people will accept this indisputable fact. On the other hand, the image on the photograph is a permanent picture and not a mere reflection dependant upon the continuous presence of the object for it’s existence.
2. Another difference is that a mirror is an instrument used for an entirely different purpose. At no time has the mirror been responsible for the evil practices of idolatry, pornography, cinema, etc. The image of the mirror does not endure to tell the tale of idolatry and evil. Whereas the photograph can and has led to the greater part of today's vice and immorality.
3. Thirdly, mirrors existed during the time of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Again, the reflected image in water is not a phenomenon of the twenty-first century. All these types of reflected images existed during the time of our Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, but he never condemned them nor branded them as unlawful. On the other hand, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam condemned and rejected PICTURES of animate objects.