Photos in Islaam

[Three Temples Kungfu]

i didn't know that photos of human beings were not Sunnah. Can anyone cite me the daleel for this in shaa' Allaah.

Salaamun `alaykum.

[abuhajira]

i didn't know that photos of human beings were not Sunnah. Can anyone cite me the daleel for this in shaa' Allaah.

Salaamun `alaykum.

Here is one fatwa, you can search for a few more at www.askimam.org

Question
I have heard from hadith that making of figures is haram that is statues but iam confused about figures means only statues or portraits of human. I would like to draw human faces for money . please give a detail information about it.

Answer


In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful


Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

It is not permissible to draw pictures of human faces or any living creature.
(Aap ki Masā’il, vol 7 pg 68, Ludyānwi)
(Fatāwa Mahmoodiyyah, vol 19 pg 470, Farookiyyah)
(Fatāwa Rahimiyyah, vol 10 pg 146, Ishā’at)

أن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال أخبرني أبو طلحة رضي الله عنه صاحب رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم وكان قد شهد بدرا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أنه قال ( لا تدخل الملائكة بيتا فيه كلب ولا صورة ) . يريد صورة التماثيل التي فيها الأرواح

(Bukhari pg 570, Deoband)

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has mentioned: “The Angels (of mercy) do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture (i.e. of animate objects)

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت : دخل علي النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم وفي البيت قرام فيه صور فتلون وجهه ثم تناول الستر فهتكه وقالت قال النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم ( من أشد الناس عذابا يوم القيامة الذين يصورون هذه الصور )

(Bukhari pg 902, Deoband)

Hazrat Aisha (رضي الله عنها) reports that Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم)came to her and in the house there was a curtain which had pictures on it. His face turned colour, he took hold of the curtain and tore it. Thereafter Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) remarked: “Those who create these pictures will receive the most severe of punishments on the day of Qiyaamah”

عن ابن عباس أن النبى -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قال « من صور صورة عذبه الله بها يوم القيامة حتى ينفخ فيها وليس بنافخ

(Sunan Abi Dawood pg 329,HM Saeed )

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has mentioned: “Whoever creates a picture of an animate object, Allah Ta’ala will punish him on the day of Qiyaamah until he will give life to the picture, which he will be unable to do”.

However, if it is your hobby to draw pictures or a means of earning income, then the advice of Ibn Abbass
(رضي الله عنهما) is:

إن كنت لا بد فاعلا فاصنع الشجر وما لا نفس له

“If you have to draw, then draw either trees or inanimate objects”

If you adopt a Halaal means of income, Allah will grant you Barakah in that.



And Allah knows best

Wassalamu Alaikum

Ml. Rayhaan Docrat,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah

[Three Temples Kungfu]

Yes but i am speaking of a photograph not a drawing. If photographs are haraam it would seem the `ulemaa are unaware of it.

Salaam

[017]

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but doesnt the currency of Muslim countries like Oman and Saudi Arabia have the photos of their wulers in them? Is this allowed?

[Three Temples Kungfu]

Well these are two separate issues... One is the issue of artwork of human beings and animals... this is not what i am asking about. The other, that i am asking about, is regarding photographs, of which i have never heard anyone assert the hurmah of. If photographs are not haraam (which i have never seen evidence, let alone daleel for), then isn't prohibiting them, on an Islaamic forum, bid`ah?

Salaam

[sudoku]

Question

my question is weather pictures are haram in islam
i know drawing eyes is haram but if i use a camera and took pictures with that be considered as haram
please can you varifiy weather i am allowed to take pictures or not

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

During the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم there existed various ways of producing a picture; e.g. carving, painting, tracing, drawing, etc. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم prohibited all these different types of pictures. In other words, the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم declared that pictures are prohibited and not the means of taking the photo. The ruling of picture-making does not change by the changing of the tool with which the picture is produced.

The invention of a camera merely marks yet another method of taking a photo. In order to understand this further it is essential that you understand the definition of a photograph.

The Oxford Dictionary defines the term ‘photograph’ thus, “a picture taken by means of the chemical action of light on a sensitive film.”

The American heritage dictionary has defined it as “An image, especially a positive print, recorded by a camera and reproduced on a photosensitive surface.”

The Websters revised unabridged dictionary, “A picture or likeness obtained by photography.”

These citations prove that a photograph is a picture (and not a mere reflection). Therefore, they will fall in the ambit of the explicit prohibition which is found in numerous authentic Ahadith.

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Ismail Moosa,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah

[abuhajira]

(which i have never seen evidence, let alone daleel for)
Salaam

Could you please explain the difference between evidence and daleel?

Secondly could you give me the shar'i definition of photgraph and how is it different (in shar'iya) than a picture.

[Three Temples Kungfu]

Daleel means a proof in the sense that it is authoritative, demonstrative and will not waiver, like a guide who knows the way (as in the expressive form of Daleel meaning guide). It is used in Shariy`ah synonymously with Hujjah.

When i differentiate this from "evidence" it is because evidence is not necessarily authoritative. Evidence can make a thing seem a certain way, but upon being given more information/data/knowledge you can quickly realize that the evidence was MISleading and thus NOT daleel.

It would be like if i informed you that the picture i posted was taken with a digital camera, by my wife, and that it was never printed at all (to say nothing of not being printed in the manner you described), so it was never actually anything other than data and thus was never actually a picture (nor was it printed on a screen, it was interpreted as data on a screen which it retained no permanent image upon it). Thus, even by the definition that you gave of how cameras print pictures (which does not actually make the case that they are drawings, nor does it authenticate the hurmah of drawings for that matter; all entirely separate issues and irrelevant issues), we see that this is irrelevant to the digital display of images on a computer screen.

Lastly, there is no shari`yi definition of a photograph, because there was no such thing as photography in Muhammad's time. Thus, because he did not prohibit it it is impossible (actually haraam), for us to prohibit it by using our own imagination of what he would have said about it.

Salaam

[abuhajira]

Daleel means a proof in the sense that it is authoritative, demonstrative and will not waiver, like a guide who knows the way (as in the expressive form of Daleel meaning guide). It is used in Shariy`ah synonymously with Hujjah.

When i differentiate this from "evidence" it is because evidence is not necessarily authoritative. Evidence can make a thing seem a certain way, but upon being given more information/data/knowledge you can quickly realize that the evidence was MISleading and thus NOT daleel.

Okay, so since Daleel and Hujjah is now authoritative proof.. what in Shar'iah is "evidence"? Could you also give us some daleel or hujjah for these terms and their shar'i definitions...

It would be like if i informed you that the picture i posted was taken with a digital camera, by my wife, and that it was never printed at all (to say nothing of not being printed in the ....for that matter; all entirely separate issues and irrelevant issues), we see that this is irrelevant to the digital display of images on a computer screen.

Oh now I get it... You should have said before that your question is with regards to digital photography and not analog photography. Which begs the question that when you are not even clear on the understanding of the term photography in general non shar'i terms, then how can we expect a shar'i understanding of it from you. Nonetheless, we have discussed digital photography issue before on the forum. you can search for the thread. There is a major difference of opinion on the issue, and Ramadhan is not a time I would like to get into the nitty gritties of it..

Lastly, there is no shari`yi definition of a photograph, because there was no such thing as photography in Muhammad's [ ] time. Thus, because he did not prohibit it it is impossible (actually haraam), for us to prohibit it by using our own imagination of what he would have said about it.
Salaam

1. Please use salutations with Rasulullah's name . It is the command of Allah..
2. So meth, and vibe and other such drugs will also be permissible for consumption. Anyhow, we can understand that you need to read up a lot about Islamic Jurisprudence and Principles. Please utilize the forum wisely to learn, and not as a means of merely stir up different discussions for the sake of discussing.
3. Also please read this link for sure : http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37629

[Three Temples Kungfu]

1. Please use salutations with Rasulullah's name . It is the command of Allah..

Maa shaa' Allaah. Where does Allaah command this akhi? i try to stay away from bid`ah so please tell me where this is commanded by my lord.

2. So meth, and vibe and other such drugs will also be permissible for consumption. Anyhow, we can understand that you need to read up a lot about Islamic Jurisprudence and Principles. Please utilize the forum wisely to learn, and not as a means of merely stir up different discussions for the sake of discussing.

i appreciate attempts at humor and don't get worked up by them.

Like i said, i like to stick with the Qur'aan and Sunnah and the they say that we cannot just make up prohibitions as we go along.

Since my photograph was on the computer it seemed obvious that it was a digital photograph (since it was... digital). References to antiquated methods of photography is a different issue, as is the fact that it is not drawing or painting, neither does it fall into any of the criteria mentioned in ahadeeth that you cited about drawings and paintings.

Again, i am not a big fan of bid`ah so i just stay with the Qur'aan and Sunnah and not with new rules that make things haraam that Allaah did not declare haraam to Muhammad.

Now if you acknowledge that digital photography is halaal (at least), then why does this site prohibit it? Isn't this declaring something halaal to be haraam? Isn't this itself haraam?

Salaam