AND PHOTOGRAPHS IN ISLAM
ASSEMBLED
BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana
Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek
refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds.
Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves
astray, no one can guide. I bear witness
that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) is His slave and Messenger.
Thus far the word picture (suar) has
been used in reference to what is drawn, painted, or imprinted on a flat
surface. Photography is a recent invention which was obviously non-existent in
the time of the Prophet (peace be on him) and the early generations of Muslims.
Thus, the question naturally arises whether the Islamic rulings concerning pictures
and artists apply to photographs and photographers.
Those jurists who consider the
prohibition to be restricted to statues alone do not see anything objectionable
in photographic pictures, especially if they are not of the full figure.
Others raise many questions. Are
photographs similar to drawings? Is it not true that the reason stated in some
ahadith concerning the punishment of figure-makers, namely, imitation of
Allah's attribute of Creatorship, does not apply in the case of photographic
pictures? Does not the absence of the cause of prohibition nullify the
prohibition?
The late Sheikh Muhammad Bakhit, the
Egyptian jurist, ruled that since the photograph merely captures the image of a
real object through a camera, there is no reason for prohibition in this case.
Prohibited pictures are those whose object is not present and which is
originated by the artist, whose intention is to imitate Allah's animal
creation, and this does not apply to taking photographs with a camera. ('See the pamphlet, Al-Jawab al-Shafi fi Ibahat al-Taswir al-Fotografi.)
Even those who are very strict in
classifying all kinds of figures, including photographs, as detestable, exempt,
according to necessity, pictures retained for identity cards, passports,
keeping a record of suspects and criminals, pictures for instructional
purposes, and so on, with the proviso that there is no intention of respect or
sanctification of these pictures which would affect Islamic belief. The need
for such pictures is definitely greater than the "prints" on cloth
which were exempted by the Prophet (peace be on him).
Accordingly, if any kind of
photograph is to be prohibited, the subject matter will be the determing
factor. No Muslim would disagree concerning the prohibition of photographing
subjects whose portrayal is against the beliefs, morals, and laws of Islam.
Thus there cannot be any doubt concerning the prohibition of photographs,
drawings, and paintings of nude or semi-nudes, of those parts of the male or
female body which excite lust, or of pictures of men and women in sexy poses
such as one sees in various magazines, newspapers, and on the billboards of
movie "heaters. It is haram to make such pictures, to publish them, to buy
them, to take them into homes, offices or shops, or to hang them on walls. It
is haram to have the intention of looking at them.
The above applies to pictures of
tyrants. The Muslim is required to detest such people and to feel enmity toward
them for the sake of Allah. A Muslim is not permitted to make or acquire a
picture of a "great" man or leader who is an atheist and denies the
existence of God; of an idolater who worships cows, fire, or anything else; of
a Jew or Christian who denies the Messengership of Muhammad (peace be on him);
or of a professed Muslim who does not decide matters according to what Allah
has revealed.
Likewise, a Muslim should not make or
acquire pictures of immoral individuals who propagate obscenity and lewdness in
society, such as singers, actors, and other entertainers.
Similar is the case of pictures which
portray polytheistic rituals or symbols of other religions abhorrent to the
Islamic teachings, such as idols, crosses, and the like. Probably during the
time of the Prophet (peace be on him) a great majority of rugs, curtains, and
cushions bore these types of pictures. Al-Bukhari reported that the Prophet
(peace be on him) broke everything in his house which was made in the shape of
a cross. (Reported by al-Bukhari.)
Ibn Abbas narrated that, during the
conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) did not enter the
Sacred House (the Ka'aba) until all the figures in it were destroyed. (Reported by al-Bukhari.)
There is no doubt that these figures
and images represented the idolatrous practices of the Makkans and were the
legacy of generations of unbelief and error.
'Ali ibn Abu Talib narrated, The
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) was attending a funeral and he said, 'Who
among you is capable of going to Madinah and leaving no idol unbroken, no grave
unleveled, and no picture undefaced?' A man said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I am
able to do it.' He went, and after a time returned and reported, 'O Messenger
of Allah, I left no idol unbroken, no grave unleveled, and no picture
undefaced.' Then the Messenger of Allah declared, 'Anyone who returns to this
sort of practice will have rejected what was revealed to Muhammad.' (Reported by Ahmad. Al-Mondhari commented, "It has insha'Allah
good transmitters." Muslim reported on the authority of Hayyan ibn Hasein
that the latter said, " 'Ali told me, 'I shall tell you what the Messenger
of Allah (peace be on him) told me: "Do not leave any figure without
mutilating it or any grave without leveling it." ' ")
What could these pictures have been
which the Prophet (peace be on him) commanded to have defaced and mutilated
except a representation of the idolatry of the period of jahiliyyah? The
Prophet (peace be on him) was determined to purify Madinah of the remnants of
idolatry, and that is why he described a return to any such practice as
rejection of the message revealed to him.
We summarize here the rulings
pertaining to figures and figure-makers.
1. The most strictly prohibited figures
are those which are made to be worshiped in the place of or in addition to
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. If the one who makes them does it intentionally for
this purpose, he is going in the direction of unbelief (kufr). The most
detestable among such figures are statues. Anyone who has a share in
propagating or glorifying them will bear the sin proportional to his part.
2. Next to this in sinfulness are
figures which are not made to be worshiped but which are intended to imitate
Allah's creation. If the artist claims that he originates and creates as Allah
does, he is an unbeliever. This matter pertains solely to the intention of the
artist.
3. After this are statues which are
erected in public places in order to commemorate great personalities such as KINGS,
LEADERS AND CELEBRITIES; this applies equally to full-length statues and to
busts.
4. Next are statues of living beings
which are neither worshipped nor reverenced. There is general agreement that
they are haram, except those which are not treated in a manner indicative of
respect. Dolls or figures made of chocolate or sugar are clear exceptions.
5. Next are portraits of great people
such as RULERS AND POLITICAL LEADERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE DISPLAYED OR
HUNG ON WALLS. Strongly prohibited among these are portraits of tyrants,
atheists, and immoral individuals, for to respect them is to degrade Islam.
6. Next are pictures of people or
animals which are not accorded respect but constitute a display of luxury and
high living, as, for example, when they cover a wall or the like. These are classified
as detestable only.
7. Making and acquiring drawings or
paintings of trees, lakes, ships, mountains, and landscapes of this sort is
permitted. However, if they distract from worship or lead toward extravagant
living, they are disapproved.
8. Photographic pictures are basically
permissible. They become haram only when the subject matter is haram, as, for
example, in the case of idols, individuals who are revered either because of
their religious or worldly status, especially the leaders of idolaters,
Communists or other unbelievers, or immoral individuals such as actors and
entertainers.
9. Finally, if the prohibited statues
and pictures are defaced or degraded, their use becomes permissible; an example
of this are figures on a rug or carpet, because they are walked upon.
ISLAM PROHIBITS STATUES
Islam has
prohibited the keeping of statues in the Muslim home. By statues is meant
complete, solid figures which have not been disfigured or otherwise defaced.
Their presence in a house is considered sufficient to drive away the angels,
who represent Allah's mercy and His pleasure. As the Messenger of Allah (peace
be on him) said, "Assuredly the angels do not enter a house in which there are
statues (or figures)." (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim; the
wording is from Muslim.)
According
to the commentary of scholars, a person who keeps statues in his house is
similar to unbelievers, whose practice it is to keep and venerate idols in
their homes. The angels are repelled by this; they do not enter such a house
and abandon it.
It is also
forbidden to the Muslim to engage in manufacturing statues, even if he makes
them for non-Muslims. The Prophet (peace be on him) said: "Among
the people receiving the harshest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be
the makers of figures,"
or, in
another version, "the of Allah's creation." (Reported by
al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
He also
said, On the
Day of Resurrection, the maker of a figure will be asked to breathe a spirit
into it, and he will never be able to do so, (Reported by
al-Bukhari and others.) meaning
that he will be asked to bring it to life in order to reproach and humiliate
him.
a. One of the reasons for this
prohibition, although not the only one, as some people may suppose, is to
safeguard the belief in the Oneness of God and to be far-removed from the
practices of idolaters, who fashion statues and idols with their own hands and
then sanctify them, standing before them in adoration.
Islam's sensitivity in safeguarding the belief in the Unity of God is very acute, and assuredly this caution and concern is quite justified. In the final analysis, the worship of idols originated when people began making statues of their dead or pious ancestors in order to remember them. Gradually they began to venerate them, adding to this veneration little by little until they had made the statues into gods, worshipping them besides God, asking them for help, fearing their anger, and imploring them for blessings. This is what happened, among earlier communities such as the people of Wadd, Suwwa' Yaghuth, Ya'uq, and Nasra. (Names of pagan deities of antiquity who are mentioned in the Qur'an (71:23). For an explanation, see for example, the commentary in Yusuf 'All's translation of the Holy Qur'an, Appendix XIII, following Surah Nuh (71). (Trans.))
It is not surprising that a religion which seeks to halt all corruption should block every passage through which shirk (polytheism), either open or hidden, may slip into the minds and hearts of the people. Among such passageways is the imitation of idolaters or of the followers of other religions who have exaggerated respect for their saints. Moreover, Islam's legislation is not merely intended for one or two generations but is for all mankind for as long as it shall exist on this planet.". What may seem unlikely in one environment may become acceptable in another, and what appears impossible at one time may materialize into reality at another.
Islam's sensitivity in safeguarding the belief in the Unity of God is very acute, and assuredly this caution and concern is quite justified. In the final analysis, the worship of idols originated when people began making statues of their dead or pious ancestors in order to remember them. Gradually they began to venerate them, adding to this veneration little by little until they had made the statues into gods, worshipping them besides God, asking them for help, fearing their anger, and imploring them for blessings. This is what happened, among earlier communities such as the people of Wadd, Suwwa' Yaghuth, Ya'uq, and Nasra. (Names of pagan deities of antiquity who are mentioned in the Qur'an (71:23). For an explanation, see for example, the commentary in Yusuf 'All's translation of the Holy Qur'an, Appendix XIII, following Surah Nuh (71). (Trans.))
It is not surprising that a religion which seeks to halt all corruption should block every passage through which shirk (polytheism), either open or hidden, may slip into the minds and hearts of the people. Among such passageways is the imitation of idolaters or of the followers of other religions who have exaggerated respect for their saints. Moreover, Islam's legislation is not merely intended for one or two generations but is for all mankind for as long as it shall exist on this planet.". What may seem unlikely in one environment may become acceptable in another, and what appears impossible at one time may materialize into reality at another.
b. Another reason for this prohibition
concerns the maker of statues, the sculptor, himself. Sculptors tend to feel
pride in their work, as if they had created something out of nothing or had
given life to clay or stone. A sculptor once completed a figure after a great
deal of labor; it was so perfect and d so beautiful that he stood before it,
lost in admiration of its fine lines and features until, overwhelmed with pride
and exhilaration, he 8 said to it, "Speak! Speak!" This is why the
Noble Messenger (peace be on him) said, Those who make figures will be chastised on
the Day of Resurrection. They will be e told, 'Put life into what you have
creased.' (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
And in a hadith quasi, Allah Ta'ala says: Who does greater wrong than he who desires to create the like of what I create? Let them create an atom! Let them create a grain of barley! (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
And in a hadith quasi, Allah Ta'ala says: Who does greater wrong than he who desires to create the like of what I create? Let them create an atom! Let them create a grain of barley! (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
c. Those who engage in this art stop at
nothing, producing statues of nude or erotic figures and the deities and saints
of other religions. A Muslim is not permitted to acquiesce in regards to such
practices.
d. Finally, statues have been, and still
are, symbols of aristocratic and luxurious living". People in high places
fill their palaces, halls, and chambers with statues fabricated of many
materials. It is not surprising that a religion which declares war on luxury in
all its manifestations, should prohibit the Muslim from having statues in his
home.
THE ISLAMIC MANNER OF COMMEMORATING THE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN
Now
someone may ask, "Is it t not an expression of a people's loyalty to the
memory of its heroes, whose great deeds are recorded in the annals of history,
to erect statues in their honor as a reminder to future generations of their
achievements and greatness? Peoples' memories are short, and the passage of
time will make them forget the past."
The answer
is that Islam abhors excessive glorification of people, no matter how "GREAT"
they may be, whether they are living or dead. The Prophet (peace be on him)
said, Do not
glorify me in the same manner as the Christians glorify Jesus, son of Mary, but
say, 'He is a slave of Allah and His Messenger.' (Reported by
al-Bukhari and others.)
When his
Companions wanted to stand up to greet him out of respect, he forbade them,
saying, "Do not stand up as the Persians do, some people honoring the
others." (Reported by Abu Daoud and Ibn Majah.)
And he
warned his followers against praising him excessively after his death, saying, "Do not
make of my grave a site for festivals," (Reported by
Abu Daoud.) and he
prayed to his Lord, "O my Lord, do not let my grave be made into an idol to be
worshipped." (Reported by Malik in Al-Muwatta.)
Once some
people came to the Prophet (peace be on him) and addressed him in the following
words: "O Messenger of Allah, the best of us and the son of the best of
us, our leader and the son of our leader." He said, O people, say
what you said previously or a part of it, and do not let Satan mislead you. I
am Muhammad, a slave of Allah and His Messenger. I do not like your raising my
status above the status which Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, has given me. (Reported by al-Nisai on good
authority.)
A religion
whose teachings concerning even the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) is one
of such moderation can never tolerate the erecting of idol-like statues for
some individuals, involving expenditures running into thousands of dollars so
that people may point to them with admiration and esteem. Many pretenders to
greatness and self-proclaimed makers of history have slipped into the hall of
fame through this open door, since anyone who is able to do SQ erects statues
or monuments to himself, or lets his admirers do it for him, so that people are
misled from appreciating those who are truly great.
The
Believers aspire only to that true immortality which can be bestowed by Allah
alone, Who knows the secret and the hidden, Who neither misleads nor forgets.
In His register of immortality there is the name of many a person whose
greatness has remained unrecognized by the people. Indeed, the Most High loves
those Godfearing and religious souls who remember Him in the secrecy of their
hearts, who do great service without fanfare, whose presence is not felt in a
gathering of people and whose absence is not missed
When the
greatness of some of these noble souls is recognized by the people, its
perpetuation for coming generations is not to be achieved by erecting statues
of them. The correct Islamic method of commemoration is to keep their memory
alive in the hearts and minds by speaking about their good deeds, ideas, and
achievements.
The
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him), the caliphs, the leaders, and the imams
of Islam were never immortalized in figures or statues. In this faith the
fathers tell their children, and they in turn pass on to their own children,
the stories of such peoples' achievements and ideas. At meetings and gatherings
these stories are like breaths of fresh air, filling the hearts and minds of
Muslims without any need for pictures or statues.
I quote
here part of a lecture entitled "Toward a New Understanding of
Islam," by Professor Muhammad al-Mubarak, Dean of the College of the
Shari'ah, University of Damascus, delivered at al-Azhar University. The section
quoted here contains an incisive analysis of the whole question of how to
perpetuate the memory of the great.
We are
faced with the situation that many new modes, systems, and habits which are
inconsistent with our correct beliefs and established moral principles have
found their way into our social life. Among these is the manner in which
Europeans and Americans commemorate the* heroes by erecting statues of them. If
we examine this matter with an open mind, free of subservience to whatever
comes from the West, and reflect on ways of commemorating the lofty
achievements of the great, we find the Arabs, in particular, memorializnothing
of their great personages except their noble deeds and good qualities such as
fidelity, generosity, and courage. Their manner of perpetuating their memories
was to recount tales of their heroes, passing them down form one generation to
another, and to compose and recite eulogies in the form of poetry. In this
manner the generosity of Hatim and the bravery of 'Antarah became proverbial in
the days before Islam.
When Islam
came, it emphasized the meaning underlying this method. It declared that the
best of Allah's creation and the last of His Messengers (peace be on him) was
but a mortal man: 'Say: Indeed, I am a mortal like you; my Lord inspires me.'
(18:111) It emphasized that the worth of human beings lies in their deeds and
not in their physical form; it made the Messenger (peace be on him) an example
for all mankind to follow; and it forbade such sanctification and exaggerated
respect for men which resembles adoration and which, by implication, signifies
the denigration of the rest of mankind.
When the
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) passed away to meet his Lord, the first
caliph drew peoples' attention to this fact, saying, 'If anyone worshipped
Muhammad, then (know that) Muhammad is dead, but if anyone worshipped Allah,
then Allah is living and does not die.' He then recited the words of Allah
Ta'ala: 'Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed
away before him. If, then, he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your
heels?' (3:144)
Islam
immortalizes the memories of people because of their good and beneficent deeds;
the remembrance of them remains in the hearts of Muslims. Thus, the literate
and illiterate, the young and the old, know about the justice of 'Umar, the
firmness and wisdom of Abu Bakr, and the piety and courage of 'Ali. No statue
made of stone was needed to commemorate any of them because their deeds and
qualities are inscribed in peoples' hearts.
Commemoration
by means of erecting statues is in reality a regression to the remote past, a
descent from a higher plane; it was the method of the Greeks and Romans which
was adopted by Europeans....
In respect
to the concept of the nature of man and his true worth, they are far inferior
to the Muslims, even to the pre-Islamic Arabs, since because of their inability
to grasp the true stature of man and his potentialities, they are able only to
conceive of great men as gods, and of their gods as men incarnate.
What we are
pointing out is that it does not befit us to imitate this alien practice which
is inferior to our own, and we must not deviate from the ruling of the Shari'ah
that making statues is haram and is harmful to human psychology and morals.
If there
are some kinds of three-dimensional figures which are not intended to be
accorded respect or to be displayed as an expression of high living, then the
above cautionary statements do not apply. Islam does not close its mind to them,
nor does it see any harm in their use.
Children's
playthings such as dolls, in the form of humans, animals, and the like fall
into this category. Said the Prophet's wife 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with
her): I used
to play with dolls in the house of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) and
my friends would come over to play with me. They would hide when they saw the
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) approaching, but he was in fact very happy
to see them with me, and so we played together. (Reported by
al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
'Aisha
also reported, One day the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) asked me, 'What are
these?' 'My dolls,' I replied. 'What is this in the middle?' he asked. 'A
horse,' I replied. 'And what are these things on it?' he asked. 'Wings,' I
said. 'A horse with wings?' he asked. 'Have not you heard that Solomon, the son
of David, had horses with wings?' I said. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah
(peace be on him) laughed so heartily that I could see his molars. (Reported by Abu Daoud.)
The dolls
mentioned in the above hadith are the dolls with which children play, as 'Aisha
was quite young when she married the Prophet (peace be on him). Al-Shawkani
says that these ahadith are sufficient proof of the permissibility of
children's playing with statue-like three-dimensional figures (i.e., dolls of
human or animal shape). It is reported that once Imam Malik saw a man buying
dolls for his daughter and he disliked it, but Qadi 'Ayyad says that it is
permissible for girls to play with dolls. (Because girls are more likely to play with dolls than boys, only girls
have been mentioned here. However, this does not imply any prohibition for boys
to do so. (Trans.))
This
permission also applies to figures made of sweets for festive occasions since
they are used only as food.
It is
reported in the books of Hadith that the angel Gabriel (Jibril) once refused to
enter the house of Allah's Messenger (peace be on him) because there was a
statue by its door. He did not enter it again the following day but said to the
Prophet (peace be on him), "Order that the head of the statue be broken off so that it
resembles the trunk of a tree." (Reported by Abu Daoud, al-Nisai, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Hibban.)
On the
basis of this hadith some scholars have argued that what is haram are complete
figures, but if some part of them is missing without which a human being cannot
survive, they are allowed However, the true and correct interpretation of
Jibril's asking that the head be broken off in order to make it look like a
tree trunk is not that without the head life is impossible, but that the statue
was then defaced and consequently viewing it would not generate feelings of
respect toward it.
If we
ponder over the matter objectively, we will undoubtedly conclude that it is
more haram to set up busts in public places in order to perpetuate the memory
of kings and great men than to have full figured statues in the home for the
purpose of decoration.
We have
explained the Islamic position concerning the solid figures we term
"statues," but what about figures and art work executed on plane
surfaces such as paper, cloth, curtains, walls, coins, paper currency, and the
like?
Concerning
this issue, we say that no general ruling is possible here and that each case
is to be judged individually. What does the picture depict? Where is it placed?
What is its use? What was the artist's purpose in making the picture? It is
these questions which must be looked into.
If the
pictures become objects of worship, as for example the cow does for Hindus,
whoever makes them with this purpose is in reality nothing but an unbeliever
propagating shirk and error. Again, the Prophet (peace be on him) threatened
such people with dire punishment in the Hereafter saying, "On the
Day of Resurrection the most severe chastisement will be for the makers of
figures." (Reported by Muslim.)
Al-Tabari,
explaining the meaning of this hadith, says, "What is meant here by makers
of figures are those who make figures in order that they may be worshipped
besides Allah, and this is unbelief (kufr). As for those who do not make them
for this purpose, they will be guilty only of making a representation
(suar)." Similarly, if someone hangs such pictures on the wall in order to
venerate them, his act is not that of a Muslim, for Islam has departed from his
heart.
We next
examine the case of the person who makes pictures not so that they should be
worshiped but so that they may be likened to Allah's creation; he feels a sense
of pride that he has created as Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, has created.
Such an individual has rebelled against belief in tawheed, and concerning him
the Prophet (peace be on him) said, The most severely punished among people (on
the Day of Resurrection) will be those who try to create something similar to
what Allah has created.
This
pertains directly to the intention of the artist. Perhaps the hadith quasi
cited earlier, Who does greater wrong than he who desires to create the like of what I
create? Let them create an atom! Let them create a grain of barley! beathis out as well. Again, what is
referred to here is the intention of those artists who want to imitate Allah's
attributes of Creator and Originator. Allah's challenge to them to create an
atom or a grain of barley points to the fact that their artistic work implies
an intention to create something similar to what He has created. To shame them
for this on the Day of Resurrection, they will be told publicly, "Bring to
life what you created," which of course they can never do. It is
prohibited to make or to acquire portraits of individuals who are either
revered in a religion or respected for their wordly status. Examples of the
first category are representations of prophets such as Abraham, Isaac, David,
and Jesus; of angels such as Jibril and Mika'eel (Michael); and of saints and
righteous individuals such as Maryam (Mary) and the like. This is a Jewish or
Christian custom. Unfortunately, some Muslims, making innovations in religion
and imitating the People of the Book, have begun to make and to acquire
portraits of 'All, Fatimah, and others.
The second
category includes portraits of kings, leaders, and artists in our time.
Although there is less evil in this case, nevertheless we must emphasize its
evil, especially if those portrayed are non-believers, tyrants, or wrong-doers,
such as rulers who do not judge according to what Allah has revealed, leaders
who call people to a message other than the message of Allah Subhanahu wa
Ta'ala, and artists who glorify falsehood and propagate lewdness and immorality
among people.
It appears
that many of the portraits made during the time of the Prophet (peace be on
him) and thereafter were of the kind which glorify personages; most probably
they were painted by Greeks or Persians, and consequently were never free of
the imprint of their beliefs and the sanctification of their saints and rulers.
Muslim reported that AbuDuha said, I was with Masrooq in a house which had
statues. Masrooq asked me, 'Are these statues of Khosrau?" (The ruler of Persia. (Trans.)) said, 'No these are statues of Mary.'
Masrooq assumed them to be the handiwork of a Magian, because the Magians used
to portray the figures of their kings even on jars, but when it became clear
that they were the work of a Christian, he said, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said that
he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) say, "Among the people
receiving the harshest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be the makers
of figures." '
Drawing,
painting, and acquiring pictures of plants, trees, and inanimate objects such
as lakes, oceans, ships, mountains, the sun, moon, stars, and the like from
scenes of nature is permitted. There is no difference of opinion in this
regard. Moreover, if someone wants to make a picture of an animate being with
no intention of competing with Allah as creator or for its glorification or
respect, there is no prohibition of doing so; there are numerous sound ahadith
in this regard.
Muslim
reported in his Sahih, on the authority of Basr ibn Sa'id, who heard it from
Zayd ibn Khalid, who heard it from Ibn Talha, a Companion of the Prophet (peace
be on him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, "The
angels do not enter a house in which there are figures." (Reported by Muslim.)
Basr said,
"Thereafter Zayd became ill and we went to visit him.
There was
a picture on the curtain of his door. I said to my companion' 'Ubayd Allah
al-Khulani, who was the servant of the Prophet's wife Maymunah, 'Was it not
Zayd who told us about pictures the other day?' 'Ubayd Allah replied, 'Did you
not hear him when he said, "Except if it is made of cloth?" ' "
Al-Tirmidhi
reported on the authority of 'Utbah that once the latter went to visit Abu
Talhah al-Ansari, who was ill, and he found Sahl ibn Hanif (another Companion)
there. Abu Talhah called someone to come and tear up the sheet which was under
him. "Why tear it up?" Sahl asked. "There are pictures on it,
and you know what the Prophet (peace be on him) said concerning that," Abu
Talhah replied. "Did he not also say, 'Except if it is made on cloth?'
" Sahl asked. "Yes, but it makes me feel better," Abu Talhah
replied. al-Tirmidhi classifies this hadith as good and sound (hasan wa sahih).
Do not
these two ahadith prove that the figures which are prohibited are those which
are solid, that is to say "statues?" As for figures drawn or printed
on wood, paper, cloth, rugs and carpets, walls, and the like, there is no
sound, explicit, and straightforward text to prove that they are forbidden.
True, there are sound ahadith which merely indicate the Prophet's dislike for
such types of pictures because they are reminiscent of those who live in luxury
and love things of inferior value.
Muslim
reported from Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani, who quoted Abu Talhah al-Ansari as
saying, I heard the Messenger of Allah's statement, 'The angels do not enter a
house in which there is a dog or statues.' I then went to see 'Aisha and asked
her, 'Are you aware that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said,
"The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or statues?"
Did you hear the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) mention this?' She
replied, 'No, but I will tell you what he did. Once when he had gone on an
expedition I draped the door with a curtain having pictures on it. When he
returned and saw it, I could discern from his face that he disliked it. He
pulled it down and tore it apart, saying, "Allah has not commanded us to
clothe stone and clay." 'She said, 'We cut it and made two pillows out of
the cloth, stuffing them with palm fibres. He did not criticize me for that.'Nothing
can be inferred from this hadith except that to decorate walls and such things
with curtains on which there are pictures is mildly disapproved. Al-Nawawi
said, "There is nothing in the hadith implying prohibition. In fact, the
crucial words are, 'Allah has not commanded us to do that.' This implies that
such a thing is not obligatory or meritorious; in no way does it imply
prohibition."
Muslim has
also reported from 'Aisha that she said, "We had a curtain with the figure
of a bird on it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) entered the
house, he saw it right in front of him and he said, 'Remove it from here. When
I enter and see it, I am reminded of this world.' "
The
Prophet (peace be on him) did not tell 'Aisha to tear up the curtain but only
to remove it from the place where it hung facing the entrance; he disliked
seeing it there because it brought to his mind the world and its attractions.
This is not strange, since the Prophet (peace be on him) used to perform the
sunnah and nafil (voluntary) salat at home. Curtains and bedspreads or statues
perhaps would have distracted him from concentration in his salat and complete
attention in his supplications. Al-Bukhari also reported Anas as saying,
"Aisha had covered a part of her apartment with a drape. The Messenger of
Allah (peace be on him) told her, 'Take it away from my sight because its
figures keep distracting me from my salat.' "
It is
quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) did
not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a drape with
figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars
of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which
cast shadows (meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast
shadows (meaning on plane surfaces)." (Al-Nawawi mentions this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it,
saying that it represents a wrong position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has
traced this opinion on sound authority back to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu
Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his time.)
In further
support of this position we again quote the hadith quasi in which Allah Ta'ala
says, Who does
greater wrong than he who desires to create the like of what I create? Let them
create an atom! Let them create a grain of barley!
As is
evident, Allah's creation does not consist of two-dimensional drawings on a
plane surface, for He fashions three-dimensional corporeal beings. As he says, It is HeWho
fashions you in the wombs as He pleases.... (3:6)
There is
only one hadith, narrated by both al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of
'Aisha, which poses some difficulty. 'Aisha said that she bought a cushion with
pictures on it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) saw it, he
stopped at the door and did not enter her apartment. She saw signs of
displeasure on his face and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I turn to Allah
and His Messenger in repentance. What have I done wrong?" He said,
"What is this cushion?" She said, "I bought it for you to sit on
or to rest your head." The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) then said,
The
makers of such figures will be punished and will be told, 'Bring to life what
you have created.' He continued, 'The angels do not enter a house in which
there are figures.'
In the
version of Muslim there is the addition, " 'Aisha said that she then cut
it and made two pillows to recline upon."
However,
this hadith is objectionable on several counts:
1. The content of this hadith has been
transmitted in many versions which appear to be mutually contradictory. Some of
them say that the Prophet (peace be on him) used the curtain with pictures
after it was cut and made into cushions. In other versions there was no curtain
to begin with.
2. According to some versions, only his
disapproval of covering walls with printed curtains is established, the reason
for his disapproval being that they were a sign of luxury. In the version by
Muslim he is reported to have said, "Allah has not commanded us to clothe
stone and clay."
3. Then there is the hadith from 'Aisha
herself, transmitted by Muslim, about the curtain with the picture of a bird on
it and the Prophet's saying, "Remove it from here. When I enter and see
it, I am reminded of this world." This statement does not say anything
concerning its prohibition.
4. There is also the hadith concerning
the drape in 'Aisha's house which distracted the Prophet's attention from his
prayers, whereupon he instructed her to remove it. Al-Hafiz says, "There
is a problem in reconciling this hadith and the hadith of the cushion, both of
which are ascribed to 'Aisha. This hadith indicates that he had allowed the
drape to remain in the house as long as it had not distracted his attention
from prayer; he did not have any particular objection to the pictures on
it." Al-Hafiz then tries to reconcile the two ahadith by saying that the
cushion had a picture of a living creature while the drape had pictures of
inanimate objects. However, his attempt at reconciliation fails with respect to
the hadith concerning the curtain with the picture of the bird on it.
5. The hadith concerning the cushion
contradicts the hadith reported by Abu Talhah in which figures on cloth were
exempted. Al-Qurtabi says, "Reconciliation is possible between the two
(ahadith), as 'Aisha's hadith indicates the disapproval of the Prophet (peace
be on him), while Abu Talhah's hadith indicates absolute permissibility, and
these two are not contradictory." Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar agreed with this
statement.
6. The transmitter of the hadith of the
cushion from 'Aisha was her nephew al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr. Al-Qasim
himself permitted pictures on a plane surface. Ibn 'Awm said, "I entered
al-Qasim's house, which was in the outskirts of Makkah, and I saw a cloth
canopy with figures of a beaver and a phoenix." (Fath al-Bari, reported on the authority
of Ibn Abi Shaybah, who quotes al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr. The
transmitters are sound.) Al-Hafiz
explains, "He probably adhered to the generality of the Prophet's saying,
'Except if it is made on cloth,' and understood the Prophet's stand toward
'Aisha's curtain as a special case. That is, the Prophet (peace be on him)
disapproved of the combination of draping the wall and of the cloth having
pictures on it. This is supported by the remark, "Allah has not commanded
us to clothe stone and clay." Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr was one
of the seven jurists of Madinah and the best of his time; it was he who
transmitted the hadith of the - cushion. Consequently, if he had not been
convinced of the permissibility of this cloth canopy he would not have had it. (See the section on "Figures and
Artists" in Fath al-Bari)
There is
another way of reconciling these ahadith. Probably in the early period of Islam
the Prophet (peace be on him) was very strict in prohibiting all pictures, as
the Muslims had only recently come out o f the state of polytheism and
idol-worship, and were prone to sanctifying figures and statues. As the belief
in the Oneness of Allah became deeply rooted in their hearts and minds, he
allowed them two-dimensional figures, that is, drawings and prints. As for
himself, he disliked having curtains or drapes with figures and pictures in his
house, not exempting even drawings or prints on, cloth, paper, or the wall.
One of the
great Hanafi jurists, al-Tahawi, says, "In the beginning the Prophet
(peace be on him) prohibited all types of figures, even if they were two
dimensional, since the Muslims had only recently converted from the worship of
images. Accordingly, everything of this type was prohibited. Later he lifted
the prohibition from cloth with prints because of the necessity of wearing
clothes. He also permitted figures which were not treated in a respectful manner, (As is evident from these ahadith, this
would include figures which are made into pillows or cushions on which to sit
or recline, figures in rugs or carpets which are trod upon and the like.
(Trans.)) since there
was no danger that the ignorant would venerate what was debased. The
prohibition of figures which are not debased was never lifted." (This has
been reported by Sheikh Bakhit in AI-Jawab al-Shafi.)
Any change
in a figure which keeps it from being treated with respect and renders it
debased transfers it from the sphere of detestability into that of
permissibility. It is reported in the hadith that Jibril sought permission of
the Prophet (peace be on him) to enter; when he bade him come in, Jibril said,
"How can I enter while there is a curtain with figures in your house? If
you have need of it, cut off the heads (of the figures), or cut it into pieces
and make cushions, or use it as a floor-mat." (Al-Nisai, as well as Ibn Hibban in his
Sahih.)
These
words explain why, on observing the Prophet's dislike of the cushion with the
pictures, 'Aisha changed it into smaller cushions for reclining upon, in order
that by such use there would not be the slightest imputation of respect for
what was depicted.
We have
evidence that the early generations of Muslims used objects with pictures on
them but only in a way which did not denote respect. 'Urwah used arm cushions
with pictures of birds and men on them. 'Ikrimah said, "We detested seeing
figures in the upright position but did not mind if they were in rugs or mats,
since to tread on them was to debase them."
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