To draw

Believer1985

Junior Member
Salam to you all.

I have a common question to pose. I have only once got an answer out of it.
I have heard we are not allowed to draw pictures of people or animals because on the Last Day Allah (swt) will ask us to "breathe life" into them. I dont know if there is any truth to that.
I asked me Islamic Teacher that question and she said we ARE allowed to draw such things because we dont exactly praise them or worship them. I believe her and I draw quite a lot (to be honest) because I'm naturally creative.
I just wanted to see your views.

Salam
xoxox
 

Steve940

Junior Member
:salam2:

It is haram to draw images that imitate Allah's creation. It is very urgent that you never, ever, EVER do it again.

Question:
What is the ruling on drawing in Islam?.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

Drawing is of two types:

One is drawing pictures of animate beings. It says in the Sunnah that this is forbidden. It is not permitted to draw anything that depicts animate beings, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, according to the saheeh hadeeth: “Every image maker will be in the Fire.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most severely punished of people on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers, those who tried to imitate the creation of Allaah.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The makers of these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and they will be told, ‘Give life to that which you have created.’”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed those who consume riba (interest, usury) and those who pay it, and he cursed the image-makers. This indicates that making images is forbidden. The scholars interpreted that as referring to images of animate beings such as animals, people and birds.

With regard to drawing inanimate objects – which is the second type of drawing – there is no sin in that, such as drawing mountains, trees, planes, cars and the like. There is nothing wrong with that, according to the scholars.

With regard to forbidden kinds of pictures, an exception is made in cases of necessity, such as drawing pictures of criminals so that they will be known and caught, or pictures for identity cards which are essential and which cannot be obtained otherwise, and other cases of necessity. If the ruler decides that producing images of criminals is necessary, because of the seriousness of their crimes and to protect the Muslims from their evil when they are known, or for other reasons, there is nothing wrong with that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“…He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity …”

[al-An’aam 6:119]


Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb by Shaykh Ibn Baaz, p. 302.

:salam2:
 

Believer1985

Junior Member
Salam brother Steve
i did not know that, so thanks.
but it does lead me to wonder why we are not allowed if we have no bad intentions? especially in the western world
and how come my Islamic teacher said we ARE allowed?

Thank you
Salam
 

Steve940

Junior Member
:wasalam:

Many images have been made without bad intentions in the past. When a pious person would die, nations of the past (pre islamic) and even since then, the people would make a statue to remember that person by. When the people see this image, they are reminded of them and how they lived, which inspired them to live better.

However, when this generation dies, and the new generations come, the purpose of the statue is lost. Thus, the people begin to worship the statue.

However, I know that in this modern age, idol worshiping in western countries is hardly common, and even if people see images they don't worship them. However, this is a command that we are obliged to follow, and Allah knows best.

As for your teacher, they might just be misinformed. Tell them about it, and if they don't believe you (many people are skeptics) present them with the proof.

:salam2:
 

melissa123

Not Junior Anymore!!
This is an interesting topic, does that mean you cant take photos of people? What if it is just for memories and documentation? I personally like to look at photographs of people from the past.. and what about in bird books and things like that?
 

IslamIsLight

Islam is my life
Staff member
assalamu aleikum
U can draw nature ,trees ,flowers
I used to love to draw and had many paintings ,but I totally destroyed it ,after I learned it from the hadith...I still draw but not images.i used to do portraits and liked to draw people a lot,but not anymore.
waaleikum salam
 

melissa123

Not Junior Anymore!!
Wouldnt be ok to draw something that is already existing though? because you are not creating something, like you are not trying to create a new person, or design a new person, just drawing what Allah has already made...
 

Imran_00

Descendent of Aadam
salaam allaikum










Question:
Is it permissible to draw imaginary pictures such as a man with wings?.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

The focus of the prohibition on image making is images of animate beings, whether they are sculpted or drawn on walls or fabric or paper, or they are woven, and whether they are drawn with a quill or pen or made with a machine, and whether the image is of the creature as it naturally appears or whether imagination comes into play and it is made smaller or larger, or made beautiful or distorted, or the skeleton inside is shown in the picture.

The reason for the prohibition is that what is represented is animate beings, even if they are imaginary images such as those that are drawn to represent ancient peoples such as the pharaohs and commanders and soldiers during the Crusades, or images of Jesus and Mary that are placed in churches, etc. This is because of the general meaning of the texts and because of the imitation of the creation of Allaah, and because it is a means that leads to shirk.

From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 1/479.

Muslim narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came from a journey and I had hung a curtain at my door, on which were pictures of horses with wings, and he told me to take it down.

This hadeeth indicates that images of animate beings are not allowed even if they are imaginary pictures of things that do not exist in real life, because there are no horses with wings in real life.

And Allaah knows best.




“…He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity …”

[al-An’aam 6:119]



Islam Q&A




---------------


Another thing i hear from Dr Billal Philips is that it is like giving challange to allah when you creat animate biengs Like Human and animals. However you can make sceneries because they dont have soul in it. You are prohibited to make things with soul in it.


-----------------------
 

Imran_00

Descendent of Aadam
salaam allaikum



This is an interesting topic, does that mean you cant take photos of people? What if it is just for memories and documentation? I personally like to look at photographs of people from the past.. and what about in bird books and things like that?

Question:
ASSALAMALEIKUM
My question is : IS the taking of PHOTOGRAPHS ALLOWED,(I know drawing pictures of living things is not allowed -but what about taking photograph's of people etc.), can you supply me with some evidence please. I need this information quickly.- Inshallah.
Jaazakala hair.


Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

Photography (tasweer) means the taking of pictures of living, animate moving beings, like people, animals, birds, etc. The ruling is that it is forbidden on the basis of a number of reports, such as the following:

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/382).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be exalted, says: 'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like My creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 10/385).

'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it." (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa'i; this is the version narrated by al-Nisaa'i).

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbaas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects." (Reported by Muslim, 3/1871)

These ahaadeeth indicate that pictures of animate beings are haraam, whether they are humans or other creatures, whether they are three-dimensional or two-dimensional, whether they are printed, drawn, etched, engraved, carved, cast in moulds, etc. These ahaadeeth include all of these types of pictures.

The Muslim should submit to the teachings of Islam and not argue with them by saying, "But I am not worshipping them or prostrating to them!" If we think about just one aspect of the evil caused by the prevalence of photographs and pictures in our times, we will understand something of the wisdom behind this prohibition: that aspect is the great corruption caused by the provoking of physical desires and subsequent spread of immorality caused by these pictures.

The Muslim should not keep any pictures of animate beings in his house, because they will prevent the angels from entering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/380).

But nowadays, unfortunately, one can even find in some Muslim homes statues of gods worshipped by the kuffaar (such as Buddha etc.) which they keep on the basis that they are antiques or decorative pieces. These things are more strictly prohibited than others, just as pictures which are hung up are worse than pictures which are not hung up, for how easily they can lead to glorification, and cause grief or be a source of boasting! We cannot say that these pictures are kept for memory's sake, because true memories of a Muslim relative or friend reside in the heart, and we remember them by praying for mercy and forgiveness for them.

Taking pictures with a camera involves human actions such as focusing, pressing the shutter, developing, printing, and so on. We cannot call it anything other than "picture-making" or tasweer, which is the expression used by all Arabic-speakers to describe this action.

In the book Al-I'laam bi naqd kitaab al-halaal wa'l-haraam, the author says: "Photography is even more of an imitation of the creation of Allaah than pictures which are engraved or drawn, so it is even more deserving of being prohibited… There is nothing that could exclude photography from the general meaning of the reports." (p. 42, see also Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/355).

Among the scholars who have discussed the issue of photography is Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, who said: "Some of them differentiate between hand-drawn pictures and photographic images by claiming that the latter are not products of human effort, and that no more is involved than the mere capturing of the image. This is what they claim. The tremendous energy invested the one who invented this machine that can do in few seconds what otherwise could not be done in hours does not count as human effort, according to these people! Pointing the camera, focusing it, and taking the picture, preceded by installation of the film and followed by developing and whatever else that I may not know about… none of this is the result of human effort, according to them!

Some of them explain how this photography is done, and summarize that no less than eleven different actions are involved in the making of a picture. In spite of all this, they say that this picture is not the result of human action! Can it be permissible to hang up a picture of a man, for example, if it is produced by photography, but not if it is drawn by hand?

Those who say that photography is permitted have "frozen" the meaning of the word "tasweer," restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is "tasweer" or "picture-making" in every sense - linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?"
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 38)

It is also worth quoting the opinion of some contemporary scholars who allow the taking of photographs but say that the pictures should not be kept: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (See al-Sharh al-Mumti', 2/198).

There are many bad things involved in the making of pictures. Besides the element of imitating the creation of Allaah - which is an accusation denied by many of those who make pictures - reality bears witness to the great extent of immorality and provocation of desires caused by the prevalence of pictures and picture-making nowadays. We must remove or blot out every picture, except when it is too difficult to do so, like the pictures which are overwhelmingly prevalent in food packaging, or pictures used in encyclopaedias and reference books. We should remove what we can, and be careful about any provocative pictures that may be found.

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can…" [al-Taghaabun 64:16 - interpretation of the meaning]

Photographs which are essential are permitted - such as those required for identity documents, or for identifying or pursuing criminals [e.g. "wanted" posters and the like - translator's note], or for educational purposes which cannot be achieved otherwise. The principle in sharee'ah is that we should not exaggerate about what is necessary.

We ask Allaah to accept our repentance and have mercy on us, and to forgive our excesses, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.


Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid


------------


People who worship idols today are still worshipping photographs of humans or animals. and therefore not believing in god. this is the reason for obligation on pictures and photographs.


Walaikum assalaam
 

Ummzaina

Junior Member
Assalaam alaikum,
I too used to love drawing and painting, but when I came to understand the Islaimc ruling I have given up drawing of animate objects, but now more into abstract art and nature scenes without animate objects.

But I do have a question as I use many books to teach my child who is 2 years and the books have pictures in them in order to facilitate learning.
I use them as they are a learning tool for children who may never see what a zebra,horse,elepahant,etc looks like in real life (we have no wild animals like that in our country).

Is this wrong?

Wa salaam
 

virtualeye

Tamed Brother
:wasalam:

Many images have been made without bad intentions in the past. When a pious person would die, nations of the past (pre islamic) and even since then, the people would make a statue to remember that person by. When the people see this image, they are reminded of them and how they lived, which inspired them to live better.

However, when this generation dies, and the new generations come, the purpose of the statue is lost. Thus, the people begin to worship the statue.

However, I know that in this modern age, idol worshiping in western countries is hardly common, and even if people see images they don't worship them. However, this is a command that we are obliged to follow, and Allah knows best.

As for your teacher, they might just be misinformed. Tell them about it, and if they don't believe you (many people are skeptics) present them with the proof.

:salam2:


AssalaamuAlaikum,

Nice reply you gave brother Steve.

The point is that., Allah SWT has forbidden everything which leads us to evil. It is a common principle that if we stand next to a gutter then there is more chance of dropping in it.


If sister thinks she is creative then there is no problem in drawing natural scenes and objects other than animals and humans.

She can draw sceneries, mountains, rivers, her home or other objects.



Wassalaam
 
Top