Explanation of Hadith about pictures

31-7-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

Ayisha said: Once the Prophet came back from one of his travels, (came into the house) and I had
covered a wall with a Qiram (a thin woolen garment) with pictures on it. The Prophet got angry and
cut the Qiram and said: "The worst punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be for those who
imitate the creation of Allah (by making pictures)." [Bukhari and Muslim]. The Prophet said: "A
tongue-like fire will come out of Hell (on the Day of Resurrection) and say: I am the punishment for
whoever worshipped other than Allah, and a stubborn tyrant, and the picture makers." [An authentic
Hadith].The above-mentioned two Hadiths obviously establishing that picture drawing is prohibited
and also a great sin. But nowadays we can see almost all Muslim homes and offices were
decorated with sceneries and pictures. And many Muslims are involved this art of drawing
pictures. So I have asked about this to a local scholar who answered me that picture drawing
means making idols and statues, etc., but I am not satisfied by this answer. So I kindly request to
give me a clear and detail answer regarding with this.

Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet
Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

The Hadith of Ayisha (Radiya Allahu Anha) has been reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim with
many different words some of them are as following:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah
till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it" .
Another Hadith reads: "The most severe punishment will be to those who try to create something
like the creation of Allah" .
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Angels do not enter a house in which there is a
picture" .
Another Hadith is with the words: "When a pious person amongst them (among the religious
groups) dies they build a place of worship on his grave, and then decorate it with such pictures.
They would be the worst of creatures on the Day of Judgment in the sight of Allah" .
The other Hadith you are asking about is reported from Imam Ahmad , al-Tirmizi with the sound
chain with the following words: "On the Day of Resurrection there will emerge a neck from Hell
having two eyes which see, two ears which hear and a tongue which speaks, and it will say. 'I am
in-charge of three types of people: anyone who is arrogant and obstreperous, anyone who invokes
another god along with Allah, and those who make representations of things" .
The above Hadith and the Hadith similar in meaning prove the prohibition of making pictures of
living beings and that it is among the major sins.
Know that the word 'picture' mentioned in the Hadith includes three kind:
A) Forming three-dimensional figures of living creatures such as idols, statues, etc. is forbidden. All
the Muslim scholars agree on this ruling.
B) Making pictures by hand, such as painting on paper, cloth, wall, etc. The majority of Muslim
scholars are of the opinion that this kind of picture is also forbidden. There is no evidence that
approves this kind of painting or image making is lawful and restricts the prohibition only to idols
and statues as you mentioned in your question. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) spoke
emphatically about the severe punishment of image making when he saw a curtain that contained
pictures in the house of Ayisha (Radiya Allahu Anha); there were neither idols nor statues in the
house.
C) Photography by camera or video. The contemporary scholars have different opinions in this
matter. However, it is safer for a Muslim not to engage in photography or to have pictures of living
creatures, unless to make identity cards or the like.
As for hanging such forbidden pictures on a wall, no doubt it is forbidden and the angels will not
enter there as mentioned in the above Hadith.
Allah knows best.

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