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Assalamualykum Mufti Sahab, Can you please tell me if A picture of these scenarios are permissible? 1a) myself in general? 1b) wedding picture of bride and groom? 2) Nature scenery to ponder at its beauty and kudrat of Allah? Jazak’Allah

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In principle the taking of pictures of animate objects is haram.
Consider the warnings in the following Ahadeeth regarding picture making and photography:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَنَا مُتَسَتِّرَةٌ بِقِرَامٍ فِيهِ صُورَةٌ، فَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُهُ، ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَ السِّتْرَ فَهَتَكَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «إِنَّ مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، الَّذِينَ يُشَبِّهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللهِ

 

Translation: Ayesha Radiyallahu Anha reports: the messenger of Allah entered (my apartment) and I had hung (on the door of my apartment) a thin curtain having pictures on it. The colour of his face underwent a change. He then took hold of that curtain and tore it and then said: “The most grievous torment for the people on the Day of Resurrection would be for those who try to imitate Allah in the act of creation.)

In another narration the prophet of Allah said:

عن عبيد الله بن عبد الله، أنه سمع ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، يقول: سمعت أبا طلحة، يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: لا تدخل الملائكة بيتا فيه كلب، ولا صورة تماثيل

Translation: Abu Talhah Radiyallahu Anhu narrates: I heard Allah’s Messenger saying; “Angels (of Mercy) do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature (a human being or an animal).

The abovementioned Ahadeeth show the severity of picture making and non-digital photography.

Digital Photography of animate objects is an academically contested issue amongst even our senior contemporary Ulamaa. We advise you to abstain from categories 1.a. and 1.b.

Photographing sceneries of nature to ponder its beauty and admire the qudrat of Allah Ta’ala is permissible without any Karaahat.

 

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad Yusuf bin Moulana Abdur Rahim Khan

Student Darul Iftaa
Chatsworth, Durban, KZN, South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

 

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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