i recently graduated from university, and 14st had the cere06ny. I didnt want to go but some people told me that i owed it to my parents, after all they spent so much money etc. Anyhow, part of the cermenony was to get photos taken. Now ny brother and sisters have all graduated and they have their photos on the wall… and so i had mine taken too. Is that okay? THe reason why i did it was because my family is soooooooo far away from deen, and one maulan once said to me that for a da’ee many things are somehwat ja’izz in order to bring them closer. ALso, in the photos, i have my finger in shahada position, because in fact Allah swt gave me this decree. So basically, is it okay for me to have taken this foto, and is it okay for it to be on the wall
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘There is no obedience to the
creation in the disobedience of the Creator.’ Pictures and photography is
Haraam (strictly forbidden)
Picture frames and photographs of animate objects are not permissible to
display. Frames having pictures of inanimate objects e.g. trees, mountains,
etc. are permissible.
– Hadhrat Abu Talha (Radhiyallaahu Ánhu) narrates that Nabi (Sallallaahu
Álayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a dog
or picture.’ (Mishkãt vol. 2 p. 385)
? Ábdullah ibn Masóod (Radhiyallaahu Ánhu) narrates that Rasulullah
(Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, ‘The people with the most severe
punishment by Allah will be the picture makers.’ (Ibid).
? Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (RA) narrates, ‘I heard the messenger of Allah saying,
“Every picture-maker will be in the fire. A life will be created for every
picture the picture-maker made, and he will be tortured in Hell.”
If you have to make pictures (says Ibn Abbaas) then make a picture of a tree
or such things which are inanimate.’ (Bukhari and Muslim)
In view of the above quotations, the advice to you by some people that you
attend the ceremony as you owed that to your parents is grossly incorrect.
Being far away from Deen is no justification for taking out photos and
neither is it permissible to do anything prohibited for purposes of Da’awah.
A person should be invited only on solid grounds. If you have pleased your
parents by committing un-Islamic acts, in order to get them closer to Deen,
how much closer did they get to Islam? Rather, they will expect you to
compromise even further as you already set a precedent for them. We advise
you make Tawbah and Istighfaar, express your regret to your parents as well.
You should also destroy the photos as that incurs the anger and wrath of
Allah Ta’ala.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai