Is it permissible to publish a picture called “Cartoon of Muhammad ﷺ” without a depiction of the Prophet ﷺ?

Is it permissible to publish a picture called “Cartoon of Muhammad (pbuh)” without a depiction of the Prophet?

For a long time, I have been thinking about a picture series on the controversy over depictions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The discussion after the attack at the Paris Headquarters of Charlie Hebdo made me remember this project.
The idea is that the pictures remain empty, except for the bottom, where the title or credit line says: “Cartoon #01-99. From the series ‘The 99 beautiful cartoons of Muhammad (pbuh)'”

I think that because the series does not incorporate a depiction of the Prophet it should be halal. Empty pictures can’t be unlawful or tarnish the image of the Prophet.

Is that right ?

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

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

Allāh Ta`ālā has granted the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ the title of Khātam al-Nabiyyīn (the seal of the Prophets)[1] and the leader of all the children of Ādam (`alayhis salām).[2] His grandeur is such that Allāh the Almighty has hindered Shaytān from taking his form even in our dreams.[3] If Allāh Ta`ālā has not allowed Shaytān to show a depiction of his form in our minds, how can it even cross a Muslim’s heart to pen down anything that may aid Shaytān in hurdling over this prohibition by using our hands to indicate a depiction of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ? How can we, as Muslims, even think of connecting the word “cartoon” to the name of the one who condemned all forms of pictures? To understand this more clearly, consider the following narrations:

(1) Rasūlullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

«إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ يُعَذَّبُونَ، فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ» وَقَالَ: «إِنَّ البَيْتَ الَّذِي فِيهِ الصُّوَرُ لاَ تَدْخُلُهُ المَلاَئِكَةُ»

“The makers of these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, ‘Put life in what you have created.’ “The Prophet (ﷺ) added, “The angels do not enter a house where there are pictures.”[4]

(2) Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anh) reports that he heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say:

قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذَهَبَ يَخْلُقُ كَخَلْقِي، فَلْيَخْلُقُوا ذَرَّةً أَوْ لِيَخْلُقُوا حَبَّةً أَوْ شَعِيرَةً

Allah Ta’ālā said, “Who are more unjust than those who try to create something like My creation? I challenge them to create even a smallest ant, a wheat grain or a barley grain.”[5]

(3) Sayyidatunā Āishah (radiyallahu ‘anhā) reports:

دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَنَا مُتَسَتِّرَةٌ بِقِرَامٍ فِيهِ صُورَةٌ فَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُهُ ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَ السِّتْرَ فَهَتَكَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الَّذِينَ يُشَبِّهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ

Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) entered (my apartment) and I had hung (on the door of my apartment) a thin curtain having pictures on it. The color 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.”[6]

While your intentions may be pure and the apparent ruling regarding your project may not fall under the prohibitions of pictures,[7] it does not behoove the great status of our Nabī ﷺ that something despised by him (i.e. cartoons and pictures) is attributed to him by a follower of his ummah with his name as the selling point of such a project. This is besides the fact that the name “Cartoon of Muhammad ﷺ” itself might prompt up controversy, especially amongst those who are not aware of your intentions.

If you truly desire to defend the honor of our Nabī ﷺ, we recommend that you do so through expositions instead of illustrations. You can choose to post on blogs, forums, or write articles to show the true character of our beloved Messenger ﷺ and spread the true message of Islam without stepping in unknown territories and attributing the word “cartoon” to the blessed Nabī ﷺ.

May Allāh Ta`ālā increase your love for the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and grant you his intercession on the Day of Judgment. Āmīn.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net