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Is it permissible to offer salah in front of a photograph?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Darulifta-Deoband.com
Today when I was offering my afternoon (Asr) salah I kept my employer ID card in front of me on which my passport size photo is there. My colleague asked me to keep the ID card in my pocket otherwise my salah will not be valid. I have following doubt:
(1) How can the ID card or the photo on it may affect the validity of my salah?
(2) If the photo does affect the validity of my salah then will it also affect if I put it in my pocket?
My belief is it would not affect the validity of my salah. Please provide me the guidance in this matter.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

(Fatwa: 194/158/D=03/1437)

It is recorded in Hadith that angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.
لا تدخل الملائكة بيتاً فيه كلب ولا صورة . مسلم ، باب لا تدخل الملائكة بيتاً فيه كلب .
The Ulama have explained that it is makrooh to offer salah while wearing clothes that contain pictures or there are pictures of living beings in front or right and left sides of the person offering salah.
ولبس ثوب فيه تماثيل ذى روح وأن يكون فوق رأسه أو بين يديه أو بحذائه يمنة أو يسرة أو محل سجوده تمثال . (الدر 2/417 كتاب الصلاة ، باب ما يفسد الصلاة ويكره ط : زكريا).
So it shall be makrooh to offer salah while putting ID Cards or Passport etc with photographs in front of oneself if the photos are visible; hence they should be kept in the pocket or in such a way that the pictures are hidden.

Allah knows Best!

Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband

This answer was collected from the official ifta website of Darul Uloom Deoband in India.

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