Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu, I recently attended a wedding at at the end a few brothers were called to the stage to take photographs. Some people were using their mobiles to take photos, some people digital cameras and their was a video camera too. A brother advised us that we should avoid posing for these photos but he did not give a reason as he was not 100% sure on the ruling. A few other brothers said they will only be saving these on their mobiles and not publishing them in anyway and some simply said there is nothing wrong and that the ruling was for something in the past about idol worshiping and that they will not be using to idol worship. Can you please advise on the correct ruling on this issue and please send me some hadith and Quran aayaats which help to convince everyone either way. May ALLAH reward you all for your efforts and may ALLAH make the academy a source of knowledge for all. please rememeber me in your duas.
Answer
(Fatwa: 696/692=N)
The pictures that are produced from hand, camera, mobile cam or any video camera; all are haram and prohibited whether it is worshipped or not, whether its worship is feared or not, whether it is published later on not. However, those who make picture have been warned to be punished in the Day of Judgement:
قال رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم: ان من أشد الناس عذاباً یوم القیامۃ المصورون (بخاری و مسلم) الحق انہ لا ینبغی تکلف أی فرق بین أنواع التصویر المختلفۃ حیطۃ فی الأمر و نظراً لاطلاق لفظ الحدیث ھذا فیما یتعلق بالتصویر، أما الاتخاذ فلا فرق بین الفوتوغرافی وغیرہ (فقہ السیرۃ: 380، فقہی مقالات: ج/4، ص/129)
The pictures of living being are prohibited for two reasons: (1) it leads to polytheism (2) this resembles to the Creation of Allah. These two reasons are present in every picture whether they are worshipped or not.
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband
