Answered by: Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
I am a local artist. My Hindu neighbour asked me to help her make an outline of their god Ganesh as she is not very artistic and is not able to do it. I am not sure if this is allowed, Islamically. It has no features and will not be used for worship. She will be using it as a ceremony banner she said. I thought I will help her outline it, and if she is paying I will donate that money to a charity. Will that be okay?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Drawing objects or outlines of false gods that are venerated, such as in the ceremony you have described, is makrūh taḥrīmī (prohibitively disliked). – (See:Jawāhir Al-Fiqh, Page 449-452, Vol 2, MaktabahDār Al-‘Ulūm Karachi)[1]
“Cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. Be mindful of Allāh” – (Qur’ān 5:2)[2]
Only Allāh knows best.
Written by Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1]كبيع الحديد من اهل الفتنة وبيع الاجر والحطب ممن يتخذها كنيسة او بيعة اذا علم فتكره – جواهر الفقه ج٢/ص٤٤٩-٤٥٢
[2]وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللّهَ – المائدة ٢