Answered by: Shaykh Ahmed Bin Mohamed Umarji
Question:
1 – Are cartoon pictures of living beings permissible to trade?
2 – To buy and hold digital versions
3 – to buy and potentially let others rent it out so they can use it.
4 – this is a new type of digital asset that’s been growing — for games / for trading
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “Every painter will go to Hell, and for every portrait he has made, there will be appointed one who will chastise him in the Hell.” Ibn ‘Abbas said: If you have to do it, draw pictures of trees and other inanimate things. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].1
The prohibition here refers to images of animate objects such as human beings, animals, birds, fish, etc. as it is permissible to draw or create images of inanimate objects such as trees, buildings, rivers, etc. The ḥadīth provides a severe warning for the makers of animate images whether they are hand-drawn, photographs from a camera or digital photography.2
There is a difference of opinion when it comes to the use of digital pictures, however, they should also be avoided to the best of one’s ability due to the clear prohibition of drawing animated objects.3
Only Allah knows best
Written by Shaykh Ahmed Bin Mohamed Umarji
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 Riyad as-Salihin 1680
2 A Translation and Commentary of RIYĀḌ AL-ṢĀLIḤĪN – Muslims at work publications Volume 3 Page 348
3 قالَ أصْحابُنا وغَيْرُهُمْ مِن العُلَماءِ تَصْوِيرُ صُوَرِ الحَيَوانِ حَرامٌ شَدِيدُ التَّحْرِيمِ – البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق – دار الكتاب الإسلامي
Volume 2 Page 29