Q. In Islam it is not allowed to take photos, only when necessary as for passports, id, etc. and also as videos on weddings, etc. Nowadays I see a lot of Ulema’s videos of lectures and photos on the internet, youtube etc. What are the rules regarding this?
A. Photographs and ‘taking out pictures’ are totally haram in Islam. However, an allowance has been given in cases of necessity for ID’s, passports etc. etc.
Videos are moving pictures and have been treated differently by many scholars. These scholars have stated that since videos are not fixed pictures and images, it will be allowed to view such videos which carry contents that are normally allowed to see with the naked eyes. Hence, videos with lectures, Quraan, etc. will be allowed on this basis. However, videos of wedding etc, will not be allowed since ghair Mahram women and girls are filmed which are then viewed by those who are not Mahram to them. These weddings are filled with many un-Islamic and haram practices and are not normally allowed to attend and be viewed on a normal basis. So filming them on a video will not be allowed.
Photographs and pictures posted on the internet, youtube etc. will not be allowed, since there is no necessity in doing so.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan