Q. I am listening to your answer with regards to where the caller asked about pictures. You said it is completely prohibited for us the human beings, but it is okay for, well anything else the trees, the animals, etc. In the information technology age we live in today, everything is based on the concept of pictures whether it is motion pictures (television, videos, etc.) or stationery pictures (photographs).
If all forms of pictures are haraam, how do I as a muslim stay away from Television, Internet, Blackberry, etc? I must say on a personal note I do enjoy going to the movies, it’s the only form of socializing I maintain with my friends.
A. It is true that everything we have today (via modern day technology) are filled with pictures. However, this does not mean that we can get into unlawful and prohibited things. For example, going to movies is totally haram (as stated by all our authentic and reliable scholars), but yet, we find that Muslims will still go, not because it is compulsory, but because they love to do so. No one tells them to go, and this is not a requirement of the law of our country, but yet, some will go, because they love this form of entertainment.
The scholars have differentiated between photographs (stationery pictures) and moving pictures (videos etc.).
As for stationery pictures, these are totally haram. The only allowance is given when there is a need or a requirement that necessitates such. This will include pictures taken out by the camera (photographs), that which is on the internet. In these cases, a person will be accountable to Allah for what he does and what he gets himself involved in. As such, if one surfs the net while researching or doing his work and comes across the picture of others that are placed on the net on different sites, then he is not accountable to Allah for this, since he did not cause it to be there. However, it must be understood that one must not surf intentionally (on the net) to look at the pictures of others and to be entertained or amused by these pictures that are placed on these sites.
In a similar manner, it will be totally haram for Muslims to put their pictures on the face book. This is sinful and they must refrain from this unlawful/haram practice.
With respect to television and videos, many scholars have stated that the law of these is that whatever is lawful in Islam to see (as a Muslim) then the same will be allowed to view over the television or in a video. And whatever is haram for a Muslim to look at (in his daily life) the same will be haram for him to view on the television or on a video. This shows that not everything that is aired on the television or shown on a video will be allowed to view. There are materials/content that are haram and Muslims must refrain from looking at these.
Alhamdulillah, Allah Has made our religion very easy to practice, it is simply a matter of understanding it and being practical about it.
Many Muslims look at movies and television content that are haram. But these are not essential for their living and survival, nor are these requirements of living in our country.
Muslims chose to do these because they love to do it, and they find pleasure in doing it. The same is with respect to putting one’s picture on the phone/facebook or storing pictures of others on these. In reality, there is no religious need or a country’s requirement to do these things, it is because of the fact that some Muslims find these to be exciting and entertaining. Hence, they do it.
It is therefore wrong for one to think that if pictures etc. etc. are haram, then it might be difficult for a Muslim.
As Muslims, our first duty is to be obedient to Allah and His messenger (SAS). Daily, we should ask ourselves whether we are doing this or not.
Remember, Islam is not opposed to technology, but it is how it is used, may deem its use as lawful or prohibited. A Blackberry phone or the internet was not invented for the purpose of storing pictures or taking out pictures. The purpose was much bigger than this. Use it for the purpose for which it was meant to be used. A camera was not only invented to take out photographs and pictures of people. It is used by professionals in their jobs for many reasons which does not include pictures of people. So, having a blackberry phone, a digital camera or the internet is not un Islamic or prohibited. It is all about how you use it, and what purpose you use it for, that matters in this case.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan