Q: What is the Shar’ee law about images and videos on computer and mobile i.e. in soft format?
A: All pictures of animate objects are haraam (forbidden) in Islam. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:
إن أشد الناس عذابا عند الله يوم القيامة المصورون (صحيح البخاري 2/880 ، صحيح لمسلم /201)
Those involved in picture-making will be subjected to the worst forms of punishment on the day of Qiyaamat. (Bukhari 2/880, Muslim 2/201)
For a detailed explanation on this topic, refer to our kitaab “Photography and Modern Challenges.”
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)