Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed
I live with my parents and they have in their house statues that they love. I tried to explain the unlawfulness of it to them but they did not accept it and scolded me and got very angry. I am not pleased with these statues in the house because I’m afraid the angels of mercy won’t enter it, but what can I do? I think if I were to break them, they would kick me out of the house.
First, we should differentiate between a complete statue and an incomplete statue. An incomplete statue is one that if it were to have a soul, it would not be able to live such one that does not have a head, or only has half a body. Acquiring this is not haram according to Ibn Hajar. So, one cannot condemn the one who acquires this type.
As for: (a) a complete statue, or (b) an incomplete statue that could still live if it had a soul (such as one with a cut off hand), they are haram to acquire, it is obligatory to condemn the one who acquires them, and it is permissible to break them. This is what our imams have said.
However, they also mentioned conditions for the obligation of condemning the wrong action. Among these conditions are that the person not fear harm for himself or his property and that he not deem it most likely that the one who commits the wrong action will do it with increased stubbornness. If these conditions are not met, it is no longer obligatory to condemn the wrong.
Accordingly, if they do not listen to your condemnation, you must break the statues, but if fear harm to yourself by breaking these statues, such as being kicked out of the house and you have no other shelter, or if you fear harm to your property, for example, if they destroy something of it in exchange for your breaking their statue, or if you think that this will increase their stubbornness in this wrong act, then it is not obligatory for you to break them. However, persevere in renouncing it with your tongue and in advising them to leave it, and Allah undertakes our guidance.