بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The Prohibition of Making Images of Living Beings (1) — In the Light of Hadith

“Hazrat Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Indeed, those who make these images will be punished on the Day of Judgment, and it will be said to them: Give life to what you have created (i.e., put a soul into them).’” (صحیح بخاری ، صحیح مسلم)

Benefits:
From this it is understood that image-making is a very grave sin for which punishment will be given. However, images made obligatory by the government—such as those for identification cards, passports, and domicile documents—are matters in which a person is compelled and has no personal choice; therefore, there will be no punishment for them, provided one does not exceed such necessities.

“Hazrat ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned from a journey, and I had hung a curtain at the entrance or alcove of the house that contained images. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw it, his blessed face changed color and he said: ‘O ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها! On the Day of Judgment, those who imitate the creation of Allah will receive the most severe punishment from Allah.’ Hazrat ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها says: ‘We then tore the curtain and made one or two cushions from it.’” (صحیح بخاری ، صحیح مسلم)

Benefits:
From this it is also understood that making images and prominently displaying them in homes is a major sin. However, if such images are torn or cut and turned into items that are not treated with respect—and are trampled upon—then using such cloth is permissible, as Hazrat ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها made cushions from that fabric.

“Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنه narrates: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, ‘Every image-maker will be in Hell. For every image he made, a being will be created that will punish him in Hell.’ Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنه said: ‘If you must make images, then make images of trees and of things that do not possess a soul.’” (صحیح بخاری ، صحیح مسلم)

Benefits:
The number of images a person makes will correspond to the extent of his punishment—the more images, the greater the punishment. In this regard, there is a severe warning for those who record video footage of weddings, gatherings, and similar events, as they capture images of hundreds, thousands, and sometimes even hundreds of thousands of people at once. If they engage in this occupation while knowing it to be حرام (unlawful) but do so out of negligence, they will face severe punishment in Hell. And if they consider it lawful while knowing that Islam has declared it حرام, then by such an act they would be deemed to have committed disbelief, and their permanent abode would be Hell.

Those who assume that the warning applies only to those who draw images by hand or carve statues—and that photographs produced by a camera are merely reflections and not “images”—are mistaken. Whether an image is made by hand or through a camera or video, it is still an image; and the one who makes or commissions it is deserving of the warning of Hellfire. اَعَاذَنَا اللّٰهُ مِنْهُ. However, images of natural scenery—such as rivers, trees, mountains, and the like, which do not possess a soul—are permissible.

“It is narrated by the same narrator that I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘Whoever makes an image in this world will be compelled on the Day of Judgment to breathe a soul into it, though he will not be able to do so.’” (صحیح بخاری ، صحیح مسلم)