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of the bird on it.
5.
The hadith concerning the cushion contradicts the hadith reported by Abû Talhah in which figures on
cloth were exempted. Al-Qurtabi says, “Reconciliation is possible between the two (ahadith), as ‘Aisha’s
hadith indicates the disapproval of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), while Abû Talhah’s hadith indicates absolute
permissibility, and these two are not contradictory.” Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar agreed with this statement.
6.
The transmitter of the hadith of the cushion from ‘Aisha was her nephew al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn
Abû Bakr. Al-Qasim himself permitted pictures on a plane surface. Ibn ‘Awm said, “I entered al-Qasim’s
house, which was in the outskirts of Makkah, and I saw a cloth canopy with figures of a beaver and a
phoenix.” (Fath al-Bari, reported on the authority of Ibn Abi Shaybah, who quotes al-Qasim ibn Muhammad
ibn Abû Bakr. The transmitters are sound.) Al-Hafiz explains, “He probably adhered to the generality of the
Prophet’s saying, ‘Except if it is made on cloth,‘ and understood the Prophet’s stand toward ‘Aisha’s curtain
as a special case. That is, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) disapproved of the combination of draping the wall and of
the cloth having pictures on it. This is supported by the remark, “Allâh has not commanded us to clothe
stone and clay.” Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abû Bakr was one of the seven jurists of Madinah and the
best of his time; it was he who transmitted the hadith of the - cushion. Consequently, if he had not been
convinced of the permissibility of this cloth canopy he would not have had it. (See the section on “Figures
and Artists” in Fath al-Bari)
There is another way of reconciling these ahadith. Probably in the early period of Islâm the Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) was very strict in prohibiting all pictures, as the Muslims had only recently come out o f the state of
polytheism and idol-worship, and were prone to sanctifying figures and statues. As the belief in the Oneness
of Allâh became deeply rooted in their hearts and minds, he allowed them two-dimensional figures, that is,
drawings and prints. As for himself, he disliked having curtains or drapes with figures and pictures in his
house, not exempting even drawings or prints on, cloth, paper, or the wall.
One of the great Hanafi jurists, al-Tahawi, says, “In the beginning the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) prohibited all types
of figures, even if they were two dimensional, since the Muslims had only recently converted from the
worship of images. Accordingly, everything of this type was prohibited. Later he lifted the prohibition from
cloth with prints because of the necessity of wearing clothes. He also permitted figures which were not
treated in a respectful manner, (As is evident from these ahadith, this would include figures which are made
into pillows or cushions on which to sit or recline, figures in rugs or carpets which are trod upon and the like.
(Trans.)) since there was no danger that the ignorant would venerate what was debased. The prohibition of
figures which are not debased was never lifted.” (This has been reported by Sheikh Bakhit in AI-Jawab al-
Shafi.)
The Permissibility of a Debased Figure
Any change in a figure which keeps it from being treated with respect and renders it debased transfers it
from the sphere of detestability into that of permissibility. It is reported in the hadith that Jibril sought
permission of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) to enter; when he bade him come in, Jibril said, “How can I enter while
there is a curtain with figures in your house? If you have need of it, cut off the heads (of the figures), or cut it
into pieces and make cushions, or use it as a floor-mat.” (Al-Nisai, as well as Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.)
These words explain why, on observing the Prophet’s dislike of the cushion with the pictures, ‘Aisha
changed it into smaller cushions for reclining upon, in order that by such use there would not be the slightest
imputation of respect for what was depicted.
We have evidence that the early generations of Muslims used objects with pictures on them but only in a
way which did not denote respect. ‘Urwah used arm cushions with pictures of birds and men on them.
‘Ikrimah said, “We detested seeing figures in the upright position but did not mind if they were in rugs or
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mats, since to tread on them was to debase them.”
Photographs
Thus far the word picture (suar) has been used in reference to what is drawn, painted, or imprinted on a flat
surface. Photography is a recent invention which was obviously non-existent in the time of the Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) and the early generations of Muslims. Thus, the question naturally arises whether the Islâmic
rulings concerning pictures and artists apply to photographs and photographers.
Those jurists who consider the prohibition to be restricted to statues alone do not see anything objectionable
in photographic pictures, especially if they are not of the full figure. Others raise many questions. Are
photographs similar to drawings? Is it not true that the reason stated in some ahadith concerning the
punishment of figure-makers, namely, imitation of Allâh’s attribute of Creatorship, does not apply in the case
of photographic pictures? Does not the absence of the cause of prohibition nullify the prohibition?
The late Sheikh Muhammad Bakhit, the Egyptian jurist, ruled that since the photograph merely captures the
image of a real object through a camera, there is no reason for prohibition in this case. Prohibited pictures
are those whose object is notpresent and which is originated by the artist, whose intention is to imitate
Allâh’s animal creation, and this does not apply to taking photographs with a camera. ‘See the pamphlet, Al-
Jawab al-Shafi fi Ibahat al-Taswir al-Fotografi.
Even those who are very strict in classifying all kinds of figures, including photographs, as detestable,
exempt, according to necessity, pictures retained for identity cards, passports, keeping a record of suspects
and criminals, pictures for instructional purposes, and so on, with the proviso that there is no intention of
respect or sanctification of these pictures which would affect Islâmic belief. The need for such pictures is
definitely greater than the “prints” on cloth which were exempted by the Prophet (s.a.w.s.).
The Subject Matter of Photographs
Accordingly, if any kind of photograph is to be prohibited, the subject matter will be the determing factor. No
Muslim would disagree concerning the prohibition of photographing subjects whose portrayal is against the
beliefs, morals, and laws of Islâm. Thus there cannot be any doubt concerning the prohibition of
photographs, drawings, and paintings of nude or semi-nudes, of those parts of the male or female body
which excite lust, or of pictures of men and women in sexy poses such as one sees in various magazines,
newspapers, and on the billboards of movie “heaters. It is haram to make such pictures, to publish them, to
buy them, to take them into homes, offices or shops, or to hang them on walls. It is haram to have the
intention of looking at them.
The above applies to pictures of tyrants. The Muslim is required to detest such people and to feel enmity
toward them for the sake of Allâh. A Muslim is not permitted to make or acquire a picture of a “great” man
or leader who is an atheist and denies the existence of God; of an idolater who worships cows, fire, or
anything else; of a Jew or Christian who denies the Messengership of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.); or of a
professed Muslim who does not decide matters according to what Allâh has revealed. Likewise, a Muslim
should not make or acquire pictures of immoral individuals who propagate obscenity and lewdness in
society, such as singers, actors, and other entertainers.
Similar is the case of pictures which portray polytheistic rituals or symbols of other religions abhorrent to the
Islâmic teachings, such as idols, crosses, and the like. Probably during the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) a
great majority of rugs, curtains, and cushions bore these types of pictures. Al-Bukhâri reported that the
Prophet (s.a.w.s.) broke everything in his house which was made in the shape of a cross. (Compiled by al-
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