keeping of photograph in homes

[aflatoon]

my question is that keeping the photograph of any mortal in our house framed and hanging on wall is allowed or not as per pure islamic laws?

[Fateh]

my question is that keeping the photograph of any mortal in our house framed and hanging on wall is allowed or not as per pure islamic laws?

As per Islamic law it may be not allowed but in Islam as per shia Ismaili mustali tayabi dawoodi bohara point of view you are allowed .

[aflatoon]

br fateh ,

answer clearly is it allowed or not as per islamic laws?

[think]

definitely not allowed. If it were people would be hanging pictures of the Rasul. Moula Ali , etc, etc,

[ghulam muhammed]

my question is that keeping the photograph of any mortal in our house framed and hanging on wall is allowed or not as per pure islamic laws?

Keeping a photograph and/or hanging it on the house walls should be OK as we do that when it comes to our parents, siblings and dear ones but the problem arises when we worship the person appearing on the photograph. It has become a religious ritual for abdes to first kiss the dai's photo in the morning before leaving for work or asking their children to do the same before going to school or appearing for exams with a belief that by doing so it will solve their problems. In this manner the importance is shifted from Allah (swt) to the mortal dai which is objectionable. This instills a cultish behaviour in a person thereby giving Allah (swt) a secondary position although their claim is that they believe in Allah (swt) alone but their actions speak otherwise !

[aflatoon]

thanks bro GM,

[humanbeing]

A Photogenic one

[aliabbas_aa]

Photography (tasweer) means the taking of pictures of living, animate moving beings, like people, animals, birds, etc. The ruling is that it is forbidden on the basis of a number of reports, such as the following:

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/382).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be exalted, says: 'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like My creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 10/385).

'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it." (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa'i; this is the version narrated by al-Nisaa'i).

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbaas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects." (Reported by Muslim, 3/1871)

These ahaadeeth indicate that pictures of animate beings are haraam, whether they are humans or other creatures, whether they are three-dimensional or two-dimensional, whether they are printed, drawn, etched, engraved, carved, cast in moulds, etc. These ahaadeeth include all of these types of pictures.

The Muslim should submit to the teachings of Islam and not argue with them by saying, "But I am not worshipping them or prostrating to them!" If we think about just one aspect of the evil caused by the prevalence of photographs and pictures in our times, we will understand something of the wisdom behind this prohibition: that aspect is the great corruption caused by the provoking of physical desires and subsequent spread of immorality caused by these pictures.

The Muslim should not keep any pictures of animate beings in his house, because they will prevent the angels from entering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/380).

But nowadays, unfortunately, one can even find in some Muslim homes statues of gods worshipped by the kuffaar (such as Buddha etc.) which they keep on the basis that they are antiques or decorative pieces. These things are more strictly prohibited than others, just as pictures which are hung up are worse than pictures which are not hung up, for how easily they can lead to glorification, and cause grief or be a source of boasting! We cannot say that these pictures are kept for memory's sake, because true memories of a Muslim relative or friend reside in the heart, and we remember them by praying for mercy and forgiveness for them.

Taking pictures with a camera involves human actions such as focusing, pressing the shutter, developing, printing, and so on. We cannot call it anything other than "picture-making" or tasweer, which is the expression used by all Arabic-speakers to describe this action.

In the book Al-I'laam bi naqd kitaab al-halaal wa'l-haraam, the author says: "Photography is even more of an imitation of the creation of Allaah than pictures which are engraved or drawn, so it is even more deserving of being prohibited… There is nothing that could exclude photography from the general meaning of the reports." (p. 42, see also Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/355).

Among the scholars who have discussed the issue of photography is Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, who said: "Some of them differentiate between hand-drawn pictures and photographic images by claiming that the latter are not products of human effort, and that no more is involved than the mere capturing of the image. This is what they claim. The tremendous energy invested the one who invented this machine that can do in few seconds what otherwise could not be done in hours does not count as human effort, according to these people! Pointing the camera, focusing it, and taking the picture, preceded by installation of the film and followed by developing and whatever else that I may not know about… none of this is the result of human effort, according to them!

Some of them explain how this photography is done, and summarize that no less than eleven different actions are involved in the making of a picture. In spite of all this, they say that this picture is not the result of human action! Can it be permissible to hang up a picture of a man, for example, if it is produced by photography, but not if it is drawn by hand?

Those who say that photography is permitted have "frozen" the meaning of the word "tasweer," restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is "tasweer" or "picture-making" in every sense - linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?"
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 38)

It is also worth quoting the opinion of some contemporary scholars who allow the taking of photographs but say that the pictures should not be kept: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (See al-Sharh al-Mumti', 2/198).

There are many bad things involved in the making of pictures. Besides the element of imitating the creation of Allaah - which is an accusation denied by many of those who make pictures - reality bears witness to the great extent of immorality and provocation of desires caused by the prevalence of pictures and picture-making nowadays. We must remove or blot out every picture, except when it is too difficult to do so, like the pictures which are overwhelmingly prevalent in food packaging, or pictures used in encyclopaedias and reference books. We should remove what we can, and be careful about any provocative pictures that may be found.

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can…" [al-Taghaabun 64:16 - interpretation of the meaning]

Photographs which are essential are permitted - such as those required for identity documents, or for identifying or pursuing criminals [e.g. "wanted" posters and the like - translator's note], or for educational purposes which cannot be achieved otherwise. The principle in sharee'ah is that we should not exaggerate about what is necessary.

We ask Allaah to accept our repentance and have mercy on us, and to forgive our excesses, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

[someone]

Photography (tasweer) means the taking of pictures of living, animate moving beings, like people, animals, birds, etc. The ruling is that it is forbidden on the basis of a number of reports, such as the following:

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/382).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be exalted, says: 'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like My creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 10/385).

'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it." (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa'i; this is the version narrated by al-Nisaa'i).

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbaas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects." (Reported by Muslim, 3/1871)

These ahaadeeth indicate that pictures of animate beings are haraam, whether they are humans or other creatures, whether they are three-dimensional or two-dimensional, whether they are printed, drawn, etched, engraved, carved, cast in moulds, etc. These ahaadeeth include all of these types of pictures.

The Muslim should submit to the teachings of Islam and not argue with them by saying, "But I am not worshipping them or prostrating to them!" If we think about just one aspect of the evil caused by the prevalence of photographs and pictures in our times, we will understand something of the wisdom behind this prohibition: that aspect is the great corruption caused by the provoking of physical desires and subsequent spread of immorality caused by these pictures.

The Muslim should not keep any pictures of animate beings in his house, because they will prevent the angels from entering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/380).

But nowadays, unfortunately, one can even find in some Muslim homes statues of gods worshipped by the kuffaar (such as Buddha etc.) which they keep on the basis that they are antiques or decorative pieces. These things are more strictly prohibited than others, just as pictures which are hung up are worse than pictures which are not hung up, for how easily they can lead to glorification, and cause grief or be a source of boasting! We cannot say that these pictures are kept for memory's sake, because true memories of a Muslim relative or friend reside in the heart, and we remember them by praying for mercy and forgiveness for them.

Taking pictures with a camera involves human actions such as focusing, pressing the shutter, developing, printing, and so on. We cannot call it anything other than "picture-making" or tasweer, which is the expression used by all Arabic-speakers to describe this action.

In the book Al-I'laam bi naqd kitaab al-halaal wa'l-haraam, the author says: "Photography is even more of an imitation of the creation of Allaah than pictures which are engraved or drawn, so it is even more deserving of being prohibited… There is nothing that could exclude photography from the general meaning of the reports." (p. 42, see also Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/355).

Among the scholars who have discussed the issue of photography is Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, who said: "Some of them differentiate between hand-drawn pictures and photographic images by claiming that the latter are not products of human effort, and that no more is involved than the mere capturing of the image. This is what they claim. The tremendous energy invested the one who invented this machine that can do in few seconds what otherwise could not be done in hours does not count as human effort, according to these people! Pointing the camera, focusing it, and taking the picture, preceded by installation of the film and followed by developing and whatever else that I may not know about… none of this is the result of human effort, according to them!

Some of them explain how this photography is done, and summarize that no less than eleven different actions are involved in the making of a picture. In spite of all this, they say that this picture is not the result of human action! Can it be permissible to hang up a picture of a man, for example, if it is produced by photography, but not if it is drawn by hand?

Those who say that photography is permitted have "frozen" the meaning of the word "tasweer," restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is "tasweer" or "picture-making" in every sense - linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?"
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 38)

It is also worth quoting the opinion of some contemporary scholars who allow the taking of photographs but say that the pictures should not be kept: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (See al-Sharh al-Mumti', 2/198).

There are many bad things involved in the making of pictures. Besides the element of imitating the creation of Allaah - which is an accusation denied by many of those who make pictures - reality bears witness to the great extent of immorality and provocation of desires caused by the prevalence of pictures and picture-making nowadays. We must remove or blot out every picture, except when it is too difficult to do so, like the pictures which are overwhelmingly prevalent in food packaging, or pictures used in encyclopaedias and reference books. We should remove what we can, and be careful about any provocative pictures that may be found.

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can…" [al-Taghaabun 64:16 - interpretation of the meaning]

Photographs which are essential are permitted - such as those required for identity documents, or for identifying or pursuing criminals [e.g. "wanted" posters and the like - translator's note], or for educational purposes which cannot be achieved otherwise. The principle in sharee'ah is that we should not exaggerate about what is necessary.

We ask Allaah to accept our repentance and have mercy on us, and to forgive our excesses, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Why is photo of Saudi king required or even permitted in all buildings in saudi Arabia?

[profastian]

Photography (tasweer) means the taking of pictures of living, animate moving beings, like people, animals, birds, etc. The ruling is that it is forbidden on the basis of a number of reports, such as the following:

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/382).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be exalted, says: 'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like My creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 10/385).

'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it." (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa'i; this is the version narrated by al-Nisaa'i).

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbaas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects." (Reported by Muslim, 3/1871)

These ahaadeeth indicate that pictures of animate beings are haraam, whether they are humans or other creatures, whether they are three-dimensional or two-dimensional, whether they are printed, drawn, etched, engraved, carved, cast in moulds, etc. These ahaadeeth include all of these types of pictures.

The Muslim should submit to the teachings of Islam and not argue with them by saying, "But I am not worshipping them or prostrating to them!" If we think about just one aspect of the evil caused by the prevalence of photographs and pictures in our times, we will understand something of the wisdom behind this prohibition: that aspect is the great corruption caused by the provoking of physical desires and subsequent spread of immorality caused by these pictures.

The Muslim should not keep any pictures of animate beings in his house, because they will prevent the angels from entering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/380).

But nowadays, unfortunately, one can even find in some Muslim homes statues of gods worshipped by the kuffaar (such as Buddha etc.) which they keep on the basis that they are antiques or decorative pieces. These things are more strictly prohibited than others, just as pictures which are hung up are worse than pictures which are not hung up, for how easily they can lead to glorification, and cause grief or be a source of boasting! We cannot say that these pictures are kept for memory's sake, because true memories of a Muslim relative or friend reside in the heart, and we remember them by praying for mercy and forgiveness for them.

Taking pictures with a camera involves human actions such as focusing, pressing the shutter, developing, printing, and so on. We cannot call it anything other than "picture-making" or tasweer, which is the expression used by all Arabic-speakers to describe this action.

In the book Al-I'laam bi naqd kitaab al-halaal wa'l-haraam, the author says: "Photography is even more of an imitation of the creation of Allaah than pictures which are engraved or drawn, so it is even more deserving of being prohibited… There is nothing that could exclude photography from the general meaning of the reports." (p. 42, see also Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/355).

Among the scholars who have discussed the issue of photography is Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, who said: "Some of them differentiate between hand-drawn pictures and photographic images by claiming that the latter are not products of human effort, and that no more is involved than the mere capturing of the image. This is what they claim. The tremendous energy invested the one who invented this machine that can do in few seconds what otherwise could not be done in hours does not count as human effort, according to these people! Pointing the camera, focusing it, and taking the picture, preceded by installation of the film and followed by developing and whatever else that I may not know about… none of this is the result of human effort, according to them!

Some of them explain how this photography is done, and summarize that no less than eleven different actions are involved in the making of a picture. In spite of all this, they say that this picture is not the result of human action! Can it be permissible to hang up a picture of a man, for example, if it is produced by photography, but not if it is drawn by hand?

Those who say that photography is permitted have "frozen" the meaning of the word "tasweer," restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is "tasweer" or "picture-making" in every sense - linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?"
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 38)

It is also worth quoting the opinion of some contemporary scholars who allow the taking of photographs but say that the pictures should not be kept: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (See al-Sharh al-Mumti', 2/198).

There are many bad things involved in the making of pictures. Besides the element of imitating the creation of Allaah - which is an accusation denied by many of those who make pictures - reality bears witness to the great extent of immorality and provocation of desires caused by the prevalence of pictures and picture-making nowadays. We must remove or blot out every picture, except when it is too difficult to do so, like the pictures which are overwhelmingly prevalent in food packaging, or pictures used in encyclopaedias and reference books. We should remove what we can, and be careful about any provocative pictures that may be found.

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can…" [al-Taghaabun 64:16 - interpretation of the meaning]

Photographs which are essential are permitted - such as those required for identity documents, or for identifying or pursuing criminals [e.g. "wanted" posters and the like - translator's note], or for educational purposes which cannot be achieved otherwise. The principle in sharee'ah is that we should not exaggerate about what is necessary.

We ask Allaah to accept our repentance and have mercy on us, and to forgive our excesses, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Why is photo of Saudi king required or even permitted in all buildings in saudi Arabia?

And no fatwas by the Wahabi demons yet

[aliabbas_aa]

Why is photo of Saudi king required or even permitted in all buildings in saudi Arabia?

And no fatwas by the Wahabi demons yet

the above fatwa is applicable to all muslims including KSA. There is a big battle going on between the clerics and the kings since decades, many of the salafi scholars have been sent to jail by the regime and many were killed.The kings have left the salafi\ wahhabi path long back! albeit not completely .

[someone]

the above fatwa is applicable to all muslims including KSA. There is a big battle going on between the clerics and the kings since decades, many of the salafi scholars have been sent to jail by the regime and many were killed.The kings have left the salafi\ wahhabi path long back! albeit not completely .

What are you talking about a big battle between clerics and kings? And kings have left the wahhabi path??? The Saudi royals may not practice it to the same extreme extent that they force others to, but they have not left it. They still support it and help propagate wahhabi version around the globe. This is common knowledge that the wahhabi clerics and the saud ruling family / dynasty have been bed fellows since the get go. (and i don't mean that term in any offensive / perverted manner). They have a history of cooperation and support from each other. Below are some quotes from wikipedia, even though this is a well-known and obvious fact.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahabbi
"Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab was invited to settle in neighboring Diriyah by its ruler Muhammad ibn Saud in 1740 (1157 AH), two of whose brothers had been students of Ibn Abdal-Wahhab. Upon arriving in Diriyya, a pact was made between Ibn Saud and Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, by which Ibn Saud pledged to implement and enforce Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab's teachings, while Ibn Saud and his family would remain the temporal "leaders" of the movement."

"Beginning in the last years of the 18th century Ibn Saud and his heirs would spend the next 140 years mounting various military campaigns to seize control of Arabia and its outlying regions, before being attacked and defeated by Ottoman forces.
The Saudi government established the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, a state religious police unit, to enforce Wahhabi rules of behaviour."

"According to observers, such as Gilles Kepel, Wahhabism gained considerable influence in the Islamic World following a tripling in the price of oil in the mid-1970s and the progressive takeover of Saudi Aramco in the 1974–1980 period. The Saudi government began to spend tens of billions of dollars throughout the Islamic World to promote Wahhabism, which was sometimes referred to as "petro-Islam".[62] According to the documentary called The Qur'an aired in the UK, presenter Antony Thomas suggested the figure may be "upward of $100 billion".[63]
Its largess funded an estimated "90% of the expenses of the entire faith", throughout the Muslim World, according to journalist Dawood al-Shirian.[64] It extended to young and old, from children's madrasas to high-level scholarship.[65] "Books, scholarships, fellowships, mosques" (for example, "more than 1,500 mosques were built from Saudi public funds over the last 50 years") were paid for.[66] It rewarded journalists and academics, who followed it and built satellite campuses around Egypt for Al Azhar, the oldest and most influential Islamic university.[67]
This financial power has done much to overwhelm less strict local interpretations of Islam, according to observers like Dawood al-Shirian and Lee Kuan Yew,[64] and has caused the Saudi interpretation to be perceived as the correct interpretation in many Muslims' minds.[68]
The Saudis have spent at least $87 billion propagating Wahhabism abroad during the past two decades, and the scale of financing is believed to have increased in the past two years. The bulk of this funding goes towards the construction and operating expenses of mosques, madrasas, and other religious institutions that preach Wahhabism. It also supports imam training; mass media and publishing outlets; distribution of textbooks and other literature; and endowments to universities (in exchange for influence over the appointment of Islamic scholars). Some of the hundreds of thousands of non-Saudis who live in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf have been influenced by Wahhabism and preach Wahhabism in their home country upon their return. Agencies controlled by the Kingdom's Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah and Guidance are responsible for outreach to non-Muslim residents and are converting hundreds of non-Muslims into Islam every year."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Saudi_State
"The Emirate of Diriyah was the first Saudi state.[1] It was established in the year 1744 (1157 A.H.) when Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Prince Muhammad ibn Saud formed an alliance to establish a religious and political sovereignty determined to purge the Arabian Peninsula of heretical practices and deviations from orthodox Islam as they understood it. This joint effort is seen by Wahhabi as the restoration of the basic belief in Tawhid, and many Salafi maintain it marks the beginning of the broader Salafi revivalist movement.[citation needed] Practices such as offering prayers to saintly figures, making pilgrimages to tombs and special mosques, venerating trees, caves, and stones were abolished under this rule.[2] Since the establishment of the First Saudi State none of these practices have ever been observed again in Saudi Arabia. In 1744, both Muhammed bin Abd Al Wahhab and Muhammad bin Saud took an oath to achieve their goal.[3] Marriage between Saud's son, Abdul Aziz Ibn Mohammed Ibn Saud, and the daughter of the Imam helped to seal the pact between their families which has lasted through the centuries to present day."

[aliabbas_aa]

So what you want KSA to spend money to spread dawoodi bohra beliefs?? I dont know how true the above reports are because we are trying to build a salafi mosque in vadodara and face severe lack of funds which is delaying this task since 4 yrs now, no saudi has yet helped us to build it, rather we have only faced prosecution from local grave worshipers and is fully self financed. If you can please contact the saudi and help us get funds from them then it would be a sadka a jariya for you. We may also allocate some portion to garib mumineen of ahmdebad.

[profastian]

So what you want KSA to spend money to spread dawoodi bohra beliefs?? I dont know how true the above reports are because we are trying to build a salafi mosque in vadodara and face severe lack of funds which is delaying this task since 4 yrs now, no saudi has yet helped us to build it, rather we have only faced prosecution from local grave worshipers and is fully self financed. If you can please contact the saudi and help us get funds from them then it would be a sadka a jariya for you. We may also allocate some portion to garib mumineen of ahmdebad.

A true mumin would die rather than accept charity from mushrik wahabis.

[aliabbas_aa]

profastian brother,
may i know why you have so much hatred and grudge towards us? Please open your eyes and be just!

[someone]

So what you want KSA to spend money to spread dawoodi bohra beliefs?? I dont know how true the above reports are because we are trying to build a salafi mosque in vadodara and face severe lack of funds which is delaying this task since 4 yrs now, no saudi has yet helped us to build it, rather we have only faced prosecution from local grave worshipers and is fully self financed. If you can please contact the saudi and help us get funds from them then it would be a sadka a jariya for you. We may also allocate some portion to garib mumineen of ahmdebad.

My post was in response to your ludicrous assertion that the Saudi royals have left wahhabism, when in fact they are major financiers / supporters / propagators for wahhabism. And no where do I mention that they are financing building of salafi masjids a 100%, so maybe the particular one you are referring to is part of the 10% they are not involved in, or not involved in yet, or not involved in a direct or obvious way.

I won't respond to the sarcastic, snide and cynical part of your post.

[profastian]

profastian brother,
may i know why you have so much hatred and grudge towards us? Please open your eyes and be just!

Terrorism, Taliban, force, imposition, war, hypocrisy, regressive thinking, declaration of other sects as mushriks,
almost non human attitude towards people of other religion, the list goes on.
And personally, any one who utters a single word against Fatima Zahra or harbors an iota of grudge against her, let alone destroys her grave is worthy of hatred.

[aliabbas_aa]

profastian brother,
may i know why you have so much hatred and grudge towards us? Please open your eyes and be just!

Terrorism, Taliban, force, imposition, war, hypocrisy, regressive thinking, declaration of other sects as mushriks,
almost non human attitude towards people of other religion, the list goes on.
And personally, any one who utters a single word against Fatima Zahra or harbors an iota of grudge against her, let alone destroys her grave is worthy of hatred.

Why dont you understand that even the graves of haz ayesha were leveled not with an intention of grudge but to implement the command of the prophet pbuh. If graves in jannatul baqi were not leveled then many people would not get the privilege of getting buried there. We dont need to pay lacs to get buried in jannatul baqi unlike naryal wadi where u have to pay even for your graves because of lack of space!

Salafism is a pure form of Islam, it is free from all kinds of innovations and impurities, and therefore it’s capable of clearing any doubts by itself.
Salafism is seeking a linkage to the early generations of Islam leading back to Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him, and Salafiyyoon or Salafis is the plural of Salaf.
It is a call to adhere to the path of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the true believers of Islam, who are the Companions of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), that is the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) — as they are known as the Salaf As Saleh.
Association with Salafism means that one associates himself/herself with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) — the way of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. Hence, Salafism refers to them and all those who follow the methodology (Manhaj) of the Salaf by following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
The methodology is of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), which he taught the Companions 1400 years ago. They have firm belief in Allah, and their actions are sincere and pious.
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said, “The Jews split into 71 groups. The Christians split into 72 groups. This Ummah will split into 73 groups; all of them will be in the Fire except one.” They (the Sahabah) said, “Who are they (that saved group) O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?” He (peace be upon him) said, “they are the one who are upon the like of what I and my Companions are upon.” (Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, and Ad Darimi; graded Sahih by Al-Albani)
Al-Irbad Bin Saariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates a sermon of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) wherein he advised his Companions to fear Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “I advise you to fear Allah and to listen and obey (the Muslim ruler), even if an Ethiopian slave were to become your ruler.”
Then he exhorted upon his Ummah to follow his Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa’a. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Incumbent upon you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa’a after me, (hold) onto it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters (in religion), for verily every newly invented matter (in religion) is a Bid’ah that is innovation and every Bid’ah is misguidance.” (Tirmidhi; graded Sahih by Al-Albani)
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was asked the following question:
What is As-Salafiyyah and what is your opinion regarding it?
“As-Salafiyyah” is an attachment or affiliation to the ‘Salaf’. And “The Salaf” are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Imams of guidance (may Allah be pleased with them) from the first three generations, those whose goodness bore witness to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The best of mankind is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them. Then there shall come a people after them who will become avaricious, who will love gluttony, and who will witness before they are asked for it. (Tirmidhi, Sahih)

[profastian]

Terrorism, Taliban, force, imposition, war, hypocrisy, regressive thinking, declaration of other sects as mushriks,
almost non human attitude towards people of other religion, the list goes on.
And personally, any one who utters a single word against Fatima Zahra or harbors an iota of grudge against her, let alone destroys her grave is worthy of hatred.

Why dont you understand that even the graves of haz ayesha were leveled not with an intention of grudge but to implement the command of the prophet pbuh. If graves in jannatul baqi were not leveled then many people would not get the privilege of getting buried there. (Is anybody more privileged than Fatima. Would they have destroyed the graves of their kings? ) We dont need to pay lacs to get buried in jannatul baqi unlike naryal wadi where u have to pay even for your graves because of lack of space!

Salafism is a pure form of Islam, it is free from all kinds of innovations and impurities, and therefore it’s capable of clearing any doubts by itself.
Salafism is seeking a linkage to the early generations of Islam leading back to Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him, and Salafiyyoon or Salafis is the plural of Salaf.
It is a call to adhere to the path of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the true believers of Islam, who are the Companions of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), that is the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) — as they are known as the Salaf As Saleh.
Association with Salafism means that one associates himself/herself with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) — the way of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. Hence, Salafism refers to them and all those who follow the methodology (Manhaj) of the Salaf by following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
The methodology is of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), which he taught the Companions 1400 years ago. They have firm belief in Allah, and their actions are sincere and pious.
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said, “The Jews split into 71 groups. The Christians split into 72 groups. This Ummah will split into 73 groups; all of them will be in the Fire except one.” They (the Sahabah) said, “Who are they (that saved group) O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?” He (peace be upon him) said, “they are the one who are upon the like of what I and my Companions are upon.” (Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, and Ad Darimi; graded Sahih by Al-Albani)
Al-Irbad Bin Saariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates a sermon of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) wherein he advised his Companions to fear Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “I advise you to fear Allah and to listen and obey (the Muslim ruler), even if an Ethiopian slave were to become your ruler.”
Then he exhorted upon his Ummah to follow his Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa’a. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Incumbent upon you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa’a after me, (hold) onto it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters (in religion), for verily every newly invented matter (in religion) is a Bid’ah that is innovation and every Bid’ah is misguidance.” (Tirmidhi; graded Sahih by Al-Albani)
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was asked the following question:
What is As-Salafiyyah and what is your opinion regarding it?
“As-Salafiyyah” is an attachment or affiliation to the ‘Salaf’. And “The Salaf” are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Imams of guidance (may Allah be pleased with them) from the first three generations, those whose goodness bore witness to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The best of mankind is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them. Then there shall come a people after them who will become avaricious, who will love gluttony, and who will witness before they are asked for it. (Tirmidhi, Sahih)

The companions of the Prophet were Ali, Hamza, Abu Zar, Salman, Abbas, Miqdad. These certainly were held in much higher esteem then Umar(a complete jahil) and certainly Usman. We don't hear the wahabis talk too much about them, do we.

[aliabbas_aa]

iNFACT the wahhabis talk more about them then DB, have u ever heard stories of hamza, salman etc in bori mosques NO!! They are too busy in urs and matam alone!

[humble_servant_us]

Why dont you understand that even the graves of haz ayesha were leveled not with an intention of grudge but to implement the command of the prophet pbuh.

Which command are you talking about.

Salafism is a pure form of Islam, it is free from all kinds of innovations and impurities, and therefore it’s capable of clearing any doubts by itself.

This could be your personal opinion.

Salafism is seeking a linkage to the early generations of Islam leading back to Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him, and Salafiyyoon or Salafis is the plural of Salaf.

Who could link us directly to the prophet(pbuh) , the ahlulbait(as) - his progeny or his companions . Who was more close to the prophet(pbuh) , Imam Ali(as) or his companion.

It is a call to adhere to the path of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the true believers of Islam, who are the Companions of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), that is the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) — as they are known as the Salaf As Saleh.

What if the sahaba is hypocrit.

Association with Salafism means that one associates himself/herself with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) — the way of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. Hence, Salafism refers to them and all those who follow the methodology (Manhaj) of the Salaf by following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

So basically it is cult following the salaf who "claim" to follow the book of allah and sunnah.

Al-Irbad Bin Saariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates a sermon of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) wherein he advised his Companions to fear Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “I advise you to fear Allah and to listen and obey (the Muslim ruler), even if an Ethiopian slave were to become your ruler.”

Doesn't this sound ridiculous. If the muslim ruler is of the likes of Yazid and Bani Ummayad rulers, do you still need to listen and obey him. Actually this explains why many muslims have a liking for yazid, aurangzeb etc. It is crooked thinking.

Then he exhorted upon his Ummah to follow his Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa’a. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Incumbent upon you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khulafa’a after me, (hold) onto it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters (in religion), for verily every newly invented matter (in religion) is a Bid’ah that is innovation and every Bid’ah is misguidance.” (Tirmidhi; graded Sahih by Al-Albani)

Only sahih books quote this, the hadis e thaqlayn is not only quoted by sahihs but in books of other muslim sects too. It holds more value than this.

may i know why you have so much hatred and grudge towards us? Please open your eyes and be just!

Inspite of your intolerance towards other muslim sects we do not call you mushriks or kafirs but call you muslims. It is you who keeps on shouting shirk at us. why do you have so much hatred for us/ Why don't you open your eyes and be just.

[sixfeetunder]

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “I advise you to fear Allah and to listen and obey (the Muslim ruler), even if an Ethiopian slave were to become your ruler.”

What an oxymoron! One cannot fear Allah and at the same time listen and obey a ruler. The ruler may innovate something which is against the clear commands of Allah and The Prophet. In that case, a Muslim either has to obey Allah or obey the ruler. If a Muslim ruler orders you to drink alcohol, would you obey him? This inherent contradiction renders the hadith null and void.

[aliabbas_aa]

With regard to the prohibition on erecting structures over graves, it was narrated that Jabir said: “The Messenger of Allah forbade plastering over graves, sitting on them and erecting structures over them.” (Sahih Muslim, 970)

Al-Shawkani said:

“The phrase ‘erecting structures over them’ indicates that it is Haram to build anything over a grave.”

Al-Shafi’i said:

“I saw the imams in Makkah ordering that what had been built (over graves) was to be knocked down.”

Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid says:

“With regard to the command to knock down structures that have been built over graves, that is proven in the Sunnah.”

It was narrated that Abu’l-Hayaaj al-Asadi said: Ali ibn Abi Talib said to me: “Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allah sent me? Do not leave any statue without erasing it, and do not leave any raised grave without leveling it.” (Sahih Muslim, 969).

Al-Shawkani said:

“The words ‘do not leave any raised grave without leveling it’ means that the Sunnah is that a grave should not be made very high, and there should be no differentiation between those who were virtuous and those who were not virtuous.”

Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid says:

“Making a grave higher than the amount that is permitted is Haram…The making graves high that is mentioned in the Hadith especially includes the domes and shrines that are built over graves, and the taking of graves as places of worship. The Prophet cursed those who do that (refer to Nayl al-Awtaar, 4/130).”

All of these pagan shrines should be torn down and removed. Instead, all of the dead should have flat and level graves equal to everyone else. This is the faith of Islam. For the one who cannot accept this, he has deviated away from the path of the Hanif (i.e. the monotheists) and inclined himself towards the Mushriks.

S
The Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) repeatedly condemned grave-worshipping in the authentic Hadith:

“Beware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.” (Sahih Muslim)

“May Allah’s curse be on the Jews for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets.” (Sahih Bukhari)

“May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets.” (Sahih Bukhari)

“If any religious man dies amongst those people they would build a place of worship at his grave and make these pictures in it. They will be the worst creature in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection.” (Sahih Bukhari)

“Do not sit on the graves and do not pray facing towards them.” (Sahih Bukhari)

The first time in human history that people commited the sin of idol-worship was around the time of Prophet Nuh (عليه السلام). A very pious man passed away. Shaytan whispered in the ears of the tonwnspeople: he urged them never to forget this pious man lest the townspeople abandon his example and be lost to sin. Once Shaytan had convinced them of the necessity to revere the memory of this pious dead man, he then then convinced them to erect a shrine over the grave of this man. Eventually, the people started praying in the shrine, and soon thereafter Shaytan convinced them to pray to the deceased man.

It was in this step by step fashion that Shaytan was able to misguide people into Shirk. He convinced them that they were doing a good thing by respecting a pious man, and he allowed them to add one Bidah (evil innovation) after another, infusing polythiestic practise in their belief. Likewise do the Shia believe that they are being pious by visiting shrines but in reality they have been fooled by Shaytan.

Of course, the Shia will make the futile argument that they really aren’t praying to the deceased person. It just so happens that they pray next to the grave and supplicate. Indeed, this argument sounds very similar to what modern-day Hindus claim. Hindus say that they don’t really worship the idol itself, that they really are worshipping God, and that they are just facing the idol. We see there is very little difference between what the Shia say and what the Hindus say.

The Islamic ethos deplores all idol-worshipping and is very strict in forbidding it. There is absolutely no point in praying next to someone’s grave. There is no benefit in it, and grave-worship is considered a grave sin (no pun intended). It is Shirk, and no matter what the intention is, it is still praying to the creation instead of the Creator. We urge any Shia reading this to immediately cease engaging in idol-worshipping. If a Muslim wants to “pay his respects” to a religious person of old, the best way to do that is to be an upright Muslim: to read Quran, to pray Salat, to give Zakat, to make Hajj, and to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم). The Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) does not want anyone to commit Shirk to him. Ali (رضّى الله عنه) does not want anyone to commit Shirk to him. Neither would any pious person ever want someone to use them to commit Shirk. The pious Muslims of the past would only want the Muslims of today to also be pious.

It is polythiestic the manner in which the Shia go to their shrines and cry next to them, rub them, and pray to them. It is Shirk reminscent of the Jahiliyyah times when the pagan Arabs used to do this. Tawheedullah (the Unity and Oneness of Allah) is the central tenet of Islam, and the Shia are guilty of violating this core belief by engaging in Shirk, which is the absolute major sin in Islam. The main emphasis in Islam is to stay away from Shirk, and yet the Shia embrace practises and customs that foster Shirk.

[hsnhussain]

Photography (tasweer) means the taking of pictures of living, animate moving beings, like people, animals, birds, etc. The ruling is that it is forbidden on the basis of a number of reports, such as the following:

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/382).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be exalted, says: 'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like My creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 10/385).

'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it." (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa'i; this is the version narrated by al-Nisaa'i).

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbaas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects." (Reported by Muslim, 3/1871)

These ahaadeeth indicate that pictures of animate beings are haraam, whether they are humans or other creatures, whether they are three-dimensional or two-dimensional, whether they are printed, drawn, etched, engraved, carved, cast in moulds, etc. These ahaadeeth include all of these types of pictures.

The Muslim should submit to the teachings of Islam and not argue with them by saying, "But I am not worshipping them or prostrating to them!" If we think about just one aspect of the evil caused by the prevalence of photographs and pictures in our times, we will understand something of the wisdom behind this prohibition: that aspect is the great corruption caused by the provoking of physical desires and subsequent spread of immorality caused by these pictures.

The Muslim should not keep any pictures of animate beings in his house, because they will prevent the angels from entering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/380).

But nowadays, unfortunately, one can even find in some Muslim homes statues of gods worshipped by the kuffaar (such as Buddha etc.) which they keep on the basis that they are antiques or decorative pieces. These things are more strictly prohibited than others, just as pictures which are hung up are worse than pictures which are not hung up, for how easily they can lead to glorification, and cause grief or be a source of boasting! We cannot say that these pictures are kept for memory's sake, because true memories of a Muslim relative or friend reside in the heart, and we remember them by praying for mercy and forgiveness for them.

Taking pictures with a camera involves human actions such as focusing, pressing the shutter, developing, printing, and so on. We cannot call it anything other than "picture-making" or tasweer, which is the expression used by all Arabic-speakers to describe this action.

In the book Al-I'laam bi naqd kitaab al-halaal wa'l-haraam, the author says: "Photography is even more of an imitation of the creation of Allaah than pictures which are engraved or drawn, so it is even more deserving of being prohibited… There is nothing that could exclude photography from the general meaning of the reports." (p. 42, see also Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/355).

Among the scholars who have discussed the issue of photography is Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, who said: "Some of them differentiate between hand-drawn pictures and photographic images by claiming that the latter are not products of human effort, and that no more is involved than the mere capturing of the image. This is what they claim. The tremendous energy invested the one who invented this machine that can do in few seconds what otherwise could not be done in hours does not count as human effort, according to these people! Pointing the camera, focusing it, and taking the picture, preceded by installation of the film and followed by developing and whatever else that I may not know about… none of this is the result of human effort, according to them!

Some of them explain how this photography is done, and summarize that no less than eleven different actions are involved in the making of a picture. In spite of all this, they say that this picture is not the result of human action! Can it be permissible to hang up a picture of a man, for example, if it is produced by photography, but not if it is drawn by hand?

Those who say that photography is permitted have "frozen" the meaning of the word "tasweer," restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is "tasweer" or "picture-making" in every sense - linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?"
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 38)

It is also worth quoting the opinion of some contemporary scholars who allow the taking of photographs but say that the pictures should not be kept: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (See al-Sharh al-Mumti', 2/198).

There are many bad things involved in the making of pictures. Besides the element of imitating the creation of Allaah - which is an accusation denied by many of those who make pictures - reality bears witness to the great extent of immorality and provocation of desires caused by the prevalence of pictures and picture-making nowadays. We must remove or blot out every picture, except when it is too difficult to do so, like the pictures which are overwhelmingly prevalent in food packaging, or pictures used in encyclopaedias and reference books. We should remove what we can, and be careful about any provocative pictures that may be found.

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can…" [al-Taghaabun 64:16 - interpretation of the meaning]

Photographs which are essential are permitted - such as those required for identity documents, or for identifying or pursuing criminals [e.g. "wanted" posters and the like - translator's note], or for educational purposes which cannot be achieved otherwise. The principle in sharee'ah is that we should not exaggerate about what is necessary.

We ask Allaah to accept our repentance and have mercy on us, and to forgive our excesses, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

what about photos used for ID Cards and passport.

[anajmi]

Great point. I have just removed my pictures from my ID cards and passports. I realized that I used to kiss my photo on my id card everytime I saw a police car behind me. Also whenever I travel to India, the custom officer kisses my picture on my passport. This is shirk. I have removed those pictures. Thanks for that brilliant observation.

[aliabbas_aa]

Photography (tasweer) means the taking of pictures of living, animate moving beings, like people, animals, birds, etc. The ruling is that it is forbidden on the basis of a number of reports, such as the following:

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/382).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may He be exalted, says: 'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like My creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 10/385).

'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it." (Reported by Muslim and al-Nisaa'i; this is the version narrated by al-Nisaa'i).

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbaas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects." (Reported by Muslim, 3/1871)

These ahaadeeth indicate that pictures of animate beings are haraam, whether they are humans or other creatures, whether they are three-dimensional or two-dimensional, whether they are printed, drawn, etched, engraved, carved, cast in moulds, etc. These ahaadeeth include all of these types of pictures.

The Muslim should submit to the teachings of Islam and not argue with them by saying, "But I am not worshipping them or prostrating to them!" If we think about just one aspect of the evil caused by the prevalence of photographs and pictures in our times, we will understand something of the wisdom behind this prohibition: that aspect is the great corruption caused by the provoking of physical desires and subsequent spread of immorality caused by these pictures.

The Muslim should not keep any pictures of animate beings in his house, because they will prevent the angels from entering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 10/380).

But nowadays, unfortunately, one can even find in some Muslim homes statues of gods worshipped by the kuffaar (such as Buddha etc.) which they keep on the basis that they are antiques or decorative pieces. These things are more strictly prohibited than others, just as pictures which are hung up are worse than pictures which are not hung up, for how easily they can lead to glorification, and cause grief or be a source of boasting! We cannot say that these pictures are kept for memory's sake, because true memories of a Muslim relative or friend reside in the heart, and we remember them by praying for mercy and forgiveness for them.

Taking pictures with a camera involves human actions such as focusing, pressing the shutter, developing, printing, and so on. We cannot call it anything other than "picture-making" or tasweer, which is the expression used by all Arabic-speakers to describe this action.

In the book Al-I'laam bi naqd kitaab al-halaal wa'l-haraam, the author says: "Photography is even more of an imitation of the creation of Allaah than pictures which are engraved or drawn, so it is even more deserving of being prohibited… There is nothing that could exclude photography from the general meaning of the reports." (p. 42, see also Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/355).

Among the scholars who have discussed the issue of photography is Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, who said: "Some of them differentiate between hand-drawn pictures and photographic images by claiming that the latter are not products of human effort, and that no more is involved than the mere capturing of the image. This is what they claim. The tremendous energy invested the one who invented this machine that can do in few seconds what otherwise could not be done in hours does not count as human effort, according to these people! Pointing the camera, focusing it, and taking the picture, preceded by installation of the film and followed by developing and whatever else that I may not know about… none of this is the result of human effort, according to them!

Some of them explain how this photography is done, and summarize that no less than eleven different actions are involved in the making of a picture. In spite of all this, they say that this picture is not the result of human action! Can it be permissible to hang up a picture of a man, for example, if it is produced by photography, but not if it is drawn by hand?

Those who say that photography is permitted have "frozen" the meaning of the word "tasweer," restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is "tasweer" or "picture-making" in every sense - linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?"
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 38)

It is also worth quoting the opinion of some contemporary scholars who allow the taking of photographs but say that the pictures should not be kept: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures." (See al-Sharh al-Mumti', 2/198).

There are many bad things involved in the making of pictures. Besides the element of imitating the creation of Allaah - which is an accusation denied by many of those who make pictures - reality bears witness to the great extent of immorality and provocation of desires caused by the prevalence of pictures and picture-making nowadays. We must remove or blot out every picture, except when it is too difficult to do so, like the pictures which are overwhelmingly prevalent in food packaging, or pictures used in encyclopaedias and reference books. We should remove what we can, and be careful about any provocative pictures that may be found.

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can…" [al-Taghaabun 64:16 - interpretation of the meaning]

Photographs which are essential are permitted - such as those required for identity documents, or for identifying or pursuing criminals [e.g. "wanted" posters and the like - translator's note], or for educational purposes which cannot be achieved otherwise. The principle in sharee'ah is that we should not exaggerate about what is necessary.

We ask Allaah to accept our repentance and have mercy on us, and to forgive our excesses, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

what about photos used for ID Cards and passport.

please read the reply above again :
Photographs which are essential are permitted - such as those required for identity documents, or for identifying or pursuing criminals [e.g. "wanted" posters and the like - translator's note], or for educational purposes which cannot be achieved otherwise. The principle in sharee'ah is that we should not exaggerate about what is necessary.

We ask Allaah to accept our repentance and have mercy on us, and to forgive our excesses, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.