What Is the Ruling on Photography in Islam?

Answered by Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib

Question

What is the ruling on photography in Islam? Is it considered prohibited?

Answer

In the name of Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, his Family, his Companions, and those who follow him.

Hadith

There are Prophetic narrations (hadiths) that prohibit image-making and contain strong censure and warnings against it. Among them is a hadith narrated by ‘Aisha, in which she purchased a small cushion that had images on it. When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) saw it, he stood at the door and did not enter. ‘Aisha then said,

“I repent to Allah for any sin I have committed.” He asked, “What is this ‘numruqa’?” She replied, “For you to sit on and lean against.” He then said, “Those who make these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them, ‘Give life to what you have created,’ and the angels do not enter a house in which there are images.” [Muslim]

The term “numruqa” refers to a small pillow or cushion.

Drawing Animate Objects

There are additional hadiths on this topic, but it is beyond the scope here to mention all of them. The summary of what has been said regarding this hadith is that the type of image referred to in these narrations is an image of something with a soul, excluding images of inanimate objects and plants. [Shata, I‘anat al-Talibin]

Furthermore, if the image is of something that is treated with disrespect, such as something walked upon, it has a different ruling from honored images that are used for decoration on curtains or walls.

This ruling applies to images that were drawn by hand in the past or those used to adorn rugs, cushions, and curtains, all of which were made by hand.

Photography

With the advent of photography in the modern era, contemporary scholars have differed in their rulings on it. Some permitted it because it is not hand-drawn but rather a “capturing of a shadow.” Others prohibited it, likening it to the hand-drawn images that are forbidden in the hadiths. [Sayyid Sabiq, Fiqh al-Sunna; Muti‘i, al-Taswir; Qaradawi, al-Halal wa al-Haram]

Both groups have their evidence and reasoning, which are discussed at length in their respective sources.

Among those who ruled that photography is not prohibited was the Mufti of Tarim, Salim Sa‘id Baghithan (d. 1386 AH). In his Fatwas, he mentioned:

“In any case, capturing an image through photography, which is essentially capturing a shadow through means known to those skilled in this craft, is not part of the prohibited image-making. The prohibited image-making involves creating a new form or image that did not previously exist, imitating a living creature created by Allah (Most High). This concept is not present in taking a photograph with this device.” [Baghithan, Fath al-Ilah al-Mannan]

Shaykh Nuh al-Quda’s Fatwa

I conclude by citing the guidance of a contemporary Shafi‘i jurist, the former Mufti of Jordan, Shaykh Nuh ‘Ali al-Quda (Allah have mercy on him), from a fatwa he issued on the ruling of photography. He said:

“One can say the following about mechanical (photographic) imaging:

• If the image contains elements that incite corruption, temptation, or provoke desires, then there is no doubt in its prohibition in terms of both capturing and possessing it because what leads to the unlawful is itself unlawful.
• If it does not contain such elements, then it is pious abstinence to avoid it, as the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt.’
• If the image is partial (not of the full figure), the matter is lighter. It is still pious abstinence to avoid making, possessing, or hanging it, but it is not obligatory to condemn someone who does make or hang it.

As for educational images used for teaching children or for medical purposes and the like, it is permissible to use them as needed, whether they are hand-drawn or mechanically captured. The evidence for this is that ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) used to have dolls to play with while in the house of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). It is well known that dolls are three-dimensional representations, and the wisdom behind them is to teach girls how to care for and nurture children.” [The Fatwa Department of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Fatwas of Shaykh Nuh al-Quda]

And Allah knows best and is most wise. All praise is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib