Is It Halal to Earn From AI Generated Female Images and Horror Videos?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
Is it permissible to generate AI images of women with uncovered hair for documentary content?
May I make horror content involving spirits for entertainment on YouTube? And does YouTube’s placement of inappropriate ads on my videos make my income haram?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate.
May Allah reward you for asking before acting.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, and in each there is good. Be avid for what benefits you, seek Allah’s help, and do not be incapable.” [Muslim]
Reflect on this hadith, and carry its guidance into your craft. Aim your skill at what truly benefits you, your viewers, and the religion you serve.
AI Images of Women Carry the Ruling of Human Images
An AI image that resembles a human being carries the same rights as a human image. What is permitted in a photograph or a painting is permitted; what is not, is not.
A woman’s hair, neck, and body are part of her nakedness (awra) before men outside her immediate family, and depicting them in an AI generation carries the same ruling as depicting them in a photograph or a painting.
Horror Content for Entertainment: Three Questions to Ask First
Before you produce, ask three questions:
One. Is it wholesome?
Two. Is it upright?
Three. What does it promote?
Entertainment that leans on fear and on the imagery of the unseen (al-ghayb) for clicks will fail these questions almost every time. The unseen is sacred ground, not raw material for thrill. If your content cannot answer the three in the affirmative, leave it.
YouTube Ad Income: Lawful at Source; Use What Settings You Have
Your earnings from lawful work on a platform are themselves lawful, even when the platform places ads you would not choose.
Estimate what percentage of the ads are impermissible, and give that extent away in charity.
But change what you can: in YouTube’s settings, exclude the ad categories that clash with our religion: alcohol, gambling, sensual content, and the like.
Where you have agency, use it.
Build What Is Wholesome; Pass On What Is Not
You have a craft and a platform. Both are a trust (amana).
Make documentaries that teach, that lift, that honor the truth of what happened. Sayyidi’ Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri (Allah have mercy on him) said:
Dear friend, seize this moment to live; how many a corpse came back to life.
Far, far from Him to disappoint — the one who comes with sincere intent. [Shaghouri, Diwan]
Let your work be among the things that revive hearts and uplift, not the things that deaden them.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani
Related SeekersGuidance Answers
Can Muslims Support or Promote Content with Uncovered Women? — Discusses the permissibility of promoting or creating content that includes uncovered women and the ethics of visual media.
Prohibited Income Archives – SeekersGuidance — Collection of rulings related to doubtful and impermissible online income sources, including monetized digital platforms.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.
Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.
In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.
Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.
Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.
His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.
