May I Print a Children’s Book Whose Characters Have Incomplete Features?

Answered by Faraz Rabbani

Question

I paid an illustrator, using grant money, to draw a children’s book on a blood disorder. The human characters have detached heads and limbs, closed eyes, and no nose or ears. May I go ahead and print it?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

You took care over this before a single page was drawn, and that care counts with Allah.

Yes, you may print the book as it is. Illustrations of people and animals are permitted when they serve children’s education and recreation, and a book that teaches children about their illness does both.

The Basis

The scholars made room for images made for children, taking this from the dolls of Aisha (Allah be pleased with her). She said, “I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and I had girl companions who would play with me.” [Bukhari; Muslim] The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) saw them and let them be, because they served a child’s play and upbringing.

A picture book that helps a child understand a blood disorder and face treatment with less fear, falls squarely within that purpose. The simplified style your illustrator chose adds to the ease, but the permission rests on the purpose, not on which features were left out.

Go Ahead with a Clear Heart

Print the book, and nothing is owed back on the grant. Keep the same intention for any future editions: a book made to teach and comfort children. May Allah make it a means of relief for every child and family who reads it.

And Allah knows best.

Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers

• Are Drawings for Educational Purposes Permissible? — An outline of the body with labeled parts, and no detailed features, serves teaching and stays within the school’s limits.
• Are Illustrations of Animate Objects with Incomplete Limbs Permissible? — A figure missing features such as eyes or a nose cannot be brought to life, so it does not compete with Allah’s creation.
• What Is the Ruling Regarding Drawing Living Creatures Without Features? — Scholars differ on featureless human figures, with some permitting them once the head and vital features are absent.
• What Makes an Image “Complete” in the Hanafi School? — An image counts as complete, and so prohibited, only once it shows a clear head and recognizable facial features.