Fatwa ID: 08633

 

 

Answered by Alimah Humairah Badshah

 

Question:

 

I’m a master degree student of Islam sciences in Kosovo and need an answer according to the four madhabs, especially Hanafi school of thought, regarding this question:

 

Is it permissible to make what today people do with their new born baby’s on some videos on internet (according to “Chat GPT”, it is called “baby foot casting” or “baby foot mould”)?

 

I saw that they do like this with the shape of hand as well, and not just  the baby but any human hand or foot, adult or baby.

 

I have a video of the process also, but it seams like I can’t put the video here; anyway, the process goes like this:

 

You put your hand in plaster for example, or some other substances which can after a time be in a solid state, than after some time you get the exact shape of your hand for example which has been hardened already.

 

While on it, here they sell decorations like the shape of small hands (symbolizing the Du’a state) and sometimes the name الله is in between (these are made with silver or bronze or at least they coloured it like this) is this permissible to have at home as decoration?

 

If it is permissible, does their need to be a good reason for it, or it doesn’t matter? And I expect a detailed explanation if you may.

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

 

Answer:

 

Firstly, as a scholar of the Hanafi madhhab, it would not be appropriate to decide the opinion of the other madhhabs regarding modern matters. If you wish to receive the opinion of all four madhhabs, it would be necessary for you to consult a qualified scholar from each school.

 

According to the Hanafi madhhab, while creating images of entire human beings is prohibited, it is permissible to create images of individual body parts such as the hands and feet. This applies to drawing images as well as sculpting and casting. The process of creating a small statuette of a baby’s hand or foot would also be included under this permissibility.

 

 

Historically, the process of baby hand and foot casting is said to have originated with French artists, and even today cannot be said to be a part of any religious belief. Parents choose to do this primarily in order to celebrate their child’s younger years, and therefore this practice cannot be said to be resembling the disbelievers in intent. However, from an outside perspective there does appear to be some unintentional resemblance to idolatry in the creation of small statuettes, although this resemblance would likely depend on one’s culture as well as the material of the casting and the position and level of display. Due to this, while it does not appear to be prohibited in and of itself, it may be more cautious to avoid creating and displaying these castings in prominent positions around the home, and also avoid praying towards them.

 

As for home decorations which depict hands in prayer alongside the name of Allah (عز و جل), these also are included under the permissibility of drawing hands and such. Since the name of Allah (عز و جل) is prominent, these do not resemble idolatry and therefore are even less in question than the baby hand and foot castings would be. These decorations would be permissible to have around the home.

 

 

References:

 

قَوْلُهُ أَوْ مَمْحُوَّةَ عُضْوٍ إلَخْ) تَعْمِيمٌ بَعْدَ تَخْصِيصٍ، وَهَلْ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ مَا لَوْ كَانَتْ مَثْقُوبَةَ الْبَطْنِ مَثَلًا. وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ الثَّقْبُ كَبِيرًا يَظْهَرُ بِهِ نَقْصُهَا فَنَعَمْ وَإِلَّا فَلَا؛ كَمَا لَوْ كَانَ الثَّقْبُ لِوَضْعِ عَصَا تُمْسَكُ بِهَا كَمِثْلِ صُوَرِ الْخَيَّالِ الَّتِي يُلْعَبُ بِهَا لِأَنَّهَا تَبْقَى مَعَهُ صُورَةً تَامَّةً تَأَمَّلْ (قَوْلُهُ أَوْ لِغَيْرِ ذِي رُوحٍ) لِقَوْلِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ لِلسَّائِلِ ” فَإِنْ كُنْت لَا بُدَّ فَاعِلًا فَاصْنَعْ الشَّجَرَ وَمَا لَا نَفْسَ لَهُ ” رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ، وَلَا فَرْقَ فِي الشَّجَرِ بَيْنَ الْمُثْمِرِ وَغَيْرِهِ خِلَافًا لِمُجَاهِدٍ بَحْرٌ (قَوْلُهُ لِأَنَّهَا لَا تُعْبَدُ) أَيْ هَذِهِ الْمَذْكُورَاتُ وَحِينَئِذٍ فَلَا يَحْصُلُ التَّشَبُّهُ

…

رَوَى ابْنُ حِبَّانَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ «اسْتَأْذَنَ جِبْرِيلُ – عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ – عَلَى النَّبِيِّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فَقَالَ: اُدْخُلْ فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ أَدْخُلُ وَفِي بَيْتِك سِتْرٌ فِيهِ تَصَاوِيرُ؟ فَإِنْ كُنْت لَا بُدَّ فَاعِلًا فَاقْطَعْ رُءُوسَهَا أَوْ اقْطَعْهَا وَسَائِدَ أَوْ اجْعَلْهَا بُسُطًا» نَعَمْ يَرِدُ عَلَى هَذَا مَا إذَا كَانَتْ عَلَى بِسَاطٍ فِي مَوْضِعِ السُّجُودِ فَقَدْ مَرَّ أَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ مَعَ أَنَّهَا لَا تَمْنَعُ دُخُولَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَلَيْسَ فِيهَا تَشَبُّهٌ لِأَنَّ عَبَدَةَ الْأَصْنَامِ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ عَلَيْهَا، بَلْ يَنْصِبُونَهَا وَيَتَوَجَّهُونَ إلَيْهَا، إلَّا أَنْ يُقَالَ فِيهَا صُورَةُ التَّشَبُّهِ بِعِبَادَتِهَا حَالَ الْقِيَامِ وَالرُّكُوعِ وَتَعْظِيمٌ لَهَا إنْ سَجَدَ عَلَيْهَا اهـ مُلَخَّصًا مِنْ الْحِلْيَةِ وَالْبَحْرِ

أَقُولُ: الَّذِي يَظْهَرُ مِنْ كَلَامِهِمْ أَنَّ الْعِلَّةَ إمَّا التَّعْظِيمُ أَوْ التَّشَبُّهُ كَمَا قَدَّمْنَاهُ، وَالتَّعْظِيمُ أَعَمُّ؛ كَمَا لَوْ كَانَتْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ أَوْ يَسَارِهِ أَوْ مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا تَشَبُّهَ فِيهَا بَلْ فِيهَا تَعْظِيمٌ، وَمَا كَانَ فِيهِ تَعْظِيمٌ وَتَشَبُّهٌ فَهُوَ أَشَدُّ كَرَاهَةً، وَلِهَذَا تَفَاوَتَتْ رُتْبَتُهَا كَمَا مَرَّ وَخَبَرُ جِبْرِيلَ – عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ – مَعْلُولٌ بِالتَّعْظِيمِ بِدَلِيلِ الْحَدِيثِ الْآخَرِ وَغَيْرِهِ، فَعَدَمُ دُخُولِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إنَّمَا هُوَ حَيْثُ كَانَتْ الصُّورَةُ مُعَظَّمَةٌ، وَتَعْلِيلُ كَرَاهَةِ الصَّلَاةِ بِالتَّعْظِيمِ أَوْلَى مِنْ التَّعْلِيلِ بِعَدَمِ الدُّخُولِ لِأَنَّ التَّعْظِيمَ قَدْ يَكُونُ عَارِضًا لِأَنَّ الصُّورَةَ إذَا كَانَتْ عَلَى بِسَاطٍ مَفْرُوشٍ تَكُونُ مُهَانَةً لَا تَمْنَعُ مِنْ الدُّخُولِ، وَمَعَ هَذَا لَوْ صَلَّى عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْبِسَاطِ وَسَجَدَ عَلَيْهَا تُكْرَهُ لِأَنَّ فِعْلَهُ ذَلِكَ تَعْظِيمٌ لَهَا. وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَا تَمْتَنِعُ مِنْ الدُّخُولِ بِذَلِكَ الْفِعْلِ الْعَارِضِ؛ وَأَمَّا مَا فِي الْفَتْحِ عَنْ شَرْحِ عَتَّابٍ مِنْ أَنَّهَا لَوْ كَانَتْ خَلْفَهُ أَوْ تَحْتَ رِجْلَيْهِ لَا تُكْرَهُ الصَّلَاةُ، وَلَكِنْ تُكْرَهُ كَرَاهَةَ جَعْلِ الصُّورَةِ فِي الْبَيْتِ لِلْحَدِيثِ، فَظَاهِرُهُ الِامْتِنَاعُ مِنْ الدُّخُولِ وَلَوْ مُهَانَةً، وَكَرَاهَةُ جَعْلِهَا فِي بِسَاطٍ مَفْرُوشٍ، وَهُوَ خِلَافُ الْحَدِيثِ الْمُخَصِّصِ كَمَا مَرَّ

Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.649

 

وَهُمَا بِهَا لِلتَّشَبُّهِ بِأَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ: أَيْ إنْ قَصَدَهُ؛ فَإِنَّ التَّشَبُّهَ بِهِمْ لَا يُكْرَهُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، بَلْ فِي الْمَذْمُومِ وَفِيمَا يُقْصَدُ بِهِ التَّشَبُّهُ، كَمَا فِي الْبَحْرِ.

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مَطْلَبٌ فِي التَّشَبُّهِ بِأَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ(قَوْلُهُ لِأَنَّ التَّشَبُّهَ بِهِمْ لَا يُكْرَهُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ)فَإِنَّا نَأْكُلُ وَنَشْرَبُ كَمَا يَفْعَلُونَ بَحْرٌ عَنْ شَرْحِ الْجَامِعِ الصَّغِيرِ لِقَاضِي خَانَ، وَيُؤَيِّدُهُ مَا فِي الذَّخِيرَةِ قُبَيْلَ كِتَابِ التَّحَرِّي. قَالَ هِشَامٌ:رَأَيْت عَلَى أَبِي يُوسُفَ نَعْلَيْنِ مَخْصُوفِينَ بِمَسَامِيرَ، فَقُلْت:أَتَرَى بِهَذَا الْحَدِيدِ بَأْسًا؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْت:سُفْيَانُ وَثَوْرُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ كَرِهَا ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّ فِيهِ تَشَبُّهًا بِالرُّهْبَانِ؛ فَقَالَ «كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – يَلْبَسُ النِّعَالَ الَّتِي لَهَا شَعْرٌ»وَإِنَّهَا مِنْ لِبَاسِ الرُّهْبَانِ. فَقَدْ أَشَارَ إلَى أَنَّ صُورَةَ الْمُشَابَهَةِ فِيمَا تَعَلَّقَ بِهِ صَلَاحُ الْعِبَادِ لَا يَضُرُّ، فَإِنَّ الْأَرْضَ مِمَّا لَا يُمْكِنُ قَطْعُ الْمَسَافَةِ الْبَعِيدَةِ فِيهَا إلَّا بِهَذَا النَّوْعِ. اهـ وَفِيهِ إشَارَةٌ أَيْضًا إلَى أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِالتَّشَبُّهِ أَصْلُ الْفِعْلِ:أَيْ صُورَةُ الْمُشَابَهَةِ بِلَا قَصْدٍ.

Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fitr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.624

 

أَوْ مَمْحُوَّةَ عُضْوٍ لَا تَعِيشُ بِدُونِهِ

Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fitr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.649

 

https://firsttreasures.co.uk/blogs/news/how-and-why-baby-hand-and-foot-casting-began

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Humairah Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham