Fatwa ID: 04936

Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Kamran Abid

Question:

Salam, I am Hanafi. I am aware of the ruling on images and drawing things with life in them. I have heard that the same rules apply to the digital world unless it’s for educational purposes. But I was wondering something. I have no intention to attempt to rival Allah (SWT), there will be no music, no filthy scenes, no foul language, etc. So regardless of this is it haram to create and animate 3D characters (such as Disney)? Are there updated views from scholars on this matter? I can only find outdated material such as taking pictures or digital drawings

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

Answer:

The Prophet (saw) said, “Angles do not enter a house that has either a dog or a picture in it.”.^[1] This Hadith tells us that pictures are not permissible. However, as technology advances digital pictures and 3D images are made. Now we must see if the digital pictures and physical pictures carry the same ruling. There is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding this scenario. Some scholars like Mufti Rafi Uthmani mention that digital pictures or images are permissible because it does not have permanence and it is unlike a picture. For more details about Digital Pictures, please see the link below:

http://daruliftabirmingham.co.uk/digital-pictures/

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammed Kamran Abid

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

^[1] عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ ـ رضى الله عنهم ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ  ” لاَ تَدْخُلُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ كَلْبٌ وَلاَ صُورَةٌ “.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith# 3322