Fatwa ID: 08076

Answered by: Aalimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Question:

My name is Uzair. If I manipulate different animal images to create a new, unique design and earn money from it, is it halal to do this kind of photo manipulation in Islam?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

Answer:

Wa alaikum as salām wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh,

In Islam, the prohibition against creating and replicating images typically concerns the depiction of animate beings, specifically humans and animals. This is because creating images of living beings has in the past and certainly can in the present lead to idolatry and imitation of Allah’s creation. This could consequentially lead to shirk (associating partners with God). Thus, as a preventative measure, there is a prohibition on manipulating such images, even if to earn a livelihood.

Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [1]

«إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ»

“Indeed, the people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah on the Day of Judgment will be the picture-makers.” [Bukhari 2/880, Muslim 2/201]

However, there is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars regarding drawing pictures of live creatures and human beings with no face or features. Some strictly prohibit all pictures, irrespective of whether they have detailed features or not, whilst others place conditions on the permissibility.

For example, if the head of a body or features of the face are missing on an image, or the details are microscopic such that they cannot be clearly seen from afar, then Salah (prayer) has been deemed disliked (makruh) when such images are present. In this case, the pictures are not considered prohibited but rather makruh. [2], [3] Thus, if these conditions are met and the details or features are avoided, on this basis, the picture is considered incomplete and therefore avoids the conditions of prohibition.

Therefore, if the picture of a human or animal is clearly visible with all its features and details, then to create, collate, and sell such images would be impermissible because of the numerous authentic ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) against making images of human or animal forms.

However, if the pictures are such that they simply outline the human or animal body without intricate details, or they detail the features of a particular body part (such as the hand or feet), then it will be permissible to create, collate, and sell.

Allah cautions us about being mindful of such things:

{لَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم بَرَكَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ} [Al-A’raf: 69] [4]

Being mindful requires that we stand firm and protect ourselves from falling into sin by assisting in haram. As Muslims, we are required to place our hope for provision and reward in Allah. Based on this, it is advisable to seek a profession that keeps you away from what is doubtful.

Only Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) knows best.

Written by Aalimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] إن أشد الناس عذابا عند الله يوم القيامة المصورون
[2] (قَوْلُهُ وَلُبْسُ ثَوْبٍ فِيهِ تَمَاثِيلُ) عَدَلَ عَنْ قَوْلِ غَيْرِهِ تَصَاوِيرُ لِمَا فِي الْمُغْرِبِ: الصُّورَةُ عَامٌّ فِي ذِي الرُّوحِ وَغَيْرِهِ، وَالتِّمْثَالُ خَاصٌّ بِمِثَالِ ذِي الرُّوحِ وَيَأْتِي أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذِي الرُّوحِ لَا يُكْرَهُ قَالَ الْقُهُسْتَانِيُّ: وَفِيهِ إشْعَارٌ بِأَنَّهُ لَا تُكْرَهُ صُورَةُ الرَّأْسِ، وَفِيهِ خِلَافٌ كَمَا فِي اتِّخَاذِهَا كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ، قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ: وَفِي الْخُلَاصَةِ وَتُكْرَهُ التَّصَاوِيرُ عَلَى الثَّوْبِ صَلَّى فِيهِ أَوْ لَا انْتَهَى، وَهَذِهِ الْكَرَاهَةُ تَحْرِيمِيَّةٌ. وَظَاهِرُ كَلَامِ النَّوَوِيِّ فِي شَرْحِ مُسْلِمٍ الْإِجْمَاعُ عَلَى تَحْرِيمِ تَصْوِيرِ الْحَيَوَانِ، وَقَالَ: وَسَوَاءٌ صَنَعَهُ لِمَا يُمْتَهَنُ أَوْ لِغَيْرِهِ، فَصَنْعَتُهُ حَرَامٌ بِكُلِّ حَالٍ لِأَنَّ فِيهِ مُضَاهَاةَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ فِي ثَوْبٍ أَوْ بِسَاطٍ أَوْ دِرْهَمٍ وَإِنَاءٍ وَحَائِطٍ وَغَيْرِهَا اهـ فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ حَرَامًا لَا مَكْرُوهًا إنْ ثَبَتَ الْإِجْمَاعُ أَوْ قَطْعِيَّةُ الدَّلِيلِ بِتَوَاتُرِهِ اهـ كَلَامُ الْبَحْرِ مُلَخَّصًا. وَظَاهِرُ قَوْلِهِ فَيَنْبَغِي الِاعْتِرَاضُ عَلَى الْخُلَاصَةِ فِي تَسْمِيَتِهِ مَكْرُوهًا.
ص647 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – فرع لا بأس بتكليم المصلي وإجابته برأسه – المكتبة الشاملة
[3] وَأَنْ يَكُونَ فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِ أَوْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ أَوْ (بِحِذَائِهِ) يَمْنَةً أَوْ يَسْرَةً أَوْ مَحَلَّ سُجُودِهِ (تِمْثَالٌ) وَلَوْ فِي وِسَادَةٍ مَنْصُوبَةٍ لَا مَفْرُوشَةٍ (وَاخْتُلِفَ فِيمَا إذَا كَانَ) التِّمْثَالُ (خَلْفَهُ وَالْأَظْهَرُ الْكَرَاهَةُ و) لَا يُكْرَهُ (لَوْ كَانَتْ تَحْتَ قَدَمَيْهِ) أَوْ مَحَلَّ جُلُوسِهِ لِأَنَّهَا مُهَانَةٌ (أَوْ فِي يَدِهِ) عِبَارَةُ الشُّمُنِّيِّ بَدَنِهِ لِأَنَّهَا مَسْتُورَةٌ بِثِيَابِهِ (أَوْ عَلَى خَاتَمِهِ) بِنَقْشٍ غَيْرِ مُسْتَبِينٍ. قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ وَمُفَادُهُ كَرَاهَةُ الْمُسْتَبِينِ لَا الْمُسْتَتِرِ بِكِيسٍ أَوْ صُرَّةٍ أَوْ ثَوْبٍ آخَرَ، وَأَقَرَّهُ الْمُصَنِّفُ (أَوْ كَانَتْ صَغِيرَةً) لَا تَتَبَيَّنُ تَفَاصِيلُ أَعْضَائِهَا لِلنَّاظِرِ قَائِمًا وَهِيَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ، ذَكَرَهُ الْحَلَبِيُّ (أَوْ مَقْطُوعَةَ الرَّأْسِ أَوْ الْوَجْهِ)
ص648 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – فرع لا بأس بتكليم المصلي وإجابته برأسه – المكتبة الشاملة
[4] لَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم بَرَكَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ وَ