Fatwa ID: 08049
Answered by: Alimah Maryam Badshah
Question:
Salaam alaikum
Is it haraam to throw away my sisters dolls with faces even if I know they will get angry and so will my mother.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Assalaamu ‘alaykum,
It was narrated by `Aisha (ra): “I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet (saw), and my female friends also used to play with me. When Allah’s Messenger (saw) used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but he (saw) would call them to join and play with me.” (Bukhari) [1]
It would be impermissible for you to dispose of the belongings of another without their permission, regardless of your intentions. Rather, it would be better for you to discuss the issue in a kind and gentle manner with your sister, giving her time to reflect and come to a decision herself. Forcibly doing what you wish with another person’s property is neither productive nor conducive to your relationship as siblings, since, as you said, disposing of your sister’s toys would certainly upset her.[2]
In regards to dolls themselves, as seen in the narration above, ‘Aisha (ra) used to play with dolls before reaching puberty and the Prophet (saw) did not stop her from doing so. However, it has also been deduced by scholars that the toys of the time would most likely not have had the distinctive features of living creatures we see in many toys today and therefore these types of toys with distinctive features would not be allowed.
Narrated by ‘Aisha (ra): “When the Messenger of Allah (saw) arrived after the expedition to Tabuk or Khaybar (the narrator is doubtful), the draught raised an end of a curtain which was hung in front of her store-room, revealing some dolls which belonged to her. He asked: What is this? She replied: My dolls. Among them he saw a horse with wings made of rags, and asked: What is this I see among them? She replied: A horse. He asked: What is this that it has on it? She replied: Two wings. He asked: A horse with two wings? She replied: Have you not heard that Sulayman had horses with wings? She said: Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) laughed so heartily that I could see his molar teeth.” (Sunan Abu Dawood) [3]
However, as disposing of the dolls is not your right and would cause upset, rather than disposing of them completely, compromising and kindly suggesting to carefully remove any distinctive features from the dolls to the extent that is acceptable for your sister would be better.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1] حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ كُنْتُ أَلْعَبُ بِالْبَنَاتِ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ لِي صَوَاحِبُ يَلْعَبْنَ مَعِي، فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ يَتَقَمَّعْنَ مِنْهُ، فَيُسَرِّبُهُنَّ إِلَىَّ فَيَلْعَبْنَ مَعِي.
Sahih Al-Bukhāri 6130 (Bk.78, ch.81, sunnah.com)
[2] وَيُكْرَهُ خَرْقُ الزِّقِّ الَّذِي فِيهِ خَمْرٌ لِمُسْلِمٍ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ
Badā’i’ Al-Ṣanā’i’ (Vol.5, pg.129, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah)
[3] حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُمَارَةُ بْنُ غَزِيَّةَ، أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، رضى الله عنها قَالَتْ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ أَوْ خَيْبَرَ وَفِي سَهْوَتِهَا سِتْرٌ فَهَبَّتْ رِيحٌ فَكَشَفَتْ نَاحِيَةَ السِّتْرِ عَنْ بَنَاتٍ لِعَائِشَةَ لُعَبٍ فَقَالَ ” مَا هَذَا يَا عَائِشَةُ ” . قَالَتْ بَنَاتِي . وَرَأَى بَيْنَهُنَّ فَرَسًا لَهُ جَنَاحَانِ مِنْ رِقَاعٍ فَقَالَ ” مَا هَذَا الَّذِي أَرَى وَسْطَهُنَّ ” . قَالَتْ فَرَسٌ . قَالَ ” وَمَا هَذَا الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ ” . قَالَتْ جَنَاحَانِ . قَالَ ” فَرَسٌ لَهُ جَنَاحَانِ ” . قَالَتْ أَمَا سَمِعْتَ أَنَّ لِسُلَيْمَانَ خَيْلاً لَهَا أَجْنِحَةٌ قَالَتْ فَضَحِكَ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ نَوَاجِذَهُ .
Sunan Abu Dawud 4932 (Bk.43, ch.62, sunnah.com)
