Fatwa ID: 09497
Answered by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Question:
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu! I have a question about drawing. Is it permissible to draw living creatures that have turned away and their faces are not visible? Is it permissible to draw plush toys with faces? And what about, for example, there is an badge with a cat in the drawing? I mean, the creature is not alive, but this is an badge? Is it permissible to draw a head with a face, but without a body, neck and all that? I also wanted to ask, what about people wearing masks with a face on them, for example? Do they count as an image? If there’s an emoji or something on the mask? Is it permissible to draw them? Also, what about cartoons characters like Mickey Mouse or Hello Kitty, can I draw, sell, buy, keep it at home? (I mean,will Angels still at my home?) Baraka Llahu fikum for your efforts, may Allah reward you
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The rulings and principles regarding image making and drawing (taswir) are regarding owning and making animate objects. It is not permissible to purchase or make models or drawings of living creatures. A depiction of a living creature does not need to be accurate, so any depiction of a living creature as a plush toy would still be impermissible. The same applies to a badge with the depiction of an animal.[1]
Narrated `Aisha ﵂: “I purchased a cushion with pictures on it. The Prophet ﷺ (came and) stood at the door but did not enter. I said (to him), “I repent to Allah for what (the guilt) I have done.” He said, “What is this cushion?” I said, “It is for you to sit on and recline on.” He ﷺ said, “The makers of these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them, “Make alive what you have created.” Moreover, the angels do not enter a house where there are pictures.” (Bukhari) [2]
For an image or drawing with missing body parts to be considered depicting something animate, it would need to be taken into consideration whether the portrayal could remain alive without these parts or not. If it would remain alive, it is considered animate. On the other hand, if the creature would be rendered deceased with these parts missing, it would be considered inanimate. A living creature which has turned away would still be considered living if they possess all the body parts necessary for survival. As for masks, whilst a classical face mask would not usually fall under taswir itself, a person should consider who or what they are imitating with such a mask. If they are committing Tashabbuh (imitation) or endorsing a particular group or individual, this would be impermissible.[3]
Setting aside the technical parameters of taswir, an individual should consider their intent in purchasing and making such items, especially when the item is branded merchandise, as well as how their actions can endorse and influence others. By purchasing or making such items, an individual facilitates the continued production of other items which would be considered taswir. It can also encourage others to commit taswir or adopt certain behaviours. A person should take the advice of Ibn Abbas ﵁ and avoid all depictions of living things, instead focusing on art in which there is no doubt regarding its permissibility, such as geometric design and depictions of inanimate objects like plants, landscapes and architecture.[4]
A person came to Ibn ‘Abbas ﵁ and said: “I am the person who paints pictures; give me a religious verdict about them.” He (Ibn ‘Abbas) said to him: “Come near me (still further).” He came near him so much so that he placed his hand upon his head and said: “I am going to narrate to yor what I heard from Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. I heard him say: “All the painters who make pictures would be in the fire of Hell. The soul will be breathed in every picture prepared by him and it shall punish him in the Hell””, and he (Ibn ‘Abbas) said: “If you have to do it at all, then paint the pictures of trees and lifeless things” (Muslim) [5]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
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
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.647, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[2]
حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مِنْهَالٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جُوَيْرِيَةُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّهَا اشْتَرَتْ نُمْرُقَةً فِيهَا تَصَاوِيرُ، فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْبَابِ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ. فَقُلْتُ أَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِمَّا أَذْنَبْتُ. قَالَ ” مَا هَذِهِ النُّمْرُقَةُ ”. قُلْتُ لِتَجْلِسَ عَلَيْهَا وَتَوَسَّدَهَا. قَالَ ” إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرِ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، يُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ. وَإِنَّ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ لاَ تَدْخُلُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ الصُّورَةُ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5957 (Bk.77, ch.92, sunnah.com)
[3]
قَوْلُهُ أَوْ مَقْطُوعَةَ الرَّأْسِ) أَيْ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ مِنْ الْأَصْلِ أَوْ كَانَ لَهَا رَأْسٌ وَمُحِيَ، وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ الْقَطْعُ بِخَيْطِ خِيطَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الرَّأْسِ حَتَّى لَمْ يَبْقَ لَهُ أَثَرٌ، أَوْ بَطَلَيْهِ بِمَغْرَةٍ أَوْ بِنَحْتِهِ، أَوْ بِغَسْلِهِ لِأَنَّهَا لَا تُعْبَدُ بِدُونِ الرَّأْسِ عَادَةً… (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…
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.648-9, Dār Al-Fiqr)
أَقُولُ: وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ يَلْحَقُ بِهِ الصَّلِيبُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ تِمْثَالَ ذِي رَوْحٍ لِأَنَّ فِيهِ تَشَبُّهًا بِالنَّصَارَى. وَيُكْرَهُ التَّشَبُّهُ بِهِمْ فِي الْمَذْمُومِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْصِدْهُ كَمَا مَرَّ (قَوْلُهُ مَنْصُوبَةٍ) أَيْ بِحَيْثُ لَا تُوطَأُ وَلَا يُتَّكَأُ عَلَيْهَا قَالَ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ: وَلَوْ كَانَتْ الصُّورَةُ عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ مُلْقَاةٍ أَوْ عَلَى بِسَاطٍ مَفْرُوشٍ لَا يُكْرَهُ لِأَنَّهَا تُدَاسُ وَتُوطَأُ، بِخِلَافِ مَا إذَا كَانَتْ الْوِسَادَةُ مَنْصُوبَةً أَوْ كَانَتْ عَلَى السِّتْرِ لِأَنَّهَا تَعْظِيمٌ لَهَا
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.648, Dār Al-Fiqr)
… لَكِنْ تَقَدَّمَ أَنَّ التَّشَبُّهَ إنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ فِي الْمَذْمُومِ وَفِيمَا قُصِدَ بِهِ التَّشَبُّهُ لَا مُطْلَقًا، وَلَعَلَّ هَذَا مِنْ الْمَذْمُومِ تَأَمَّلَ. هَذَا وَفِي حَاشِيَةِ الْبَحْرِ لِلرَّمْلِيِّ: الَّذِي يَظْهَرُ مِنْ كَلَامِهِمْ أَنَّهَا كَرَاهَةُ تَنْزِيهٍ تَأَمَّلْ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.646, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[4]
…وَقَالَا: يُكْرَهُ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ} [المائدة: ٢] وَلَهُ أَنَّ الْإِجَارَةَ عَلَى مَنْفَعَةِ الْبَيْتِ وَلِهَذَا تَجِبُ الْأُجْرَةُ بِمُجَرَّدِ التَّسْلِيمِ وَلَا مَعْصِيَةَ فِيهِ وَإِنَّمَا الْمَعْصِيَةُ بِفِعْلِ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ وَهُوَ مُخْتَارٌ فِيهِ …
Al-Bahr Al-Rāiq (Vol.8, pg.230, Dār Al-Kitab Al-Islami)
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.
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.649, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[5]
وَحَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورٌ، عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ صُبَيْحٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ مَسْرُوقٍ فِي بَيْتٍ فِيهِ تَمَاثِيلُ مَرْيَمَ . فَقَالَ مَسْرُوقٌ هَذَا تَمَاثِيلُ كِسْرَى . فَقُلْتُ لاَ هَذَا تَمَاثِيلُ مَرْيَمَ . فَقَالَ مَسْرُوقٌ أَمَا إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ ” .
قَالَ مُسْلِمٌ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى نَصْرِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ أُصَوِّرُ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرَ فَأَفْتِنِي فِيهَا . فَقَالَ لَهُ ادْنُ مِنِّي . فَدَنَا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْنُ مِنِّي . فَدَنَا حَتَّى وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ قَالَ أُنَبِّئُكَ بِمَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ” كُلُّ مُصَوِّرٍ فِي النَّارِ يَجْعَلُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ صُورَةٍ صَوَّرَهَا نَفْسًا فَتُعَذِّبُهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ ” . وَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ لاَ بُدَّ فَاعِلاً فَاصْنَعِ الشَّجَرَ وَمَا لاَ نَفْسَ لَهُ . فَأَقَرَّ بِهِ نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ .
Sahih Muslim 2109c & 2110a (Bk.37, ch.26, sunnah.com)