Are Pictures Forbidden in Islam?
Muhammad Abrar Chishti Sheikh asks:
'Assalamualaikum' - Walaikumasalam.
'The Rizvi religious scholars say that it is forbidden [in Islam] to put up pictures in one's house.'
'How should one respond to this?'
'They say that it is forbidden to put up a photo of one's Spiritual Guide.'
'And that if it were allowed then why would Prophet Mohammad get rid of the idols in Kaaba?'
Idols and pictures are two different things.
To have idols [in your home] is, indeed, forbidden.
And there is a reason for it being forbidden.
There is one thing you must understand:
no religion has set conditions illogically.
What is it that we call 'betuki (illogical)'? First let's understand what it means.
If something is illogical, it means there is no logic to it.
Something without reason.
Understand?
For example, if it is cold outside and you go out [without a jacket], then this is an illogical act.
It is illogical to leave without warm clothes, a jacket or coat on when it is cold outside.
So if Islam forbids you from doing something, there is some wisdom behind it.
God does not enjoy placing restrictions upon you for no reason.
Make sense?
Number 2:
there were no cameras in the era of Prophet Mohammad.
So how can pictures be forbidden?
What do you think?
Isn't that right?
When there were no cameras in the era of Prophet Mohammad,
then where does the concept of 'pictures' come from?
There are two things to note here.
Firstly, making idols was common in the previous eras.
They would also use brushes, or other writing tools, to paint images on walls.
Those painted images would be of the idols.
What the Prophet declared prohibited were those idols and the painted images of those idols.
The pictures which are taken by cameras today are not made by your hands.
Rather, the camera captures the lights and shadows on the person whose picture is being taken.
The contrast of light and shadow create the complete image of a person in a camera. This image is not man-made.
The camera catches the image of people which is made by God.
So the pictures of you being taken by a camera
these pictures are actually a reflection of you.
And it's not like anybody is worshipping your pictures.
Whereas, people would worship those idols and their colourful hand-painted images as their God.
Do you understand?
However, these images captured by cameras are not made by you, rather it is your reflection saved into the camera.
Furthermore, the characters of today's religious clerics are before us.
Forget about everyone else, just look at Dawat-e-Islami.
Moulana Ilyas of Dawat-e-Islami said -
I refuse to call him 'Qadri' -
Molvi Ilyas said that TV is prohibited.
When he said this, all the members of Dawat-e-Islami destroyed their TVs at home.
After that, he made his own TV channel.
What? He said that TV is prohibited and then he made his own TV channel?
Similarly, Fazl-ur-Rehman (Maulana Diesel) also issued verdicts that pictures are prohibited.
I am talking about the religious clerics of all the different sects.
He is also a Rizvi cleric, isn't he? Maulana Ilyas Qadri also attaches 'Rizvi' with his name, doesn't he?
He associates himself with Ahmed Raza Khan (Aala Hazrat).
And Fazl-ur-Rehman belongs to the Wahhabi sect.
So he has also issued verdicts that pictures are prohibited.
And now, he is also coming on TV and his pictures are being taken.
There is a journalist on GEO TV called Saleem Safi.
He has a programme called 'Jirga'.
He called [Fazl-ur-Rehman] on his programme, Jirga.
In fact, his programme was broadcast from his madrassa.
Saleem Safi posed the same question to him, 'Maulana, you said that pictures are prohibited but your pictures are being printed and posted here and there. So what of your verdict?'
He replied, 'It is permissible for some scholars, prohibited for some and acceptable for others.
Therefore, I am taking advantage of this leniency in Sharia.'
Their statements change like the weather.
There is no mention of pictures being prohibited in the Prophetic Traditions.
If 20-50 clerics get together to support and endorse the verdict of pictures being prohibited in their areas then they are just following their own perceptions.
There are pictures and videos of everything today.
When people go for the pilgrimage of Hajj, that is also shown live on television.
So, in that case, Hajj is also prohibited, isn't it?
You must try to understand this.
How can a picture be logically prohibited?
Secondly, God has mentioned his attribute of 'Musawwir' in the Koran.
God states one of his attributes in the Koran, that of being a Musawwir.
A Musawwir is one who creates images.
In the Kanz ul Emaan - the translation of the Koran done by Aala Hazrat - it is stated in the explanation where the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned that
there are images of various prophets in the Ark of the Covenant which were created by Solomon, the Prophet.
You understand?
So if Solomon created these images, it was the time before Prophet Mohammad and there were no cameras back then either.
Obviously, he would have made those images by hand.
If making those images was prohibited then why would a prophet of God do it?
If pictures were prohibited then why would a prophet of God make those images?
As you can see, it says here in Chapter Hashar [59:24]: He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner.
God is indicating to himself, that he is the Musawwir.
Some other verses of the Koran also state that when a child is being developed in the womb of a mother,
it is God who creates the features of the child in the womb.
If God did not make the images then how would our facial features come into being?
How can something that God does himself be prohibited?
God makes images and it is also proven by a prophet of God.
Solomon was a prophet, wasn't he?
The images of various prophets are in the Ark of the Covenant.
Present these points I have mentioned to whoever you need to speak to and, God willing, it will help.
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