Drawing Face of Human Beings

16-12-2000 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is drawing of the human’s face forbidden?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

A picture is of two kinds:

1- The picture which is made by hand, whether it has a shadow or not, is forbidden according to the most preponderant opinion of the scholars.

2- As for the photography by camera, Muslim scholars have different opinions over it. Some scholars, according to a generalization mentioned in many Ahadeeth, believe that all kinds of photography are prohibited. Some others believe that photography is nothing but catching the shadow of a person, not emulating Almighty Allah. Thereupon, it is not forbidden. But we would like to tell you that avoiding doubtful matters is always preferable in Islam unless there is real necessity for acting otherwise. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood reported that the Prophet said: “Image makers will be most severely punished by Allah on the Day of Resurrection.” [Al-Bukhari]

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: “Allah said, 'Who are most unjust than those who try to create something like My Creation? I challenge them to create even a smallest ant, a wheat grain, or a barley grain." The Prophet said: “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.” All these sound narrations urge us to keep ourselves far from making pictures of animate beings.

For more benefit on making images, please refer to Fataawa 88456, 4549, 63235, 89555 and 88306.

Allah knows best.