Making statues of animals and humans for decorations

15-4-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

I'm a new Muslim. I am working for a company that makes statues for gardens or houses in the shape of animals and humans. I know it is a sin but I need work badly, and I'm trying to find anther job now. I need the money from working and I don't like do it since I know it is sin, but I have no choice right now.

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

 

No doubt making statues of living beings is forbidden according to the consensus of Muslim scholars.  It is reported in Fath al-Bari that Ibn al-Arabi narrated the consensus of Muslim scholars on the prohibition of making pictures that have shadows (three-dimensional pictures).

Therefore, it is your obligation to explain to your father that the work he is doing is forbidden.  Instead he should make the pictures of non-living beings.

As for working in this company, if your work is not related to the profession of making statues or marketing them then it is allowed, and there is no harm in that since you neither make them nor cooperate in making them.

If your work has any relation to the making of statues then it is not allowed except in a dire necessity.  Necessity in Shariah means that a person faces death or unbearable harm if he does not commit what is Haram.

We do not think that the questioner has reached the level of necessity.  If one faces such necessity he is permitted to use Haram only to the extent of his necessity.

 

Allah knows best.