Fatwa #619821 July 2002United Kingdom
What is the situation with photographs? is it okay for me to have taken this photo, and is it okay for it to be on the wall
Question
i recently graduated from university, and 14st had the cere06ny. I didnt want to go but some people told me that i owed it to my parents, after all they spent so much money etc. Anyhow, part of the cermenony was to get photos taken. Now ny brother and sisters have all graduated and they have their photos on the wall... and so i had mine taken too. Is that okay? THe reason why i did it was because my family is soooooooo far away from deen, and one maulan once said to me that for a da'ee many things are somehwat ja'izz in order to bring them closer. ALso, in the photos, i have my finger in shahada position, because in fact Allah swt gave me this decree. So basically, is it okay for me to have taken this foto, and is it okay for it to be on the wall
Answer
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, 'There is no obedience to the%0D%0Acreation in the disobedience of the Creator.' Pictures and photography is%0D%0AHaraam (strictly forbidden)%0D%0A%0D%0APicture frames and photographs of animate objects are not permissible to%0D%0Adisplay. Frames having pictures of inanimate objects e.g. trees, mountains,%0D%0Aetc. are permissible.%0D%0A- Hadhrat Abu Talha (Radhiyallaahu %C1nhu) narrates that Nabi (Sallallaahu%0D%0A%C1layhi Wasallam) said, 'Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a dog%0D%0Aor picture.' (Mishk%E3t vol. 2 p. 385)%0D%0A? %C1bdullah ibn Mas%F3od (Radhiyallaahu %C1nhu) narrates that Rasulullah%0D%0A(Sallallaahu %C1layhi Wasallam) said, 'The people with the most severe%0D%0Apunishment by Allah will be the picture makers.' (Ibid).%0D%0A? Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (RA) narrates, 'I heard the messenger of Allah saying,%0D%0A"Every picture-maker will be in the fire. A life will be created for every%0D%0Apicture the picture-maker made, and he will be tortured in Hell."%0D%0AIf you have to make pictures (says Ibn Abbaas) then make a picture of a tree%0D%0Aor such things which are inanimate.' (Bukhari and Muslim)%0D%0A%0D%0AIn view of the above quotations, the advice to you by some people that you%0D%0Aattend the ceremony as you owed that to your parents is grossly incorrect.%0D%0ABeing far away from Deen is no justification for taking out photos and%0D%0Aneither is it permissible to do anything prohibited for purposes of Da'awah.%0D%0A%0D%0AA person should be invited only on solid grounds. If you have pleased your%0D%0Aparents by committing un-Islamic acts, in order to get them closer to Deen,%0D%0Ahow much closer did they get to Islam? Rather, they will expect you to%0D%0Acompromise even further as you already set a precedent for them. We advise%0D%0Ayou make Tawbah and Istighfaar, express your regret to your parents as well.%0D%0AYou should also destroy the photos as that incurs the anger and wrath of%0D%0AAllah Ta'ala.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai