A lHafizh Ibn Hajar (may Allah be merciful with him) reconciled in "AlFath", and AlNawawy in "Sharh Muslim" among the related Hadith in the way just elaborated above. Here are quotes from them and from other scholars on the issue that clarify the truth and remove ambiguity. Indeed, Allah is the Guide to the Straight Path; He (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs
AlHafizh reported in "AlFath" that AlKhattaby said, "The picture that keeps the Angels from entering a home where it is therein is that which is forbidden to be acquired, of the representations of anything endowed with life, which are not beheaded and worn out in common service". (End of quote)
AlKhattaby (may Allah be merciful with him) also said, "The punishment of the picture maker is aggravated because all the pictures were worshipped besides Allah; looking at it is luring and some souls are inclined to it",
while AlNawawy (may Allah be merciful with him) said in "Sharh Muslim", " Prohibition of picturing is restricted to picturing animals and pictures not worn out in common service such as those on things used as mats and the like and that Angels do not enter a house in which there is a picture or a dog".
Our fellow scholars as well as other scholars said, "Picturing the images of animals is quite forbidden. It is one of the major sins because it is promised to incur severe punishment through Hadith. It is by all means prohibited, whether it be made of elements worn out in common service or of anything else, and merely making it, whether it is made on clothing, mats, coins, urns, walls or the like. As for picturing trees and camel saddlebags and the like pictures other than animals, it is not prohibited.
This is the same religious ruling on the making of pictures itself.
However, acquiring things on which the pictures of animals are drawn requires further elaboration; if it is hung on walls or on dresses or the like, it is not considered to be worn out in common service, and in turn it is prohibited. Yet, if it is woven on floor coverings, pillows, cushions, and the like of things worn out in common service, it is not prohibited". The discussion goes on until he says, "There is no difference in all this between things that have a shadow and things that have no shadow. Such is the summary of our Madhhab (opinion) on the issue".
Words to the same effect were given by the majority of scholars, of the Companions, the Tabi`un (Followers, the generation after the Companions of the Prophet), and those who followed them. It is also the opinion of AlThawry, Malik, Abu Hanifah and others. Moreover, some Salaf (righteous predecessors) prohibited (acquisition of) images that have a shadow while they deemed permissible images that have no shadow. Indeed, this is an invalid opinion, since the pictures on the curtain which the Prophet (peace be upon him) denounced are undoubtedly disowned though they produce no shadow, not to mention other Hadith about the categorical prohibition of pictures."
AlHafizh, after summing up the opinion of AlNawawy, said, "The generalization covering pictures that have a shadow and those that do not have shadows is corroborated by theHadith narrated by Ahmad from `Aly (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Who of you would (like to) head for Madinah, and leave no idol in it except that he breaks it, nor an image except that he blots it out?
The narration includes the following addition, "Whoever remake these things (idols) will be disbelieving in what was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him)''.
It remains for me to add that it is already mentioned above that the Prophet (peace be upon him) blotted out the images that had been on the walls of AlKa`bah, though they had no shadow. Furthermore, Muslim narrated in his "Sahih"from `Aly (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him, Spare no portrait unwiped out, and leave not a high grave unleveled.''. This applies to all pictures, whether or not they have a shadow.
This ruling is unequivocally unobjectionable. After all, it is Allah (alone) Whose Help we seek and in Whom we trust. There is no might or power except with Allah, and we ask Him (Exalted be He) to grant us and all the Muslims success in that which pleases Him and to preserve us against the means of His Wrath; He is indeed AllHearer of invocation.
As for Television, it is a dangerous instrument whose harmful influence is as serious as that of the Cinema, or even more. We already know from the works discussing it and from the words of knowledgeable people (of its effect) in Arabian countries and others that it is dangerous and that it negatively influences creed and morals, and disturbs the conditions of society. This occurs through enactment of loose morals, displaying nudity, giving voice to destructive irreligious sermons and articles, urging imitation of disbelievers in their manners and costume, aggrandizement of their chiefs and leaders, indifference to the morals of the Muslims and to their style of dress, and contempt of Muslim scholars and heroes.
It involves representation of Muslim scholars and heroes in repulsive images that entail despising them and driving away from their biographies, and also representation of the ways of cunningness, deception, plundering, theft, brewing conspiracies and aggression against people.
Undoubtedly, such an instrument that entails all ways of corruption mentioned above should be proscribed, and the means leading to it should be blocked. Thus, if the volunteering Muslim Brothers renounce it and warn against it, they cannot be blamed for it, since what they do is a form of advice for the sake of Allah and His Slaves. However, he who thinks that this instrument if censored could be free of such evils or could broadcast only what promotes public good, he would be seeking a deferred hope and committing a serious mistake because the censor sometimes becomes heedless and because people today mostly imitate westerners and follow their footsteps as regards employment of this instrument. This is also because censors scarcely perform their duties, especially in the present era in which most people have inclined towards diversion and trifles and towards all that deters from guidance. Besides, reality testifies to such negligence, as is the case with radio and television stations in some countries, for both could not apply enough censorship to preclude the harmful influence of such instruments. We ask Allah to guide our governments to that which leads to good, salvation and happiness of our Ummah in this world and in the Hereafter. We also ask Him to provide upright retinue for these governments and to help them control such instruments, so that they would