What is the ruling on Taswir (painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography), that is widely common among people?
Would you please give us a comprehensive answer about lawful and unlawful Taswir? May Allah reward you!
Answer: Praise is due to Allah alone. Peace be upon the Last Prophet!
There are many Hadith reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Sahih (authentic) books of Hadith, Musnad (Hadith compilation), and Sunan (Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes) indicating the prohibition of Taswir of any being with a soul, whether human or not. These texts urge defacing pictures and curse Musawwirs (those who make pictures and statues, or photographs of living beings), indicating that they will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection. Following are some of the Sahih Hadith that were reported in this regard. We will cite the scholars' comments on them and explain the correct opinion concerning this matter In sha'a-Allah (if Allah wills).
It is related in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al-Bukhary and Muslim)on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) informed us that Allah (Exalted be He) stated: Who can be more unjust than one who tries to create a creation like Mine. Let them create an atom, a grain of wheat, or a grain of barley. This wording reported by Muslim.
In the Two Sahih, it is related on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be the Musawwirs.
It is also related in the same books of Hadith on the authority of Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: Those who
make siwar (pictures, images, statues) will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them: Breathe soul into what you have created. This wording is reported by Al-Bukhary.
Also, Al-Bukhary related in the Sahihon the authority of Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade taking payment for blood, a dog, and the earnings of a prostitute. He cursed those who accept or pay Riba (usury/interest), a woman who tattoos others or gets herself tattooed, and the Musawwir.
On the authority of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: Whoever makes a sura (picture, icon, idol, etc.) in the world will be asked to breathe soul into it (on the Day of Resurrection), but they will not be able to breathe soul (into it). (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhary and Muslim).
It is related by Muslim that Sa`id ibn Abu Al-Hasan said: A man came to Ibn `Abbas and said: I make suras, so tell me about (the ruling on) this. Ibn `Abbas said: Come closer to me. The man did. Ibn `Abbas asked him to come closer again and the man did and he put his hand on the man's head and said: I will tell you what I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying. I heard him saying: Every Musawwir will enter the Fire and a soul will be given to every sura they made so that it would torment them in the Fire. He added: If you have to do this (go on in this profession), then make suras of trees and everything that does not have a soul. The statement "If you have to do this..." was related by Al-Bukhary in the aforementioned Hadith related by Muslim.
Furthermore, it was related by Al-Tirmidhi in his Jami` Book of Hadithon the authority of Abu Al-Zubayr from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade having suras in the home and forbade the making of them. He commented that it was a Hadith Hasan Sahih (a valid and authentic Hadith).
On the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to me, and I had screened my alcove with a curtain on which there were suras. When he saw it, he tore it up and the color of his face changed [due to anger] and he said, "O `Aishah! The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be those who imitate Allah's Creation." `Aishah added: So we tore it up and we stuffed a cushion or two with it. (Relatedby Muslim).
On the authority of `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) returned from a journey and I had covered my alcove with a curtain on which there were suras. No sooner did he see it than he tore it up and said: Those who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be those who imitate Allah's Creation. She said: Thus, we turned it (i.e. the curtain) into one or two cushions. (Related by Al-Bukhary and Muslim). Muslim added, "his face changed" after