"Zayd then fell ill and we went to visit him but there was a curtain with a sura hanging at his door" apparently denotes that Zayd believed in the permissibility of hanging curtains including suras.
The answer to this claim is that the aforementioned Hadith narrated by `Aishah and other Hadith conveying the same meaning all serve as evidence on the prohibition of hanging curtains that include suras, the obligation of tearing them up, and the fact that they prohibit the entry of angels. If the Hadith reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) are Sahih (authentic), it is not permissible to contradict them because of a saying or action of any person, whoever they may be.
And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).
Say: "Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he (Messenger Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) is only responsible for the duty placed on him (i.e. to convey Allâh's Message) and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. The Messenger's duty is only to convey (the message) in a clear way (i.e. to preach in a plain way)."
And let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements) (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.
Perhaps Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) was not aware of the sura which was on the curtain or did not hear about the Hadith on the prohibition of hanging curtains including suras and, thus, his action followed the apparent meaning of the statement of the Prophet "except a design in a cloth". Therefore, he would be free from blame for not having knowledge of the Hadith.
As for those who know the Sahih Hadith indicating the prohibition of hanging curtains including suras, there is no excuse for them. Whoever contradicts Sahih Hadith in order to follow their whims or to blindly follow others will necessarily deserve the Anger of their Lord and may be tried with deviation and Fitnah of the heart.
So when they turned away (from the Path of Allâh), Allâh turned their hearts away (from the Right Path).
So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts
The aforementioned Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah indicates that it is permissible to keep a sura in a house if its head is cut off, because it would then be in the shape of a tree. This proves that it is permissible to make Taswir of trees and any beings which have no souls. This was already mentioned clearly in the narration of the two Sheikhs (AlBukhary and Muslim) on the authority of Ibn `Abbas.
The quoted Hadith is also a proof that cutting off anything other than the head of the sura such as cutting off the lower half or the like, is not enough to render it permissible to keep or to allow the entry of angels. This is because the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered it to be torn up and efface the suras, saying that they prevent the entry of angels, with the exception of suras that are to be treated in a disrespectful manner or whose heads have been cut off.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed us that if the head of the sura is cut off, the remainder of it will be like the shape of a tree, this proves that the factor which permits its possession is its being transformed from the shape of beings with souls to a form similar to inanimate beings.
Thus, it is clear that making Taswir of the head and other parts of the body of animate beings is prohibited because the ruling stated by the aforementioned Sahih Hadith is generaly applied and no one is allowed to make exceptions to this general ruling beyond those stated by the LawGiver.
There is no difference in this ruling between corporeal suras and others inscribed on curtains, papers, etc. as there is no difference between suras of humans and other beings with souls and the suras of kings, scholars, etc. In fact, the degree of prohibition regarding the suras of kings, scholars, and other influential people is severer, because the Fitnah that might be caused by them is greater.
During Jahiliyyah (preIslamic time of ignorance), there were many suras that people used to revere and worship other than Allah until Allah sent his Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who destroyed the idols, obliterated the suras, and removed Shirk and its means.
And when you (Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses (of the Qur'ân) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaitân (Satan) causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the company of those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrongdoers).
And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Qur'ân) that when you hear the Verses of Allâh being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them.
doing it. If the one who remains silent about Munkar, although they are able to reject it or to leave the place where Munkar is committed, is like the doer of Munkar but the one who enjoin the Munkar or is pleased with it will be more sinful than the one who remains silent about it and will be more deserving to be like those who actually commit it. There are several evidences conveying the same meaning and can be easily found by whomever seeks them.
In the light of the Hadith and the scholars' opinion mentioned above, it is clear that making Taswir of beings with souls that are widely spread in books, magazines, newspapers, and letters, is a plain mistake and an act of disobedience. People must beware of it and warn each other against it; and must make sincere Tawbah (repentance) for what they have done.
Also, the aforementioned evidence indicates that it is not permissible to keep such suras without cutting off their heads or effacing them unless they are on a carpet
or something similar which is treated in a disrespectful manner. In this case only, is it permissible to possess them as already supported by the Hadith narrated by `Aishah and Abu Hurayrah. As for toys in the form of beings with souls, scholars have differed about the permissibility of their possession by little girls.
It was authentically reported in the Two Sahih Books of Hadith: On the authority of `Aishah who narrated: I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and I had female friends who used to play along with me. They would hide from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) whenever he entered, but he would call them to join and play with me.
AlHafizh said in AlFath, "This Hadith has been used as a proof for the permissibility of possessing suras of dolls and toys so that young girls may play with them. This has been an exception to the general prohibition of possessing suras. `Iyad confirmed this opinion and reported that it was the same opinion of the Jumhur who permitted the selling of toys for little girls to train them from childhood for household responsibilities and childrearing. He added that some scholars believed that this permissibility was Mansukh (abrogated). Ibn Battal inclined to this opinion. It is reported from Ibn Abu Zayd from Malik that he disliked that a man buys dolls for his daughter. Accordingly, AlDawudi was in favor of the opinion that the permissibility was Mansukh.
"However, Ibn Hibban entitled a chapter: Permissibility for young women to play with dolls. AlNasa'i also entitled a chapter: Man's permitting his wife to play with dolls. He did not restrict this to childhood, but this opinion is debatable.
"After mentioning the Takhrij (referencing) of Hadith, AlBayhaqi said, "The prohibition of possessing suras has been confirmed." Thus, the permission given to `Aishah in this matter was perhaps before rendering it as prohibited. The same opinion was held by Ibn AlJawzy." He went on to say, "Abu Dawud, and AlNasa'y related another narration on the authority of `Aishah who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) returned from the Battle of Tabuk or Khaybar... and he mentioned the Hadith of tearing up the curtain which `Aishah had hung at her door. She said, "The side of the curtain which was over dolls of `Aishah was uncovered. He (peace be upon him) asked: What is this, O `Aishah? She answered: My dolls. She, then, said: He saw amongst them a twowinged horse tied up. He asked about it and she replied: A horse having two wings. Did not you
hear that Sulayman had horses with wings? Upon this, he laughed." He continued to say, "AlKhattabi said: This Hadith indicates that playing with dolls is not like having amusement with other suras regarding which warnings have been issued. In fact, `Aishah was given the permission to play with dolls, because she had not reached the age of puberty at that time."
"I believe that it is questionable to confirm that she had not reached the age of puberty at that time, though it might possibly be so. This is because `Aishah at the time of the Battle of Khaybar was fourteen years old; she was either past the age of fourteen or was approaching it. In the Battle of Tabuk, on the other hand, she definitely had reached the age of puberty. Thus, the strongest opinion is that of those who said it was in the Battle of Khaybar. Reconciliation is to be made with what AlKhattabi stated because this is better than assuming that the reports are in conflict." This is the end of AlHafizh's quote.
If you have understood what AlHafizh (may Allah be merciful with him) mentioned, then it is safer to avoid possession of toys. This is because their lawfulness is doubtful due to the possibility that the Prophet (peace be upon him) might have approved of `Aishah's possession of dolls before the order to efface suras was revealed. In such a case, the permission would be considered Mansukh by the Hadith including the order to efface suras except those whose heads are cut off or those which are degraded, as stated by AlBayhaqy, Ibn AlJawzy, and Ibn Battal. Another possibility is that this permission could be a special exception to the general prohibition, as the Jumhur (dominant majority of scholars) have stated, for the sake of training girls to be mothers and because playing with dolls entails a kind of disrespect. As this possibilities loom and the doubt is there, it is safer to avoid the possession of toys and dolls. In fact, it is better to train girls using noncorporeal toys in order to be safe from the questionable matter regarding the possession of corporeal dolls. In this way, you will be acting according to the following Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: Leave what causes you doubt and turn to what does not cause you doubt. Also, it is narrated on the authority of AlNu`man ibn Bashir as related in the Two Sahih Books of Hadith: What is lawful is evident and what is unlawful is evident, and in between them are doubtful matters which many people do not know. Thus, whoever guards against doubtful matters keeps their religion and honor blameless, and whoever indulges in doubtful matters, indulges, in fact, in unlawful matters, just as a shepherd who pastures their animals round a preserve will soon pasture them in it. And Allah knows best!
Peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family