Q 1: What is the ruling on hanging pictures at home and other places?
A: Praise is due to Allah Alone.
It is Haram (prohibited) to hang pictures of beings with souls, whether they are humans or other animate beings, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): Do not leave a picture without defacing it or a raised grave without leveling it. (Related by Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith).
It is authentically reported from `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she hung a curtain decorated with pictures on a cupboard. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw it, his face changed with anger and he removed it, saying: O `Aishah! The painters (owners) of these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, "Give life to what you have created." (Related by Muslim and others)
However, there is no problem if the pictures are on a carpet that will be stepped on or a cushion that will be leaned on. This is because it is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he was waiting for Jibril, who refused to enter the house. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him why he did not enter, he answered: There was a statue, a curtain decorated with pictures, and a dog in the house. Order the head of the statue to be cut, the curtain to be made into two cushions spread out on which the people may tread, and the dog to be turned out. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did so and Jibril entered the house.(Related by AlNasa'iy and others with a good Sanad [chain of narrators]).
It is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he stated: Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture. (Agreed upon by AlBukhari and Muslim).