Q: My sister's hobby is drawing. When she finished secondary school and joined the university, this hobby developed. She draws things perfectly. I advised her to forsake this act and reminded her of the Prophetic Hadith, but she says that it is a hobby and she cannot give it up. It should be noted that she is wellmannered and religiously committed. Please explain this matter, as may be Allah will guide her to the straight path.
A: Every Muslim, male or female, is obliged to obey the Commands of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Liking a hobby cannot be an excuse for disobedience as obeying Allah and His Messenger should take precedence over a hobby. Can a person whose hobby is drinking intoxicants or the abandonment of Salah keep this hobby?! Of course not, this is wrong. It is obligatory to act according to Shari'ah (Islamic law) in everything including dealing with hobbies. If she likes the hobby of drawing, she can draw pictures of trees, mountains, cars and inanimate objects. It is impermissible to draw a being with a soul. She has to give up this hobby for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. May Allah guide us all to what pleases Him!