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The home is the place in which an
individual protects himself from the elements and in which he finds freedom from the
restrictions and pressures of society. It is a place of rest for the body and relaxation
for the mind. That is why Allah Ta'ala, in mentioning His favors to His servants, says:
And Allah has made for you in your houses, places
of rest.... (16:80)
The Prophet (peace be on him) loved spaciousness in the home and
considered it as an element conducive to happiness in this life, saying, Happiness has four elements: a good wife, a
spacious house, a good neighbor, and a comfortable riding beast. (Reported by Ibn Habban in his Sahih.) He often used to pray fervently, "Our Lord, forgive me my sin,
make my house spacious, and bless me in my sustenance." He was asked, "O
Messenger of Allah, why do you supplicate so often in these words?" He replied,
"Is anything left out?"
(Reported by al-Nisai and Ibn al-Sunni with a sound chain of transmitters.)
The Prophet (peace be on him) urged
people to keep their houses clean as a vital expression of Islam, which is a religion of
cleanliness. Cleanliness is a distinctive characteristic of a Muslim. The Messenger of
Allah (peace be on him) said, Assuredly,
Allah Ta'ala is good and loves goodness, is clean and loves cleanliness, is generous and
loves generosity, is hospitable and loves hospitality. So keep your rooms and courtyards
clean, and do not be like the Jews. (Reported by
al-Tirmidhi.)
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Related to Luxurious Living and Paganism
The Muslim may adorn his house with
various kinds of flowers, decorated fabrics, and other permitted ornamental objects:
Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah
which He has brought forth for His servants? (7:32)
The Muslim is certainly free to desire beauty in his home and elegance in
his clothing, shoes, and other items related to personal appearance. Once the Prophet
(peace be on him) said, 'Anyone who
has an atom of pride in his heart will not enter the Garden'. A man then asked, 'What
about the one who likes to wear a handsome robe and good shoes?' The Prophet (peace be on
him) replied, 'Surely Allah is beautiful and loves beauty.' (Reported by Muslim.) In
another version of this hadith, a handsome man came to the Prophet (peace be on
him), saying, "I love beauty and have been given some of it, as you can see, to the
extent that I dislike anyone's having a better pair of sandals than I. Is this pride, O
Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet (peace be on him) replied, "No. Pride is to reject the truth and to view other
people with contempt." (Reported by Abu
Daoud.)
However, Islam disapproves of excess,
and the Prophet (peace be on him) disliked the Muslim's filling his house with items of
luxury and extravagance, traits condemned by the Qur'an, or with items related to
paganism, the very thing against which the religion of the Oneness of God has fought with
every weapon.
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and Silver Utensils
In accordance with what has been stated
above, Islam has prohibited the use of gold and silver utensils, and of pure silk spreads
in the Muslim house. The Prophet (peace be on him) warned that anyone who deviates from
this path may incur severe punishment in the Hereafter. On the authority of Umm
Salmah,
Muslim reported in his Sahih the Prophet's saying, "Whoever eats or drinks from gold or silver utensils is
indeed filing his stomach with the fire of hell.'' (Reported by Muslim.)
Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of al-Hudhaifah that "The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) forbade us to drink or
eat from gold or silver dishes or to wear silken garments or to sit on silken cloth. He
said, 'They are for them (the
unbelievers) in this world and for us in the Hereafter.' (Reported by al-Bukhari.) Moreover,
what is prohibited for practical use is also forbidden to be given as a gift or used as an
ornament.
These prohibitions concerning utensils, spreads, and similar articles
apply to men and women alike, for the purpose of this legislation is to rid the house of
excessively luxurious items. Ibn Qudamah expresses this idea in clear terms as follows:
Men and women are equal in this regard because of the generality of the hadith,
and because the reason for this prohibition is the show of extravagance and pride on
the one hand and the injury to the feelings of the poor on the other. The wearing of gold
and silk has been permitted to women so that they may beautify themselves for their
husbands; this is an exemption which does not extend to other uses. If it is said, 'If the
reason you have stated is correct, then utensils made of rubies and other precious
materials would also have been prohibited because they are more expensive (than gold and
silver)' to this we reply, 'The poor are not familiar with such things, and their feelings
will not be injured even if they see the rich using them.' Moreover, the rarity of such
things in itself makes their use prohibitive, and hence the need for prohibiting them on
the basis of extravagance becomes superfluous. (Al-Mughni, vol. 8, p. 323.)
Earlier we mentioned the economic
reasons for prohibiting the use of gold ornaments for men. In the present case this reason
is even weightier and more obvious. Gold and silver are universal monetary standards which
facilitate the establishing of prices and the carrying out of transactions between
nations, thus promoting trade and commerce. It is Allah's favor that He guided people to
use them as a means of exchange. The proper economic usage of gold and silver, then, is
their free circulation; they are not to be hoarded in houses as coins or, worse yet, to be
tied up in household articles and ornamental objects.
Imam al-Ghazzali has beautifully enunciated this point in the chapter
entitled "Al-Shukr" (Thankfulness) in his book, Ihya al'Ulum al-Din, in
the following manner:
Anyone who melts down gold and silver coins to make vases and containers
is ungrateful for Allah's bounty and is worse than the one who hoards them. It is like
using the mayor of a city for sweeping its streets or for sewing garments, or to do jobs
which are normally carried out by the lowliest of people. To imprison him would be less
insulting. Now, materials such as porcelain, iron, lead, and copper can replace gold and
silver for making vases and containers, but they cannot replace them as money or as
standards of exchange. If a person cannot grasp this point (through his own reasoning and
knowledge), we would tell him that the spokesman of Allah has explained it: 'Whoever eats
or drinks from gold or silver utensils is indeed filling his stomach with the fire of
hell.' (lhya al-'Ulum al-Din. see
vol. 4, Thanksgiving and Praise.)
Let no one suppose that this
prohibition constitutes a severe restriction on the Muslim in his own home, for among
wholesome and permissible things there is a great variety from which to choose What
beautiful vases, containers, and pots have been made of glass; porcelain, copper, and many
other materials! Likewise, bedspreads, cushions, and tablecloths of great beauty are
fabricated from cotton, linen, and various other materials.
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Islam has prohibited the
keeping of statues in the Muslim home. By statues is meant complete, solid figures which
have not been disfigured or otherwise defaced. Their presence in a house is considered
sufficient to drive away the angels, who represent Allah's mercy and His pleasure. As the
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, "Assuredly the angels do not enter a house in which there are
statues (or figures)." (Reported by
al-Bukhari and Muslim; the wording is
from Muslim.)
According to the commentary of
scholars, a person who keeps statues in his house is similar to unbelievers, whose
practice it is to keep and venerate idols in their homes. The angels are repelled by this;
they do not enter such a house and abandon it.
It is also forbidden to the Muslim to engage in manufacturing statues,
even if he makes them for non-Muslims. The Prophet (peace be on him) said: "Among the people receiving the harshest
punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be the makers of figures,"
or, in another version, "the of Allah's creation."
(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
He also said, On the Day of Resurrection, the maker of a figure will be
asked to breathe a spirit into it, and he will never be able to do so,
(Reported by
al-Bukhari and others.) meaning that he will be asked
to bring it to life in order to reproach and humiliate him.
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One of the reasons for this prohibition, although not the only one, as some people may
suppose, is to safeguard the belief in the Oneness of God and to be far-removed from the
practices of idolaters, who fashion statues and idols with their own hands and then
sanctify them, standing before them in adoration.
Islam's sensitivity in safeguarding the belief in the Unity of God is very
acute, and assuredly this caution and concern is quite justified. In the final analysis,
the worship of idols originated when people began making statues of their dead or pious
ancestors in order to remember them. Gradually they began to venerate them, adding to this
veneration little by little until they had made the statues into gods, worshipping them
besides God, asking them for help, fearing their anger, and imploring them for blessings.
This is what happened, among earlier communities such as the people of Wadd,
Suwwa' Yaghuth, Ya'uq, and Nasra. (Names of
pagan deities of antiquity who are mentioned in the Qur'an (71:23). For an explanation,
see for example, the commentary in Yusuf 'All's translation of the Holy
Qur'an, Appendix
XIII, following Surah Nuh (71). (Trans.))
It is not surprising that a religion
which seeks to halt all corruption should block every passage through which shirk (polytheism),
either open or hidden, may slip into the minds and hearts of the people. Among such
passageways is the imitation of idolaters or of the followers of other religions who have
exaggerated respect for their saints. Moreover, Islam's legislation is not merely intended
for one or two generations but is for all mankind for as long as it shall exist on this
planet.". What may seem unlikely in one environment may become acceptable in another,
and what appears impossible at one time may materialize into reality at another.
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Another reason for this prohibition
concerns the maker of statues, the sculptor, himself. Sculptors tend to feel pride in
their work, as if they had created something out of nothing or had given life to clay or
stone. A sculptor once completed a figure after a great deal of labor; it was so perfect
and d so beautiful that he stood before it, lost in admiration of its fine lines and
features until, overwhelmed with pride and exhilaration, he 8 said to it, "Speak!
Speak!" This is why the Noble Messenger (peace be on him) said, Those who make figures will be chastised on the
Day of Resurrection. They will be e told, 'Put life into what you have creased.'
(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
And in a hadith quasi, Allah
Ta'ala says: Who does greater wrong
than he who desires to create the like of what I create? Let them create an atom! Let them
create a grain of barley! (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
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Those
who engage in this art stop at nothing, producing statues of nude or erotic figures and
the deities and saints of other religions. A Muslim is not permitted to acquiesce in
regards to such practices.
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Finally, statues have been, and still
are, symbols of aristocratic and luxurious living". People in high places fill their
palaces, halls, and chambers with statues fabricated of many materials. It is not
surprising that a religion which declares war on luxury in all its manifestations, should
prohibit the Muslim from having statues in his home.
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Now someone may ask, "Is
it t not an expression of a people's loyalty to the memory of its heroes, whose great
deeds are recorded in the annals of history, to erect statues in their honor as a reminder
to future generations of their achievements and greatness? Peoples' memories are short,
and the passage of time will make them forget the past."
The answer is that Islam abhors excessive glorification of people, no
matter how "great" they may be, whether they are living or dead. The Prophet
(peace be on him) said, Do not
glorify me in the same manner as the Christians glorify Jesus, son of Mary, but say, 'He
is a slave of Allah and His Messenger.' (Reported by
al-Bukhari and others.)
When his Companions wanted to stand up
to greet him out of respect, he forbade them, saying, "Do not stand up as the Persians do, some people honoring the
others." (Reported by Abu Daoud and Ibn
Majah.)
And he warned his followers against
praising him excessively after his death, saying, "Do not make of my grave a site for festivals,"
(Reported by Abu
Daoud.) and he prayed to his Lord, "O my Lord, do not let my grave be made into
an idol to be worshipped." (Reported by Malik in Al-Muwatta.)
Once some people came to the Prophet
(peace be on him) and addressed him in the following words: "O Messenger of Allah,
the best of us and the son of the best of us, our leader and the son of our leader."
He said, O people, say what you said
previously or a part of it, and do not let Satan mislead you. I am Muhammad, a slave of
Allah and His Messenger. I do not like your raising my status above the status which
Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, has given me. (Reported by
al-Nisai on good authority.)
A religion whose teachings concerning
even the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) is one of such moderation can never tolerate
the erecting of idol-like statues for some individuals, involving expenditures running
into thousands of dollars so that people may point to them with admiration and esteem.
Many pretenders to greatness and self-proclaimed makers of history have slipped into the
hall of fame through this open door, since anyone who is able to do SQ erects statues or
monuments to himself, or lets his admirers do it for him, so that people are misled from
appreciating those who are truly great.
The Believers aspire only to that true immortality which can be bestowed
by Allah alone, Who knows the secret and the hidden, Who neither misleads nor forgets. In
His register of immortality there is the name of many a person whose greatness has
remained unrecognized by the people. Indeed, the Most High loves those Godfearing and
religious souls who remember Him in the secrecy of their hearts, who do great service
without fanfare, whose presence is not felt in a gathering of people and whose absence is
not missed
When the greatness of some of these noble souls is recognized by the
people, its perpetuation for coming generations is not to be achieved by erecting statues
of them. The correct Islamic method of commemoration is to keep their memory alive in the
hearts and minds by speaking about their good deeds, ideas, and achievements.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him), the caliphs, the leaders, and
the imams of Islam were never immortalized in figures or statues. In this faith the
fathers tell their children, and they in turn pass on to their own children, the stories
of such peoples' achievements and ideas. At meetings and gatherings these stories are like
breaths of fresh air, filling the hearts and minds of Muslims without any need for
pictures or statues.
I quote here part of a lecture entitled "Toward a New Understanding
of Islam," by Professor Muhammad al-Mubarak, Dean of the College of the
Shari'ah,
University of Damascus, delivered at al-Azhar University. The section quoted here contains
an incisive analysis of the whole question of how to perpetuate the memory of the great.
We are faced with the situation that many new modes, systems, and habits
which are inconsistent with our correct beliefs and established moral principles have
found their way into our social life. Among these is the manner in which Europeans and
Americans commemorate the* heroes by erecting statues of them. If we examine this matter
with an open mind, free of subservience to whatever comes from the West, and reflect on
ways of commemorating the lofty achievements of the great, we find the Arabs, in
particular, memorializnothing of their great personages except their noble deeds and good
qualities such as fidelity, generosity, and courage. Their manner of perpetuating their
memories was to recount tales of their heroes, passing them down form one generation to
another, and to compose and recite eulogies in the form of poetry. In this manner the
generosity of Hatim and the bravery of 'Antarah became proverbial in the days before
Islam.
When Islam came, it emphasized the meaning underlying this method. It
declared that the best of Allah's creation and the last of His Messengers (peace be on
him) was but a mortal man: 'Say: Indeed, I am a mortal like you; my Lord inspires me.'
(18:111) It emphasized that the worth of human beings lies in their deeds and not in their
physical form; it made the Messenger (peace be on him) an example for all mankind to
follow; and it forbade such sanctification and exaggerated respect for men which resembles
adoration and which, by implication, signifies the denigration of the rest of mankind.
When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) passed away to meet his
Lord, the first caliph drew peoples' attention to this fact, saying, 'If anyone worshipped
Muhammad, then (know that) Muhammad is dead, but if anyone worshipped Allah, then Allah is
living and does not die.' He then recited the words of Allah Ta'ala: 'Muhammad is but a
messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before him. If, then, he dies or
is killed, will you turn back on your heels?' (3:144)
Islam immortalizes the memories of people because of their good and
beneficent deeds; the remembrance of them remains in the hearts of Muslims. Thus, the
literate and illiterate, the young and the old, know about the justice of 'Umar, the
firmness and wisdom of Abu Bakr, and the piety and courage of 'Ali. No statue made of
stone was needed to commemorate any of them because their deeds and qualities are
inscribed in peoples' hearts.
Commemoration by means of erecting statues is in reality a regression to
the remote past, a descent from a higher plane; it was the method of the Greeks and Romans
which was adopted by Europeans....
In respect to the concept of the nature of man and his true worth, they
are far inferior to the Muslims, even to the pre-Islamic Arabs, since because of their
inability to grasp the true stature of man and his potentialities, they are able only to
conceive of great men as gods, and of their gods as men incarnate.
What we are pointing out is that it does not befit us to imitate this
alien practice which is inferior to our own, and we must not deviate from the ruling of
the Shari'ah that making statues is haram and is harmful to human psychology
and morals.
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If there are some kinds of
three-dimensional figures which are not intended to be accorded respect or to be displayed
as an expression of high living, then the above cautionary statements do not apply. Islam
does not close its mind to them, nor does it see any harm in their use.
Children's playthings such as dolls, in the form of humans, animals, and
the like fall into this category. Said the Prophet's wife 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased
with her): I used to play with dolls
in the house of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) and my friends would come over to
play with me. They would hide when they saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him)
approaching, but he was in fact very happy to see them with me, and so we played together.
(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
'Aisha also reported, One day the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him)
asked me, 'What are these?' 'My dolls,' I replied. 'What is this in the middle?' he asked.
'A horse,' I replied. 'And what are these things on it?' he asked. 'Wings,' I said. 'A
horse with wings?' he asked. 'Have not you heard that Solomon, the son of David, had
horses with wings?' I said. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) laughed so
heartily that I could see his molars. (Reported by Abu
Daoud.)
The dolls mentioned in the above hadith
are the dolls with which children play, as 'Aisha was quite young when she married the
Prophet (peace be on him). Al-Shawkani says that these ahadith are sufficient proof
of the permissibility of children's playing with statue-like three-dimensional figures
(i.e., dolls of human or animal shape). It is reported that once Imam Malik saw a man
buying dolls for his daughter and he disliked it, but Qadi 'Ayyad says that it is
permissible for girls to play with dolls. (Because girls are more likely to play with dolls than boys, only girls
have been mentioned here. However, this does not imply any prohibition for boys to do so.
(Trans.))
This permission also applies to figures
made of sweets for festive occasions since they are used only as food.
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It is reported in the books of Hadith
that the angel Gabriel (Jibril) once refused to enter the house of Allah's Messenger
(peace be on him) because there was a statue by its door. He did not enter it again the
following day but said to the Prophet (peace be on him), "Order that the head of the statue be broken off so that
it resembles the trunk of a tree." (Reported by Abu
Daoud, al-Nisai, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Hibban.)
On the basis of this hadith some
scholars have argued that what is haram are complete figures, but if some part of
them is missing without which a human being cannot survive, they are allowed However, the
true and correct interpretation of Jibril's asking that the head be broken off in order to
make it look like a tree trunk is not that without the head life is impossible, but that
the statue was then defaced and consequently viewing it would not generate feelings of
respect toward it.
If we ponder over the matter objectively, we will undoubtedly conclude
that it is more haram to set up busts in public places in order to perpetuate the
memory of kings and great men than to have full figured statues in the home for the
purpose of decoration.
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We have explained the Islamic
position concerning the solid figures we term "statues," but what about figures
and art work executed on plane surfaces such as paper, cloth, curtains, walls, coins,
paper currency, and the like?
Concerning this issue, we say that no general ruling is possible here and
that each case is to be judged individually. What does the picture depict? Where is it
placed? What is its use? What was the artist's purpose in making the picture? It is these
questions which must be looked into.
If the pictures become objects of worship, as for example the cow does for
Hindus, whoever makes them with this purpose is in reality nothing but an unbeliever
propagating shirk and error. Again, the Prophet (peace be on him) threatened such
people with dire punishment in the Hereafter saying, "On the Day of Resurrection the most severe chastisement will be
for the makers of figures." (Reported by Muslim.)
Al-Tabari, explaining the meaning of
this hadith, says, "What is meant here by makers of figures are those who make
figures in order that they may be worshipped besides Allah, and this is unbelief (kufr).
As for those who do not make them for this purpose, they will be guilty only of making
a representation (suar)." Similarly, if someone hangs such pictures on the
wall in order to venerate them, his act is not that of a Muslim, for Islam has departed
from his heart.
We next examine the case of the person who makes pictures not so that they
should be worshiped but so that they may be likened to Allah's creation; he feels a sense
of pride that he has created as Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, has created. Such an
individual has rebelled against belief in tawheed, and concerning him the Prophet
(peace be on him) said, The most
severely punished among people (on the Day of Resurrection) will be those who try to
create something similar to what Allah has created.
This pertains directly to the
intention of the artist. Perhaps the hadith quasi cited earlier, Who does greater wrong than he who desires to
create the like of what I create? Let them create an atom! Let them create a grain of
barley! beathis out as well. Again, what is
referred to here is the intention of those artists who want to imitate Allah's attributes
of Creator and Originator. Allah's challenge to them to create an atom or a grain of
barley points to the fact that their artistic work implies an intention to create
something similar to what He has created. To shame them for this on the Day of
Resurrection, they will be told publicly, "Bring to life what you created,"
which of course they can never do. It is prohibited to make or to acquire portraits of
individuals who are either revered in a religion or respected for their wordly status.
Examples of the first category are representations of prophets such as Abraham, Isaac,
David, and Jesus; of angels such as Jibril and Mika'eel (Michael); and of saints and
righteous individuals such as Maryam (Mary) and the like. This is a Jewish or Christian
custom. Unfortunately, some Muslims, making innovations in religion and imitating the
People of the Book, have begun to make and to acquire portraits of 'All,
Fatimah, and
others.
The second category includes portraits of kings, leaders, and artists in
our time. Although there is less evil in this case, nevertheless we must emphasize its
evil, especially if those portrayed are non-believers, tyrants, or wrong-doers, such as
rulers who do not judge according to what Allah has revealed, leaders who call people to a
message other than the message of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, and artists who glorify
falsehood and propagate lewdness and immorality among people.
It appears that many of the portraits made during the time of the Prophet
(peace be on him) and thereafter were of the kind which glorify personages; most probably
they were painted by Greeks or Persians, and consequently were never free of the imprint
of their beliefs and the sanctification of their saints and rulers. Muslim reported that
AbuDuha said, I was with Masrooq in a house which had statues. Masrooq asked me, 'Are
these statues of Khosrau?" (The
ruler of Persia. (Trans.)) said, 'No these are statues
of Mary.' Masrooq assumed them to be the handiwork of a Magian, because the Magians used
to portray the figures of their kings even on jars, but when it became clear that they
were the work of a Christian, he said, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said that he heard the
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) say, "Among the people receiving the harshest
punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be the makers of figures." '
Drawing, painting, and acquiring pictures of plants, trees, and inanimate
objects such as lakes, oceans, ships, mountains, the sun, moon, stars, and the like from
scenes of nature is permitted. There is no difference of opinion in this regard. Moreover,
if someone wants to make a picture of an animate being with no intention of competing with
Allah as creator or for its glorification or respect, there is no prohibition of doing so;
there are numerous sound ahadith in this regard.
Muslim reported in his Sahih, on the authority of Basr ibn
Sa'id,
who heard it from Zayd ibn Khalid, who heard it from Ibn Talha, a Companion of the Prophet
(peace be on him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, "The angels do not enter a house in which
there are figures." (Reported
by Muslim.)
Basr said, "Thereafter Zayd became
ill and we went to visit him.
There was a picture on the curtain of his door. I said to my companion'
'Ubayd Allah al-Khulani, who was the servant of the Prophet's wife Maymunah, 'Was it not
Zayd who told us about pictures the other day?' 'Ubayd Allah replied, 'Did you not hear
him when he said, "Except if it is made of cloth?" ' "
Al-Tirmidhi reported on the authority of 'Utbah that once the latter went
to visit Abu Talhah al-Ansari, who was ill, and he found Sahl ibn Hanif (another
Companion) there. Abu Talhah called someone to come and tear up the sheet which was under
him. "Why tear it up?" Sahl asked. "There are pictures on it, and you know
what the Prophet (peace be on him) said concerning that," Abu Talhah replied.
"Did he not also say, 'Except if it is made on cloth?' " Sahl asked. "Yes,
but it makes me feel better," Abu Talhah replied. al-Tirmidhi classifies this hadith
as good and sound (hasan wa sahih).
Do not these two ahadith prove that the figures which are
prohibited are those which are solid, that is to say "statues?" As for figures
drawn or printed on wood, paper, cloth, rugs and carpets, walls, and the like, there is no
sound, explicit, and straightforward text to prove that they are forbidden. True, there
are sound ahadith which merely indicate the Prophet's dislike for such types of
pictures because they are reminiscent of those who live in luxury and love things of
inferior value.
Muslim reported from Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani, who quoted Abu Talhah
al-Ansari as saying, I heard the Messenger of Allah's statement, 'The angels do not enter
a house in which there is a dog or statues.' I then went to see 'Aisha and asked her, 'Are
you aware that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, "The angels do not
enter a house in which there is a dog or statues?" Did you hear the Messenger of
Allah (peace be on him) mention this?' She replied, 'No, but I will tell you what he did.
Once when he had gone on an expedition I draped the door with a curtain having pictures on
it. When he returned and saw it, I could discern from his face that he disliked it. He
pulled it down and tore it apart, saying, "Allah has not commanded us to clothe stone
and clay." 'She said, 'We cut it and made two pillows out of the cloth, stuffing them
with palm fibres. He did not criticize me for that.'Nothing can be inferred from this hadith
except that to decorate walls and such things with curtains on which there are
pictures is mildly disapproved. Al-Nawawi said, "There is nothing in the hadith implying
prohibition. In fact, the crucial words are, 'Allah has not commanded us to do that.' This
implies that such a thing is not obligatory or meritorious; in no way does it imply
prohibition."
Muslim has also reported from 'Aisha that she said, "We had a curtain
with the figure of a bird on it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) entered the
house, he saw it right in front of him and he said, 'Remove it from here. When I enter and
see it, I am reminded of this world.' "
The Prophet (peace be on him) did not tell 'Aisha to tear up the curtain
but only to remove it from the place where it hung facing the entrance; he disliked seeing
it there because it brought to his mind the world and its attractions. This is not
strange, since the Prophet (peace be on him) used to perform the sunnah and nafil
(voluntary) salat at home. Curtains and bedspreads or statues perhaps would
have distracted him from concentration in his salat and complete attention in his
supplications. Al-Bukhari also reported Anas as saying, "Aisha had covered a part of
her apartment with a drape. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) told her, 'Take it
away from my sight because its figures keep distracting me from my salat.' "
It is quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet
(peace be on him) did not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a
drape with figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars
of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which cast shadows
(meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast shadows (meaning on plane
surfaces)." (Al-Nawawi mentions
this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it, saying that it represents a wrong
position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has traced this opinion on sound authority back
to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his
time.)
In further support of this position we
again quote the hadith quasi in which Allah Ta'ala says, Who does greater wrong than he who desires to create the like
of what I create? Let them create an atom! Let them create a grain of barley!
As is evident, Allah's creation
does not consist of two-dimensional drawings on a plane surface, for He fashions
three-dimensional corporeal beings. As he says, It is HeWho fashions you in the wombs as He pleases.... (3:6)
There is only one hadith, narrated by both
al-Bukhari and Muslim on
the authority of 'Aisha, which poses some difficulty. 'Aisha said that she bought a
cushion with pictures on it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) saw it, he
stopped at the door and did not enter her apartment. She saw signs of displeasure on his
face and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I turn to Allah and His Messenger in
repentance. What have I done wrong?" He said, "What is this cushion?" She
said, "I bought it for you to sit on or to rest your head." The Messenger of
Allah (peace be on him) then said, The
makers of such figures will be punished and will be told, 'Bring to life what you have
created.' He continued, 'The angels do not enter a house in which there are figures.'
In the version of Muslim there is
the addition, " 'Aisha said that she then cut it and made two pillows to recline
upon."
However, this hadith is objectionable on several counts:
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The content of this hadith has been
transmitted in many versions which appear to be mutually contradictory. Some of them say
that the Prophet (peace be on him) used the curtain with pictures after it was cut and
made into cushions. In other versions there was no curtain to begin with.
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According to some versions, only his
disapproval of covering walls with printed curtains is established, the reason for his
disapproval being that they were a sign of luxury. In the version by Muslim he is reported
to have said, "Allah has not commanded us to clothe stone and clay."
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Then there is the hadith from 'Aisha herself, transmitted by Muslim, about the curtain with the picture of a bird on it
and the Prophet's saying, "Remove it from here. When I enter and see it, I am
reminded of this world." This statement does not say anything concerning its
prohibition.
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There is also the hadith concerning
the drape in 'Aisha's house which distracted the Prophet's attention from his prayers,
whereupon he instructed her to remove it. Al-Hafiz says, "There is a problem in
reconciling this hadith and the hadith of the cushion, both of which
are ascribed to 'Aisha. This hadith indicates that he had allowed the drape to
remain in the house as long as it had not distracted his attention from prayer; he did not
have any particular objection to the pictures on it." Al-Hafiz then tries to
reconcile the two ahadith by saying that the cushion had a picture of a living
creature while the drape had pictures of inanimate objects. However, his attempt at
reconciliation fails with respect to the hadith concerning the curtain with the
picture of the bird on it.
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The hadith concerning the cushion
contradicts the hadith reported by Abu Talhah in which figures on cloth were
exempted. Al-Qurtabi says, "Reconciliation is possible between the two (ahadith),
as 'Aisha's hadith indicates the disapproval of the Prophet (peace be on him), while
Abu Talhah's hadith indicates absolute permissibility, and these two are not
contradictory." Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar agreed with this statement.
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The transmitter of the hadith of
the cushion from 'Aisha was her nephew al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr.
Al-Qasim
himself permitted pictures on a plane surface. Ibn 'Awm said, "I entered
al-Qasim's
house, which was in the outskirts of Makkah, and I saw a cloth canopy with figures of a
beaver and a phoenix." (Fath
al-Bari, reported on the authority of Ibn Abi Shaybah, who quotes al-Qasim ibn
Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr. The transmitters are sound.) Al-Hafiz
explains, "He probably adhered to the generality of the Prophet's saying, 'Except if
it is made on cloth,' and understood the Prophet's stand toward 'Aisha's curtain as a
special case. That is, the Prophet (peace be on him) disapproved of the combination of
draping the wall and of the cloth having pictures on it. This is supported by the remark,
"Allah has not commanded us to clothe stone and clay." Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn
Abu Bakr was one of the seven jurists of Madinah and the best of his time; it was he who
transmitted the hadith of the - cushion. Consequently, if he had not been convinced
of the permissibility of this cloth canopy he would not have had it. (See the section on "Figures and Artists"
in Fath al-Bari)
There is another way of reconciling
these ahadith. Probably in the early period of Islam the Prophet (peace be on him)
was very strict in prohibiting all pictures, as the Muslims had only recently come out o f
the state of polytheism and idol-worship, and were prone to sanctifying figures and
statues. As the belief in the Oneness of Allah became deeply rooted in their hearts and
minds, he allowed them two-dimensional figures, that is, drawings and prints. As for
himself, he disliked having curtains or drapes with figures and pictures in his house, not
exempting even drawings or prints on, cloth, paper, or the wall.
One of the great Hanafi jurists, al-Tahawi, says, "In the beginning
the Prophet (peace be on him) prohibited all types of figures, even if they were two
dimensional, since the Muslims had only recently converted from the worship of images.
Accordingly, everything of this type was prohibited. Later he lifted the prohibition from
cloth with prints because of the necessity of wearing clothes. He also permitted figures
which were not treated in a respectful manner, (As is evident from these ahadith, this would include figures
which are made into pillows or cushions on which to sit or recline, figures in rugs or
carpets which are trod upon and the like. (Trans.)) since there was no danger that the ignorant would venerate what was
debased. The prohibition of figures which are not debased was never lifted." (This
has been reported by Sheikh Bakhit in AI-Jawab al-Shafi.)
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Any change in a figure which keeps it
from being treated with respect and renders it debased transfers it from the sphere of
detestability into that of permissibility. It is reported in the hadith that Jibril
sought permission of the Prophet (peace be on him) to enter; when he bade him come in,
Jibril said, "How can I enter while there is a curtain with figures in your house? If
you have need of it, cut off the heads (of the figures), or cut it into pieces and make
cushions, or use it as a floor-mat." (Al-Nisai, as well as Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.)
These words explain why, on observing the
Prophet's dislike of the cushion with the pictures, 'Aisha changed it into smaller
cushions for reclining upon, in order that by such use there would not be the slightest
imputation of respect for what was depicted.
We have evidence that the early generations of Muslims used objects with
pictures on them but only in a way which did not denote respect. 'Urwah used arm cushions
with pictures of birds and men on them. 'Ikrimah said, "We detested seeing figures in
the upright position but did not mind if they were in rugs or mats, since to tread on them
was to debase them."
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Thus far the word picture (suar) has been used in reference to what
is drawn, painted, or imprinted on a flat surface. Photography is a recent invention which
was obviously non-existent in the time of the Prophet (peace be on him) and the early
generations of Muslims. Thus, the question naturally arises whether the Islamic rulings
concerning pictures and artists apply to photographs and photographers.
Those jurists who consider the prohibition to be restricted to statues
alone do not see anything objectionable in photographic pictures, especially if they are
not of the full figure. Others raise many questions. Are photographs similar to drawings?
Is it not true that the reason stated in some ahadith concerning the punishment of
figure-makers, namely, imitation of Allah's attribute of Creatorship, does not apply in
the case of photographic pictures? Does not the absence of the cause of prohibition
nullify the prohibition?
The late Sheikh Muhammad Bakhit, the Egyptian jurist, ruled that since the
photograph merely captures the image of a real object through a camera, there is no reason
for prohibition in this case. Prohibited pictures are those whose object is notpresent and
which is originated by the artist, whose intention is to imitate Allah's animal creation,
and this does not apply to taking photographs with a camera. 'See the pamphlet, Al-Jawab
al-Shafi fi Ibahat al-Taswir al-Fotografi.
Even those who are very strict in
classifying all kinds of figures, including photographs, as detestable, exempt, according
to necessity, pictures retained for identity cards, passports, keeping a record of
suspects and criminals, pictures for instructional purposes, and so on, with the proviso
that there is no intention of respect or sanctification of these pictures which would
affect Islamic belief. The need for such pictures is definitely greater than the
"prints" on cloth which were exempted by the Prophet (peace be on him).
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Accordingly, if any kind of
photograph is to be prohibited, the subject matter will be the determing factor. No Muslim
would disagree concerning the prohibition of photographing subjects whose portrayal is
against the beliefs, morals, and laws of Islam. Thus there cannot be any doubt concerning
the prohibition of photographs, drawings, and paintings of nude or semi-nudes, of those
parts of the male or female body which excite lust, or of pictures of men and women in
sexy poses such as one sees in various magazines, newspapers, and on the billboards of
movie "heaters. It is haram to make such pictures, to publish them, to buy
them, to take them into homes, offices or shops, or to hang them on walls. It is haram to
have the intention of looking at them.
The above applies to pictures of tyrants. The Muslim is required to detest
such people and to feel enmity toward them for the sake of Allah. A Muslim is not
permitted to make or acquire a picture of a "great" man or leader who is an
atheist and denies the existence of God; of an idolater who worships cows, fire, or
anything else; of a Jew or Christian who denies the Messengership of Muhammad (peace be on
him); or of a professed Muslim who does not decide matters according to what Allah has
revealed. Likewise, a Muslim should not make or acquire pictures of immoral individuals
who propagate obscenity and lewdness in society, such as singers, actors, and other
entertainers.
Similar is the case of pictures which portray polytheistic rituals or
symbols of other religions abhorrent to the Islamic teachings, such as idols, crosses, and
the like. Probably during the time of the Prophet (peace be on him) a great majority of
rugs, curtains, and cushions bore these types of pictures. Al-Bukhari reported that the
Prophet (peace be on him) broke everything in his house which was made in the shape of a
cross. (Reported by al-Bukhari.)
Ibn Abbas narrated that, during the
conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) did not enter the Sacred
House (the Ka'aba) until all the figures in it were destroyed. (Reported by
al-Bukhari.)
There is no doubt that these figures
and images represented the idolatrous practices of the Makkans and were the legacy of
generations of unbelief and error.
'All ibn Abu Talib narrated, The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) was
attending a funeral and he said, 'Who among you is capable of going to Madinah and leaving
no idol unbroken, no grave unleveled, and no picture undefaced?' A man said, 'O Messenger
of Allah, I am able to do it.' He went, and after a time returned and reported, 'O
Messenger of Allah, I left no idol unbroken, no grave unleveled, and no picture
undefaced.' Then the Messenger of Allah declared, 'Anyone who returns to this sort of
practice will have rejected what was revealed to Muhammad.' (Reported by Ahmad.
Al-Mondhari commented, "It has insha'Allah
good transmitters." Muslim reported on the authority of Hayyan ibn Hasein that
the latter said, " 'Ali told me, 'I shall tell you what the Messenger of Allah (peace
be on him) told me: "Do not leave any figure without mutilating it or any grave
without leveling it." ' ")
What could these pictures have been
which the Prophet (peace be on him) commanded to have defaced and mutilated except a
representation of the idolatry of the period of jahiliyyah? The Prophet (peace be
on him) was determined to purify Madinah of the remnants of idolatry, and that is why he
described a return to any such practice as rejection of the message revealed to him.
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We summarize here the rulings
pertaining to figures and figure-makers.
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The most strictly prohibited figures are
those which are made to be worshiped in the place of or in addition to Allah Subhanahu wa
Ta'ala. If the one who makes them does it intentionally for this purpose, he is going in
the direction of unbelief (kufr). The most detestable among such figures are
statues. Anyone who has a share in propagating or glorifying them will bear the sin
proportional to his part.
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Next to this in sinfulness are figures
which are not made to be worshiped but which are intended to imitate Allah's creation. If
the artist claims that he originates and creates as Allah does, he is an unbeliever. This
matter pertains solely to the intention of the artist.
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After this are statues which are erected
in public places in order to commemorate great personalities such as kings, leaders and
celebrities; this applies equally to full-length statues and to busts.
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Next are statues of living beings which
are neither worshipped nor reverenced. There is general agreement that they are haram, except
those which are not treated in a manner indicative of respect. Dolls or figures made of
chocolate or sugar are clear exceptions.
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Next are portraits of great people such as
rulers and political leaders, especially when they are displayed or hung on walls.
Strongly prohibited among these are portraits of tyrants, atheists, and immoral
individuals, for to respect them is to degrade Islam.
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Next are pictures of people or animals
which are not accorded respect but constitute a display of luxury and high living, as, for
example, when they cover a wall or the like. These are classified as detestable only.
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Making and acquiring drawings or paintings
of trees, lakes, ships, mountains, and landscapes of this sort is permitted. However, if
they distract from worship or lead toward extravagant living, they are disapproved.
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Photographic pictures are basically
permissible. They become haram only when the subject matter is haram, as,
for example, in the case of idols, individuals who are revered either because of their
religious or worldly status, especially the leaders of idolaters, Communists or other
unbelievers, or immoral individuals such as actors and entertainers.
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Finally, if the prohibited statues and
pictures are defaced or degraded, their use becomes permissible; an example of this are
figures on a rug or carpet, because they are walked upon.
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Keeping dogs inside the house
without any necessity merely as pets was forbidden by the Prophet (peace be on him). When
we observe how lavishly the well-to-do treat their dogs while despising their relatives,
and how much attention they give their dogs while neglecting their neighbors, we realize
the wisdom of this prohibition. Moreover, the presence of a dog makes the household
utensils unhygienic due to their licking of them. The Prophet (peace be on him) said,
"If a dog licks a plate (or pot), clean it
seven times, of which one time should be with sand (or earth)."
(Reported by al-Bukhari.)
Some scholars are of the opinion that
the reason for prohibiting the keeping of dogs may be because they bark at visitors, scare
away the needy who come to ask for charity, and chase and try to bite passers-by.
The Prophet (peace be on him) said, Jibril came to me and said, 'I came to you yesterday but what stopped
me from entering was that there was a statue at the door, a curtain with figures on it in
the house, and a dog inside the house. So order that the head of the statue be broken off
so that it resembles the trunk of tree, that the curtain be cut and made into two pillows
to recline on, and that the dog be taken out.' (Reported by
AbDaoud, al-Nisai, al-Tirmidhi, and by
Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.)
This prohibition is limited to keeping
dogs without need or benefit.
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Dogs which are kept for a
purpose, such as hunting, guarding cattle or crops and the like are exempted from the
above ruling. In a hadith reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet
(peace be on him) said, Whoever
keeps a dog except for hunting or for guarding crops or cattle will lose one large measure
(qirat) of his reward each day.
On the basis of this hadith some
jurists argue that the keeping of dogs as pets can be classified as makruh rather
than haram, as the haram is absolutely prohibited without regard to whether
there is a decrease in reward or not.
However, the prohibition of keeping dogs in the house does not mean that
dogs may be treated cruelly or that they should be eradicated. Referring to the following
verse of the Qur'an, There is not an
animal on the earth, nor a bird flying upon two wings, but comprise nations like
yourselves. (6:38), the Prophet (peace be on him)
said, "If dogs were not a
nation (ummah) among nations, I would have ordered that they be killed.''
(Reported by Abu
Daoud and al-Tirmidhi. (This was said by the Prophet following Jibril's remark that angels
do not enter a house in which there is a dog. Trans.))
The Prophet (peace be on him) told his
Companions a story concerning a man who found a dog in the desert panting and licking the
dust due to thirst. The man went to a well, filled his shoes with water, and relieved the
dog's thirst. Said the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him), "Allah appreciated this and forgave him all his
sins." (Reported by al-Bukhari.)
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Some lovers of the West in
Muslim countries claim to be full of love and compassion for all living creatures and they
wonder why Islam warns against this "best friend" of man. For their benefit, we
quote here a lengthy excerpt from an article by the German scientist, Dr. Gerard
Finstimer, (Translated from the German
magazine Kosinos.)
in which the author sheds light on the
dangers to human health resulting from keeping dogs or coming in contact with them. He
says:
The increasing interest shown by many people in recent times in keeping
dogs as pets has compelled us to draw public attention to the dangers which result from
this, especially because pet dogs are hugged and kissed and permitted to lick the hands of
the young and the old, and what is worse, to lick the plates and utensils which are used
by human beings for eating and drinking.
Besides being unhygienic and uncouth, this practice is bad manners and
abhorrent to good taste. However, we are not concerned with such matters. leaving them to
be addressed by teachers of etiquette and good taste.
Rather this article is intended to present some scientific observations.
From the medical point of view, which is our main concern here, the
hazards to human health and life from keeping and playing with dogs are not to be ignored.
Many people have paid a high price for their ignorance, as the tapeworm carried by dogs is
a cause of chronic disease, sometimes resulting in death.
This worm is found in man, in cattle, and in pigs, but it is found in
fully-developed form only in dogs, wolves and rarely in cats. These worms differ from
others in that they are minute and invisible, consequently, they were not discovered until
very recently.
He continues,
Biologically the developmental process of this worm has some unique
characteristics. In the lesions caused by them, one worm gives rise to many heads which
spread and form other and varied kinds of lesions and abscesses. These heads develop into
full-grown worms only in dogs' tonsils. In humans and in other animals they appear as
lesions and abscesses completely different from the tapeworm itself In animals the size of
an abscess may reach that of an apple, while the liver of the infected animal may grow
from five to ten times its normal size. In human beings the size of the abscess may reach
that of a clenched fist or even the head of an infant; it is filled with yellow fluid
weighing from ten to twenty pounds. In the infected human it may cause diverse kinds of
inflammations in the lungs, muscles, spleen, kidneys, and brain, and appears in such
different forms that specialists, until very recently, had difficulty in recognizing it.
In any case, wherever this inflammation is found, it poses great danger to
the health and life of the patient. What is worse is that, in spite of our knowledge of
its life history, origin, and development, we have not been able to devise a cure for it,
except that in some instances these parasites die out, possibly because of antibodies
produced in the human body. Unfortunately, cases in which such parasites die without
causing damage are rare indeed. Moreover, chemotherapy has failed to produce any benefit,
and the usual treatment is surgical removal of the abscessed parts of the body. For all
these reasons we should use all possible resources to fight against this dreadful disease
and save man from its dangers.
Professor Noeller, through post-mortem dissection of human bodies in
Germany, found that the incidence of infection with dogs' worms is at least one percent.
In some places such as Dalmatia, Iceland, southeastern Australia, and Holland, where dogs
are used for pulling sleds, the incidence rate of tapeworm among dogs is 12 percent. In
Iceland the number of people who suffer from the inflammation caused by this worm has
reached the rate of 43 percent. If we add to this the human suffering, the loss of meat
because of infection of cattle, and the permanent danger to human health because of the
presence of tapeworms, we cannot be very complacent toward this problem.
Perhaps the best way to combat the problem is to limit the worms to dogs
and not let them spread, since in actuality we need to keep some dogs. We should not
neglect to treat dogs when necessary by getting rid of the tapeworms in their tonsils and
perhaps repeating this process periodically on shepherd dogs and watchdogs.
Man can protect his life and health by keeping a safe distance from dogs.
He should not hug them, play with them, or let them come close to children. Children
should be taught not to play with dogs or to fondle them. Dogs should not be permitted to
lick children's hands or come to places where they play. Unfortunately, dogs are allowed
to roam about everywhere, especially in places where children play, and their bowls are
scattered throughout the house. Dogs must have their own separate bowls, and they must not
be allowed to lick bowls and plates used by humans. They should not be allowed inside
grocery stores, restaurants, or marketplaces. In general, great care must be taken that
they do not come in contact with anything which is used by people for eating and drinking.
We already know that the Prophet (peace be on him) forbade mixing with
dogs, and that he warned against their licking plates and against keeping them without
necessity. How is it possible that the teachings of an unlettered Arab, Muhammad, should
agree with the latest findings of scientific research? Truly, we cannot say anything
except to repeat the words of the Qur'an: Nor does he speak from (his own) desire. It is nothing other than a
revelation sent down. (53:3-4)
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