On the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما): I heard Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ say: “Every [animate] image maker will be in the Fire. A soul will be made for him for every image he made and he will be punished with it in Hell.”¹
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ bn Fawzān Al-Fawzān (حفظه الله) commented:
“This ḥadīth also contains a severe threat. His statement, ‘Every [animate] image maker,’ encompasses every form of image making, whether it is a sculpture and statue—and that is what they call tridimensional—or it is a sketch on paper, boards, or walls, or it is a snapshot with a photographic machine which came about recently. Because whoever does this is called a image maker and his action is called image making.
As long as his action is called image making, what excludes him from this threat?
And his statement, ‘for every image he made,’ is also general for every image whichever it is, whether a sketch, sculpture, or snapshot with a machine.
The utmost [difference] there is is that the one using a machine works faster than the one sketching, otherwise, the result is the same. All of these individuals intend to produce an image.
The one who carves or builds a statue intends to produce an image. The one who sketches also intends to produce an image. And the one who shoots with a camera also intends to produce an image. Why do we differentiate between them while the Messenger ﷺ said: ‘Every [animate] image maker will be in the Fire?’
What is the evidence [that removes photography from the generality of image making] except for the philosophy they present and statements they invent? They want to specify the speech of the Messenger ﷺ with their opinion while the danger that is in sculpted and sketched images is the same danger in photographic images. The danger is one and and it is: It is a means to Shirk and it is an imitation of the creation of Allāh.
They are all picture makers. And the result is one. And the intent is one. So what specifically [excludes] the one who uses a machine from the rest? That’s if the one using a machine is not worse. Because he presents the image in a better form than the one who sketches. He processes, colourizes, and exhausts himself in its production so that it can be better than the one that was sketched. So, the meaning is one. And there is no call for going extra miles or resorting to trickery and stratagems [to differentiate between their rulings].
And it is known that the speech of Allāh and the speech of His Messenger ﷺ is not permissible to be specified [for something] except with an evidence from the speech of Allāh or that of His Messenger, not by the independent interpretations, fabrications, and philosophies of men. This is rejected to its proponent. This is known from Uṣūl al-Ḥadīth (the fundamental principles of ḥadīth) and Uṣūl at-Tafsīr (the fundamental principles of exegesis), that general [texts] are not specified except with an evidence, and that general [texts] are not specified with the independent interpretations given by people. This is a conceded and unanimously agreed upon principle.
So, what is wrong with them that they fail to acknowledge this principle and they say, ‘Photography is not included in what was prohibited’ and so on?
All these are empty speech that have no value with the people of knowledge and the scholars of the Uṣūl (the fundamental principles of Islāmic jurisprudence). The fundamental principles of Islāmic jurisprudence reject all these. And they know this. However, Exalted is Allāh, sometimes, desires and sophistry lead the one who submits to them to a far path.
The Messenger ﷺ says: ‘Every [animate] image maker will be in the Fire,’ and so-and-so comes and says, ‘No. The one who makes photographic images will not be in the Fire!’ What is your evidence, O miserable fellow?! The Messenger says: ‘Every [animate] image maker will be in the Fire,’ and you say: ‘No. The one who makes photographic images will not be in the Fire.’ This is a great danger.
‘A soul will be made for him for every image he made and he will be punished with it in Hell.’
Every image he made through any means, whether through carving, sketching, or shooting with a photographic machine, whether the images are many or few, these images he made will be brought on the Day of Resurrection, and a soul will be put in every image. Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic, will place a soul in every image he made, and he will be punished with them in Hell. These images will torment him on the Day of Resurrection just as Allāh will turn the wealth of the rich person who did not pay Zakāh to a snake on the Day of Resurrection—or in the grave—and set it loose on him.
وَلَا یَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَبۡخَلُونَ بِمَاۤ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ هُوَ خَیۡرࣰا لَّهُمۖ بَلۡ هُوَ شَرࣱّ لَّهُمۡۖ سَیُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُوا۟ بِهِۦ یَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِیَـٰمَةِۗ
“And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His Bounty (Wealth) think that it is good for them (and so they do not pay the obligatory Zakat). Nay, it will be worse for them; the things which they covetously withheld shall be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection.”²
Likewise, souls will be put in these images and they will be set loose on him and they will torment him in Hellfire. So, what do you think of the one who makes thousands of images? He will be punished with them all on the Day of Resurrection. And refuge is sought in Allāh.³
On the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما), Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said: “Whoever makes an [animate] image in this world will be burdened to put life into it [on the Day of Resurrection] but he will be unable to.”⁴
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ bn Fawzān Al-Fawzān حفظه الله commented:
“‘[He] will be burdened to put life into it [on the Day of Resurrection] but he will be unable to.’ That is, all the images he made will be brought and he will be commanded to put life into them. Is he able to put life [in them]? However, this is from the aspect of rendering [him] helpless and punishment, by way of him being burdened with what he has no capability or might over—and refuge is sought in Allāh—hence, his punishment lasts for a long time.
And if not that there is danger and tribulation in image making, you wouldn’t have seen people being put to trial with it. And it is widespread because Shayṭān urges with and instigates it because it contains harm upon the children of Ādam. So, he urges them to do it and make it so they may bear these grave sins. And refuge is sought in Allāh.”⁵
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ bn Fawzān Al-Fawzān حفظه الله said:
“The ḥadīth contains an evidence for the prohibition of every form of image making. Nothing from image making is exempted. Due to his statement ﷺ: ‘Every [animate] image maker will be in the Fire,’ ‘Whoever makes an [animate] image…,’ ‘Do not leave any image…,’ ‘The people with the worst type of punishment on the Day of Resurrection are the image makers.’ And this is general for every image maker and every image, no matter what means it was produced with.
However, what necessity calls for from image making, there is a concession regarding it. Such as the image placed in the passport or identity card, because people are prevented from their needs, travels, and jobs—even from enrolling in schools and institutes—except with this. So, this is from the aspect of necessity. So, it is permissible in accordance with the need only. And any other [animate] image making is unlawful. Whether it is for remembrances—as they say—or for art, or other reasons, or for beautifying the walls and so forth, it is all unlawful.⁶
Shaykh Abdul-‘Aziz bn Abdillāh bn Bāz (رحمه الله) said:
“Image making is not permissible—neither with the hand [i.e., sketching] nor with other than it. Every form of image-making is prohibited. And the Messenger, may peace and blessings be upon him, cursed the picture makers. He ﷺ said: ‘The people with the worst form of punishment on the Day of Resurrection are the picture makers.’ He also said: ‘Every picture maker will be in the Fire.’ And the picture maker will be punished with every picture he made for himself in the Hellfire.”⁷
Shaykh Muḥammad bn Ṣāliḥ Al-ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله) said:
“Whoever ascribes to us that [we said that] what is [only] unlawful from [animate] images is the tridimensional one, and that other than that is not unlawful, has told a lie against us. And we hold that it is impermissible to wear what contains an [animate] image, whether it is from the clothing of the young or old. And that it is impermissible to possess [animate] images for remembrance or other than that, except what necessity or need calls for it.”⁸
Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir Ad-Dīn Al-Albānī رحمه الله said:
“Photography is more prohibited than making images with the hand [i.e., sketching, carving, etc] because much effort was expended, over many years, for man and the disbelieving man to be capable of producing an image. Abundant efforts were expended over many years until they got to the highest degree of precision in this device, such that with the click of a button, the image comes out with the highest form of clarity and imitation of Allāh’s creation.”⁹
1. Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2110), Musnad Aḥmad (2810)
2. Āl ʿImrān: 180
3. Iʿānah Al-Mustafīd Vol. 2, Pg. 369-371, Muʾassasah Ar-Risālah Print, 3rd Edition
4. Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī (5963), Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2110)
5. Iʿānah Al-Mustafīd Vol. 2, Pg. 372, Muʾassasah Ar-Risālah Print, 3rd Edition
6. Ibid. Pg. 374
7. Majmūʿ Al-Fatāwá (28/339)
8. Majmūʿ Al-Fatāwá (2/269)
9. Paraphrased From Tape 30, Silsilah Al-Hudá Wa An-Nūr
Alhamdulillah