1678/1 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Those who make these images will be tortured on the Day of Judgment. It will be said to them: ‘Give life to what you have created.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It is prohibited to draw or sculpt images of living beings, given the stern warning in this regard.
2) Intimidation of the makers of images through the punishment of Allah, Who will command them to give life to their images, by way of showing their inability.
1679/2 - ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) returned once from a journey and saw a curtain with which I had covered a shelf and it had some images on it. The color of his face changed, and he said: ‘O ‘Ā’ishah, the most tormented people on the Day of Judgment are those who try to match Allah in terms of creation.’” She added: “We tore it and made one or two cushions out of that.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Displaying images in the house is prohibited, given the warning in this regard.
2) It points out the stern warning issued against the makers of images, as we will see in a Hadīth reported by Ibn ‘Abbās.
1680/3 - Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Every image maker will be in Hellfire. There will be a soul for each image he has made, so it will torment him in Hell.” Ibn ‘Abbās added: “If you cannot help but do it, then make images of trees and lifeless objects.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It points out the severe warning against the makers of images of living beings. They will be tormented in Hellfire because of those images.
2) It is permissible to make images of lifeless objects, like trees, mountains, and rivers.
1681/4 - He also reported that he heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Whoever makes an image in worldly life will be asked to breathe life in it on the Day of Judgment, and he will not be able to do so.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It intimidates and deters people from making or sculpting images of living beings.
2) Recompense is of the same type of action. He who tries to emulate the creation of Allah will be punished by Allah on the Day of Judgment by the images he has made.
1682/5 - Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: “The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Judgment are the image makers.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It is prohibited to make images, and it is a major sin whose perpetrator is threatened with severe punishment.
2) When a stern warning is given regarding a certain sin, this indicates its being a major one. So, a Muslim should avoid it.
1683/6 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Allah Almighty said: ‘Who are more unjust than those who try to create something like My creation? I challenge them to create even an atom, a seed, or a barley grain.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It shows how bad the making of images is, as it constitutes emulation of the creation of Allah, though the makers of those images are clearly unable to create anything. So, how can an incapable weak creature dare emulate the product of the Almighty Creator?!
2) A person should be true to his status as a slave to Allah Almighty, which dictates, among other things, that he should not encroach upon the exclusive right of Allah Almighty of creating.
1684/7 - Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1685/8 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “Jibrīl (Gabriel) promised to visit the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) but delayed. This grieved the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) very much. When he came out of his house, Gabriel met him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) asked him about the reason of his delay, and he replied: ‘We do not enter a house where there is a dog or an image.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
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1686/9 - ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “Gabriel (peace be upon him) promised to come to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) at a certain hour. But he did not show up at that time. There was a staff in his hand. He threw it away and said: ‘Neither Allah nor His messengers (angels) ever break their promise.’ Then, he cast a glance and found a puppy under his bed and said: ‘O ‘Ā’ishah, when did this dog enter here?’ I said: ‘By Allah, I do not know.’ He then commanded that it be driven out. Then, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: ‘You promised me and I waited for you, but you did not come.’ He said: ‘It was the dog in your house that prevented me, for we do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.’” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image. Thus, its inhabitants are deprived of the angels’ supplication for them to be forgiven and shown mercy.
2) It is prohibited to hang images on walls, a common practice now in many Muslim houses.
1687/10 - Abu al-Hayyāj Hayyān ibn Husayn reported that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: “Shall I not send you with the same instructions as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any image without obliterating it, nor any raised or built-up grave without leveling it.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) If a person sees a prohibited image, he should obliterate it and criticize those who have put it, to the best of his ability.
2) The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to apply the Prophet’s Sunnah and convey it to those who came after them, with honesty and integrity. This is the proper conduct of members of this blessed Ummah; they inform one another of the Sunnah of their Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
The ruling on image making is presented in detail under the Hadīth no. 650, p.438.