Darul Iftaa, Darul Uloom Miftahul Falaah

Photographs in books of learning

· 11 Shaʻban 1447 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

Assalamu Alaikum

My husband and I are trying our best to ensure that there is no Murat in our home. We are raising our first child and are trying hard not to expose him to videos , photos and drawings of animate objects . However , we would like to understand whether books such as encyclopedias that contain photographs of animals for instance would be considered permissible or impermissible as a tool for learning . We would also like to know whether this would apply to drawings . Can we keep these items in our home or is it advisable to avoid it entirely?

Jazakallahu Khairan

Answer

Wa alaykum us salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh , Respected Sister

The response to your query is as follows:

May Allah Ta’ala reward your concern and efforts in upholding Deen. The books, encyclopaedias and newspapers which contain animate pictures may be benefited from for their information. However it would be best to remove the head or facial features from the pictures. This will also enforce the correct belief in the mind of the children that these pictures are not allowed. One should not intend to look at the pictures, rather intend to benefit from the information.When not in use, these books should be kept away in such a manner that no animate pictures are visible.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَتَبَايَعُونَ بِدَرَاهِمِ الْأَعَاجِمِ فِيهَا التَّمَاثِيلُ بِالتِّيجَانِ، وَلَا يَمْتَنِعُ أَحَدٌ عَنْ الْمُعَامَلَةِ بِذَلِكَ. وَإِنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ هَذَا فِيمَا يُلْبَسُ أَوْ يُعْبَدُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ الصَّلِيبِ وَنَحْوِهَا (شرح السرخسي على السير الكبير ص ١٠٥١ المكتبة الشاملة

ثُمَّ التِّمْثَالُ إنْ كَانَ عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ أَوْ بِسَاطٍ لَا بَأْسَ بِاسْتِعْمَالِهِمَا وَإِنْ كَانَ يُكْرَهُ اتِّخَاذُهُمَا ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيمَا إذَا كَانَتْ الصُّورَةُ عَلَى الدَّرَاهِمِ وَالدَّنَانِيرِ هَلْ تَمْنَعُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ مِنْ دُخُولِ الْبَيْتِ بِسَبَبِهَا فَذَهَبَ الْقَاضِي عِيَاضٌ إلَى أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَمْتَنِعُونَ وَأَنَّ الْأَحَادِيثَ مُخَصَّصَةٌ وَذَهَبَ النَّوَوِيُّ إلَى الْقَوْلِ بِالْعُمُومِ ثُمَّ الْمُرَادُ بِالْمَلَائِكَةِ الْمَذْكُورِينَ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ لَا الْحَفَظَةُ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُفَارِقُونَهُ إلَّا فِي خَلْوَتِهِ بِأَهْلِهِ وَعِنْدَ الْخَلَاءِ وعقبها في منحة الخالق بقوله قُلْت وَقَدْ يُقَالُ الْمُرَادُ بِقَوْلِهِ لَا بَأْسَ بِاسْتِعْمَالِهَا أَيْ بِأَنْ يَتَّكِئَ عَلَى الْوِسَادَةِ وَيَفْرِشَ الْبِسَاطَ وَقَوْلُهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ يُكْرَهُ اتِّخَاذُهُمَا أَيْ اتِّخَاذُهُمَا لِزِينَةٍ وَنَحْوِهَا مِمَّا فِيهِ تَعْظِيمٌ أَوْ يُقَالُ الْمُرَادُ بِالِاتِّخَاذِ فِعْلُ التَّصْوِيرِ فِيهِمَا أَيْ أَنَّ التَّصْوِيرَ فِيهِمَا مَكْرُوهٌ دُونَ اسْتِعْمَالِهِمَا تَأَمَّلْ (البحر الرائق مع منح الخالق ٢/٣٠)

بِأَنْ كَانَ فَوْقَ الثَّوْبِ الَّذِي فِيهِ صُورَةٌ ثَوْبٌ سَاتِرٌ لَهُ فَلَا تُكْرَهُ الصَّلَاةُ فِيهِ لِاسْتِتَارِهَا بِالثَّوْبِ بَحْرٌ (رد المحتار

Answered by
Mufti Umar Farooq Rangila
Checked & approved by
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb D.B
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Source: Darul Iftaa, Darul Uloom Miftahul Falaah — https://www.miftahulfalaah.co.za/fataawa/photographs-in-books-of-learning
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/miftahulfalaah-3225

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