Sharing pictures of women on social media
Question
On Twitter, there's a social media account where a person anonymously receives and posts stories to his followers of peoples’ samoosa runs. He claims that the stories are anonymous and he has inspired many people. The female fans flock over his stories and get emotional if the story doesn't end well and create fantasies of their own lives when they read a good story. He has posted 128 stories over 3 years. Recently, he posted a picture of a car of someone who saw a girl in a random car and wanted to track her down so he posted that picture for his followers to identify the person. Is it permissible to take pictures of strange women and post them on the internet for such purposes? Is it permissible to continue posting such stories when this is the lengths people will go to?
Answer
It is not permissible to take pictures of animate objects. Further, pictures of women aggravates the gunah. All those who will watch the picture with some feeling and lust will compound it even more. Those who view this will also be sinful. Sending this out and wanting people to admire the wrong that is being perpetrated makes this a very heinous and serious crime. Therefore, the viewers and presenter must desist. Many of the problems and illnesses that come about are because of crimes related to shame and modesty.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
یٰۤاَیُّهَا النَّبِیُّ قُلۡ لِّاَزۡوَاجِکَ وَبَنٰتِکَ وَنِسَآءِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ یُدۡنِیۡنَ عَلَیۡهِنَّ مِنۡ جَلَابِیۡبِهِنَّ (سورة الأحزاب: 59)
عن مسروق عن عبد الله قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إن من أشد الناس عذابا يوم القيامة المصورون وقال أحمد المصورين (صحيح البخاري، الرقم: 5606 ، سنن النسائي، الرقم: 5364)
وظاهر كلام النووي في شرح مسلم الإجماع على تحريم تصوير الحيوان وقال وسواء صنعه لما يمتهن أو لغيره فصنعته حرام بكل حال لأن فيه مضاهاة لخلق الله تعالى وسواء كان في ثوب أو بساط أو درهم وإناء وحائط وغيرها ا هـ فينبغي أن يكون حراما لا مكروها إن ثبت الإجماع أو قطعية الدليل بتواتره (رد المحتار 1/647)
- Answered by
- Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
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