Is drawing forbidden in Islam? No, and here is why with proofs
C.J Ahmed-05.04.2023
Drawing is not haram in Islam. There is confusion by some Muslims on whether it is permissible to draw living beings and the nswer is , there is nothing wrong in drawing images of living beings such as humans or animals under necessity and drawing faces, hands, legs or parts of bodes is not haram in Islam.
1. Images of parts of living beings
Animate objects that are not complete is not haram and the face falls into this category.. This is based on the following hadiths.
objects that do not have a head or face or is diformed is not an animate object. This is based on the following hadiths.
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbas (Rali) that the Prophet (Sal) said:
“The image is the head; if the head is cut off then there is no image.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami)
The above hadith proves that for an animate object or image to be an image, it should have the full body and the head. Parts such as hands, legs, eyes, ears and faces are not images and drawing faces is not haram in Islam. The following hadiths mention s them as well.
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked permission to enter upon the Prophet (Sal) and he said, “Come in.” He said: How can I come in when in your house there is a curtain on which there are images? Either cut off their heads or make it a rug that is stepped on, for we angels do not enter a house in which there are images.
(An Nasai-authenticated by Albani in Sahih An Nasai)
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbaas (Rali) that the Prophet (Sal) said: “The image is the head; if the head is cut off then there is no image.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami)
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked permission to enter upon the Prophet (Sal) and he said, “Come in.” He said: How can I come in when in your house there is a curtain on which there are images? Either cut off their heads or make it a rug that is stepped on, for we angels do not enter a house in which there are images.
(An Nasai-authenticated by Albani in Sahih An Nasai)
2. Hadith Proofs Where the Prophet Did not Forbid images of animate beings
A'isha (Rali) narrated :
"We had a curtain with us which had portraits of birds upon it. Whenever a visitor came, he found them in front of him. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Change them, for whenever I enter the room) I see them and it brings to my mind (the pleasures) of worldly life. She said: We had with us a sheet which had silk badges upon it and we used to wear it. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Muthanna but with this addition: 'Allah's Messenger (Rali) did not command us to tear that."
(Sahih Muslim)
If having images of animate beings was such a strict matter, the prophet (sal) would have not acted so leniently. In the above hadith the prophet (Sal) ordered Aisha (Rali) to remove the images not because it was forbidden but because it was reminding him of worldy pleasures. This hadith clearly proves that portraits of living beings is not forbidden in Islam
3. Images of Animate Beings Used for various purposes.
Images of animate objects can be used as rugs or carpets and also can be used as pillows to recline. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"The Prophet (Sal) set out for an expedition. I took a carpet and screened the door with it. When he ( Prophet (Sal)) came back he saw that carpet and I perceived signs of disapproval on his face. He pulled it until it was torn or it was cut (into pieces) and he said: God has not commanded us to clothe stones and clay. We cut it (the curtain) and prepared two pillows out of it by stuffing them with the fibre of date-palms and he (Prophet (Sal)) did not find fault with it.
(Sahih Muslim)
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"I bought a cushion with suras on it. When Allah’s Messenger (Sal) saw it, he kept standing at the door and did not enter the house. I noticed the sign of disgust on his face, so I said, “O Allah’s Messenger! I repent to Allah and to His Messenger. (Please let me know) what sin I have done.” He (Sal) said, “What about this cushion?” I replied, “I bought it for you to sit and recline on.” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “The makers of these suras will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, ‘Breathe life into what you have created.’” He (peace be upon him) added, “Angels do not enter a house where there are suras. I took it and turned it into two pillows on which he used to recline at home.”
(Sahih Muslim)
It must be noted , unlike nowadays where some muslim brothers and sisters are harsh when images of animate objects are present on clothes, the prophet (sal) was lenient on this issue. Images of animate beings are allowed when there are designs on the clothing or if there are images in sheets as well. The above hadith also proves clearly that buying images or objects/dolls of animate beings is not haram because when Aisha (Rali) told the prophet (Sal) that she brought the cushion, the prophet (Sal) did not forbid her on that.
Ubaydullah ibn `Abdullah who narrated that he went to Abu Talhah Al-Ansary to visit him during his illness and found Sahl ibn Hunayf with him. Abu Talhah asked someone to remove a rug on the floor. Sahl asked: "Why do you (want to) remove it? He replied: Because it includes suras and I know what the Messenger of Allah (Sal) said about them (suras – i.e. the ruling on them). He said: Did he not say: “Except a design in a cloth”. He said, “Yes, but this is more comfortable for me.”
(Narrated in Musnad Ahmed, Nasai ,Tirmidhi-Imam Tirmidhi graded it as Hasan Sahih)
Narrated on the authority of Busr ibn Sa`id from Zayd ibn Khalid from Abu Talhah that the Prophet (Sal) stated: Angels do not enter a house in which there is a sura. Busr said, “Zayd then fell ill and we went to visit him but there was a curtain with a sura hanging at his door. I said to `Ubaydullah Al-Khawlany: the stepson of Maymunah – the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Did not Zayd tell us about (the ruling on) suras the day before? `Ubaydullah said: Did you not hear when he said: Except a design in a cloth.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim- another hadith narrated on the authority of `Amr ibn Al-Harith from Bukayr Al-Ashaj from Busr that he said, “I said to `UbaydullahAl-Khawlani: Did he not tell us about (the ruling on) suras? He said: He said, “Except a design in a cloth. Did you not hear him?” I said: No and he said: He said, “He indeed did say that.” -This hadith was also narrated in Bukhari and Muslim).
There is nothing haram in drawing of animate or inanimate objects a shariah ruling should be understood using all the available evidence and not selected pieces of proofs which agrees to ones puritanical upbringing.
Drawing is not haram in Islam. There is confusion by some Muslims on whether it is permissible to draw living beings and the nswer is , there is nothing wrong in drawing images of living beings such as humans or animals under necessity and drawing faces, hands, legs or parts of bodes is not haram in Islam.
1. Images of parts of living beings
Animate objects that are not complete is not haram and the face falls into this category.. This is based on the following hadiths.
objects that do not have a head or face or is diformed is not an animate object. This is based on the following hadiths.
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbas (Rali) that the Prophet (Sal) said:
“The image is the head; if the head is cut off then there is no image.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami)
The above hadith proves that for an animate object or image to be an image, it should have the full body and the head. Parts such as hands, legs, eyes, ears and faces are not images and drawing faces is not haram in Islam. The following hadiths mention s them as well.
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked permission to enter upon the Prophet (Sal) and he said, “Come in.” He said: How can I come in when in your house there is a curtain on which there are images? Either cut off their heads or make it a rug that is stepped on, for we angels do not enter a house in which there are images.
(An Nasai-authenticated by Albani in Sahih An Nasai)
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbaas (Rali) that the Prophet (Sal) said: “The image is the head; if the head is cut off then there is no image.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami)
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked permission to enter upon the Prophet (Sal) and he said, “Come in.” He said: How can I come in when in your house there is a curtain on which there are images? Either cut off their heads or make it a rug that is stepped on, for we angels do not enter a house in which there are images.
(An Nasai-authenticated by Albani in Sahih An Nasai)
2. Hadith Proofs Where the Prophet Did not Forbid images of animate beings
A'isha (Rali) narrated :
"We had a curtain with us which had portraits of birds upon it. Whenever a visitor came, he found them in front of him. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Change them, for whenever I enter the room) I see them and it brings to my mind (the pleasures) of worldly life. She said: We had with us a sheet which had silk badges upon it and we used to wear it. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Muthanna but with this addition: 'Allah's Messenger (Rali) did not command us to tear that."
(Sahih Muslim)
If having images of animate beings was such a strict matter, the prophet (sal) would have not acted so leniently. In the above hadith the prophet (Sal) ordered Aisha (Rali) to remove the images not because it was forbidden but because it was reminding him of worldy pleasures. This hadith clearly proves that portraits of living beings is not forbidden in Islam
3. Images of Animate Beings Used for various purposes.
Images of animate objects can be used as rugs or carpets and also can be used as pillows to recline. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"The Prophet (Sal) set out for an expedition. I took a carpet and screened the door with it. When he ( Prophet (Sal)) came back he saw that carpet and I perceived signs of disapproval on his face. He pulled it until it was torn or it was cut (into pieces) and he said: God has not commanded us to clothe stones and clay. We cut it (the curtain) and prepared two pillows out of it by stuffing them with the fibre of date-palms and he (Prophet (Sal)) did not find fault with it.
(Sahih Muslim)
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"I bought a cushion with suras on it. When Allah’s Messenger (Sal) saw it, he kept standing at the door and did not enter the house. I noticed the sign of disgust on his face, so I said, “O Allah’s Messenger! I repent to Allah and to His Messenger. (Please let me know) what sin I have done.” He (Sal) said, “What about this cushion?” I replied, “I bought it for you to sit and recline on.” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “The makers of these suras will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, ‘Breathe life into what you have created.’” He (peace be upon him) added, “Angels do not enter a house where there are suras. I took it and turned it into two pillows on which he used to recline at home.”
(Sahih Muslim)
It must be noted , unlike nowadays where some muslim brothers and sisters are harsh when images of animate objects are present on clothes, the prophet (sal) was lenient on this issue. Images of animate beings are allowed when there are designs on the clothing or if there are images in sheets as well. The above hadith also proves clearly that buying images or objects/dolls of animate beings is not haram because when Aisha (Rali) told the prophet (Sal) that she brought the cushion, the prophet (Sal) did not forbid her on that.
Ubaydullah ibn `Abdullah who narrated that he went to Abu Talhah Al-Ansary to visit him during his illness and found Sahl ibn Hunayf with him. Abu Talhah asked someone to remove a rug on the floor. Sahl asked: "Why do you (want to) remove it? He replied: Because it includes suras and I know what the Messenger of Allah (Sal) said about them (suras – i.e. the ruling on them). He said: Did he not say: “Except a design in a cloth”. He said, “Yes, but this is more comfortable for me.”
(Narrated in Musnad Ahmed, Nasai ,Tirmidhi-Imam Tirmidhi graded it as Hasan Sahih)
Narrated on the authority of Busr ibn Sa`id from Zayd ibn Khalid from Abu Talhah that the Prophet (Sal) stated: Angels do not enter a house in which there is a sura. Busr said, “Zayd then fell ill and we went to visit him but there was a curtain with a sura hanging at his door. I said to `Ubaydullah Al-Khawlany: the stepson of Maymunah – the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Did not Zayd tell us about (the ruling on) suras the day before? `Ubaydullah said: Did you not hear when he said: Except a design in a cloth.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim- another hadith narrated on the authority of `Amr ibn Al-Harith from Bukayr Al-Ashaj from Busr that he said, “I said to `UbaydullahAl-Khawlani: Did he not tell us about (the ruling on) suras? He said: He said, “Except a design in a cloth. Did you not hear him?” I said: No and he said: He said, “He indeed did say that.” -This hadith was also narrated in Bukhari and Muslim).
There is nothing haram in drawing of animate or inanimate objects a shariah ruling should be understood using all the available evidence and not selected pieces of proofs which agrees to ones puritanical upbringing.