Why 3D Animation Is Halal in Islam with 4 Clear Proofs
C.J Ahmed-15.03.2023
Creating three dimensional images or videos of living beings such as humans or animals is halal in Islam because modern day animation are mostly not drawn but are already created using software’s which have drag and drop features. Below are the evidence with four main points and proofs arguing why 3D animation is not haram in Islam.
1 Modern Day Cartoon Creation is Different
Islam is a pragmatic religion which can be followed in any day and age. Drawing cartoon s of living- beings such as human s or animals is not haram in Islam. Modern day cartoons are not drawn but are already created using software’s which have drag and drop features. The drag and drop features already have characters which are already created hence creating cartoons using such modern day technology makes cartoon making completely halal.
2 Making 3D Animation for Necessity and Educational or Awareness Purposes
Cartoons are made for several reasons and under necessity it is not at all haram to make such cartoons. This is how Allah (Swt) explains the principal of necessity.
"And why should you not eat of that (meat) on which Allah’s Name has been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering the animal), while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity?”
(Al-Quran-6:119)
And
"He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, and swine, and that which has been consecrated to any other than Allah. But who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. For Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate."
(Al-Quran-2:173)
These verses give a clear picture that proves that something that is already made haram will become halal due to a necessity if there is no transgression.
"Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In this hadith, the prophet(Sal) allowed Abdur Rahman bin auf and Zubair bin Awwam to wear silk because they had an itch. Generally wearing silk is haram for men except for embroidary but the prophet (Sal) allowed silk for the two sahabi due to a reason.
3. The Face is not a Full Image and it is Halal to Draw a Face
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 deformed 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 ‘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)
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)
4. Authentic Hadith Where the Prophet did not Forbid Images
Aisha (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. It is clear that creating 3D animation is not haram in Islam.
Creating three dimensional images or videos of living beings such as humans or animals is halal in Islam because modern day animation are mostly not drawn but are already created using software’s which have drag and drop features. Below are the evidence with four main points and proofs arguing why 3D animation is not haram in Islam.
1 Modern Day Cartoon Creation is Different
Islam is a pragmatic religion which can be followed in any day and age. Drawing cartoon s of living- beings such as human s or animals is not haram in Islam. Modern day cartoons are not drawn but are already created using software’s which have drag and drop features. The drag and drop features already have characters which are already created hence creating cartoons using such modern day technology makes cartoon making completely halal.
2 Making 3D Animation for Necessity and Educational or Awareness Purposes
Cartoons are made for several reasons and under necessity it is not at all haram to make such cartoons. This is how Allah (Swt) explains the principal of necessity.
"And why should you not eat of that (meat) on which Allah’s Name has been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering the animal), while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity?”
(Al-Quran-6:119)
And
"He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, and swine, and that which has been consecrated to any other than Allah. But who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. For Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate."
(Al-Quran-2:173)
These verses give a clear picture that proves that something that is already made haram will become halal due to a necessity if there is no transgression.
"Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In this hadith, the prophet(Sal) allowed Abdur Rahman bin auf and Zubair bin Awwam to wear silk because they had an itch. Generally wearing silk is haram for men except for embroidary but the prophet (Sal) allowed silk for the two sahabi due to a reason.
3. The Face is not a Full Image and it is Halal to Draw a Face
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 deformed 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 ‘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)
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)
4. Authentic Hadith Where the Prophet did not Forbid Images
Aisha (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. It is clear that creating 3D animation is not haram in Islam.