Why keeping pictures in the house is not haram in Islam
C.J Ahmed-29.03.2023
Keeping pictures is frowned upon by some Muslim scholars but the religion of Islam has never forbidden keeping pictures as evident from the authentic hadiths.
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 upop 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)
The above hadith poves that having imags of animate beings was not prohibited but the prophet (sal) disliked it due to it reminding him of the worldly pleasures. If having images of animate beings was such a strict matter, the prophet (sal) would have not acted so leniently. 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).
The above hadiths are clear that keeping pictures in the huse is not haram in Islam. Due to their extreme fanaticism will go to levels in destroying or burning photos erasing valuable images that have been preserved for nostalgic reasons. Theses kind of extremist behaviour is unacceptable and such fanaticism is forbidden in Islam. The prophet(sal) said,
“"Ruined are the extremists!." He said it thrice.”(Sahih Muslim)
The prophet (sal) also said,
“Verily, the religion is easy and no one burdens himself in religion but that it overwhelms him. Follow the right course, seek closeness to Allah, give glad tidings, and seek help for worship in the morning and evening and a part of the night.”(Bukhari)
Keeping pictures is frowned upon by some Muslim scholars but the religion of Islam has never forbidden keeping pictures as evident from the authentic hadiths.
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 upop 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)
The above hadith poves that having imags of animate beings was not prohibited but the prophet (sal) disliked it due to it reminding him of the worldly pleasures. If having images of animate beings was such a strict matter, the prophet (sal) would have not acted so leniently. 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).
The above hadiths are clear that keeping pictures in the huse is not haram in Islam. Due to their extreme fanaticism will go to levels in destroying or burning photos erasing valuable images that have been preserved for nostalgic reasons. Theses kind of extremist behaviour is unacceptable and such fanaticism is forbidden in Islam. The prophet(sal) said,
“"Ruined are the extremists!." He said it thrice.”(Sahih Muslim)
The prophet (sal) also said,
“Verily, the religion is easy and no one burdens himself in religion but that it overwhelms him. Follow the right course, seek closeness to Allah, give glad tidings, and seek help for worship in the morning and evening and a part of the night.”(Bukhari)