Ruling on wearing clothing that has small or hidden images on it

As you know, most clothes nowadays have images of animate beings, whether the image is on the outside of the garment or is on a piece that is hidden inside. Is it permissible to wear these clothes? 
What if it is children’s clothing? What if these images are very small and can hardly be noticed? 
For example, I have a suit on which there is the image of two men shaking hands on the inside of the coat collar and no one can see it. Is it permissible to wear it?
In most cases these images are part of the company’s logo and are not visible except if a person looks hard, because they are in a light colour. I hope that you will explain the ruling.

Praise be to Allaah.

It is not permissible to draw or make images of animate beings, whether they are humans, animals or birds, and whether that is engraved or on paper, fabric or anything else. That is because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (2105) and Muslim (2107) from ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), who said that she bought a cushion on which there were images. When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw it, he stood at the door and did not enter. She said: I recognized displeasure in his face. I said: O Messenger of Allaah, I repent to Allaah and His Messenger, what have I done wrong? The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “What is this pillow?” She said: I bought it for you to sit on and recline on. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The makers of these images will be punished and it will be said to them, ‘Bring to life that which you have created.’” Then he said: “The house in which there are images is not entered by the angels.”

Earnings of one who makes images

please tell me if it is halal to have a job where the non-muslim customers often come in and ask me to copy and manipulate images for them (i.e pictures of people and animals sometimes)? i am working this job assuming it to be halal until you tell me otherwise (or anyone tells me with daleel). and if you tell me to quit, would i be able to keep the job until i could find a replacement?

Praise be to Allaah.

In Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa, it says the following:

“Making images of animate beings is haraam and earnings from doing this are haraam.”

When Allaah forbids a thing, He also forbids its price. Making images of animate beings is forbidden, as it was reported in the saheeh evidence. Therefore earnings from doing this are unclean and it is not permissible to consume them. An exception is made in the case of images that are necessary, such as photos for ID documents and photos used to track down criminals and so on. It is permissible to make these images and receive payment for doing so. The one who is asking this question could work only with pictures of things that are not animate, or he can try to look for another job. Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better.

Is it permissible to publish images of animate beings in cases of necessity?

I know that putting images of animate beings in chat rooms is haraam and I have read the fatwa. But there are some situations which require putting explanatory images, such as first aid, where it is essential to put pictures which explain the position of the first aider and patient when carrying out first aid. Similarly topics about smoking need images to explain how smoking affects the patient, and images are needed to explain the suffering of people in Gaza, and so on. What is the ruling, may Allah bless you?.

Praise be to Allaah.

In our site we have favoured the view that photographic images of animate beings are haraam and it is most likely that they are included in the hadeeths which forbid image making and the hadeeths which criticise the image makers, who will be the most severely punished of people on the Day of Resurrection.

Nevertheless, our fuqaha’ have stated that if there is a need or necessity, there is nothing wrong with making images and there is no sin on the image maker in that case, because cases of necessity make forbidden things permissible. 

Hanging up images if they are small and indistinct and not clear at all

What is the correct opinion about pictures that we can sell in Mekka or Madina or anywhere with the mosqué of the prophet ( ) or the ka’ba and we can see people around the mosque in soudjoud or walking but in small size. Can we put it on the wall or not ?

Praise be to Allaah.

We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows:

There is nothing wrong with it. And Allaah knows best.

Ruling on praying in a room in which there are images

Why is it not permissable for a Muslim to make Salat in a room the has symbols of Idolatry on the walls(Christmas wreaths, etc)?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is not allowed to pray in a place in which there are images of animate beings. In fact some of them were of the view that doing so is haraam, although the view of the majority is that it is makrooh.

Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

As for fabric on which there are images or crossed lines or anything that distracts the worshipper, it is makrooh to pray in it, facing towards it or on it.

End quote from al-Majmoo‘, 3/185 

Exemption of (baby) dolls from the ruling on haraam images

I have read all your answers regarding pictures for children.  In my home, we have no pictures or animate (2-D and 3-D) figures, apart from these for children. In answering a question about photos, you stated no 3-dimensional images were allowed.  Can you please explain the tradition where Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) had a small toy unicorn (or similar) that she played with as a child, and the Prophet did not stop her. 
Please answer this question, as all practising muslims I know have toys for their children.  We all seek the right path of Islam. 

Praise be to Allaah.

Those toys which are made of wool are not considered to be images, because they do not have a head apart from a piece of wool, and it does not have the features of the face such as eyes, nose, mouth or ears. If an image does not have a head or any facial features, it is exempt from the ruling prohibiting images.

Even if we assume that it is an image, this does not mean that all images are permitted. Rather it is an exemption from the prohibition for a legitimate shar’i purpose, which is to teach girls how to care for babies and to develop maternal feelings in their hearts, in order to prepare them for the future. 

What is the proper way to erase forbidden images?

The Prophet ordered that all images be destroyed.
Is it sufficient to erase just the eyes, or the face, or the head ?

Praise be to Allaah.

The image is the face, which must be erased so that the image disappears, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade striking the “image”. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari).

The meaning is that it is forbidden to strike the face, as was explained in other ahaadeeth. The fact that “image” means the face means that the facial features must be erased. And Allaah knows best.

Ruling on plates on which there are images

What is the ruling on plates on which there are images? Please note that they are not usually used except in cases of necessity?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The basic principle is that it is haraam to make images of animate beings, because of the evidence that has been narrated concerning that. But if the images are treated in a humiliating manner or are partial images, then it is permissible to use the things they are drawn on, such as carpets and the like.

And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.

Are photographs permissible by analogy with images in the mirror?

If a man sees his face in the mirror, is this regarded as one of the kinds of image-making that are forbidden? May Allaah bless you.

Praise be to Allaah.

If a man sees his face in the mirror, this is not regarded as one of the kinds of image-making that are forbidden. The scholars have explained the difference between the two matters, refuting those who use that as evidence to say that photography is permissible.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said – refuting those who regard them as the same – : You have made a mistake by regarding them as the same and drawing an analogy, for two reasons:

1 – A photograph cannot be likened to the image in a mirror, because a photograph does not disappear and the temptation caused by it is still there.

As for the image in a mirror, it is not permanent and it disappears when the person who is facing the mirror goes away. This is an obvious difference which no man with any common sense can dispute.

Children looking at images for the purpose of learning

Should children be shown images of humans and animals since they may learn from them?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The basic principle concerning image-making is that it is haraam except for that which has become unavoidable because it has become so widespread. So it is not permissible for the Muslim to make images of human beings or animals or any animate being, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the image-makers as narrated in al-Bukhaari, 5374. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Every image-maker will be in Hell.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2225; Muslim, 2110. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him): “Do not leave any image without erasing it.” (Narrated by Imam Muslim, 969).

If children need to look at images of human beings or animals, whether these are photographs or images on video tapes, if that is for a purpose – such as children or adults looking at pictures of our brothers in Palestine, Chechnya or Afghanistan – there is nothing wrong with a child looking at some pictures in order to learn. But we should also tell the child that making images is haraam and that this is only done by way of necessity, so that the child will grow up knowing the shar’i ruling.

And Allaah knows best.