(A). At-Tasweer (the act of making images), and Iqtinaa' as-suwar (the act of possession of images).

As salaamu alaikum

Anyone who produces a drawing/graphic of an animal, person, or insect, i.e. animated living things... will meet a terrible end on the day of judgement, suffering hellfires for this action. Secondly, displaying such graphics in anywhere but a degrading, disgraceful place (such as those little bears on baby wipes or something filthy and not on display, etc.) is also forbidden. The graphic you mention is of concern and you should not intentionally use it for any purpose. Here is daleel (proof) on that:

Hadith - Bukhari 3:428, Narrated Said bin Abu Al-Hasan
While I was with Ibn 'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Apostle . I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' " Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn 'Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other unanimated objects."

Obliterating and removing images, including from computer presentations, especially those involving the deen of Islam, is recommended.

Hadith - Muslim, Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib
AbulHayyaj al-Asadi told that Ali ibn AbuTalib said to him: Should I not send you on the same mission as Allah's Messenger sent me? Do not leave an image without obliterating it, or a high grave without levelling it. This hadith has been reported by Habib with the same chain of transmitters and he said: (do not leave) a picture without obliterating it.

There are, of course, images on the web/net, that we cannot avoid, like when we send out an email, and because we're using a free service and couldn't afford a paid service, the egroup sends out an advertisement with an image in it, or as can appear on web pages provided free of service. Islam says all actions are based upon intentions, and if you intend to send out no images (people, animals, insects) then that is your safeguard, insha'Allah. It is the things that ARE within our control that we are held accountable for.

May Allah forgive us for our shortcomings. Ameen.

Regarding the writings of Qaradawi....

There were many good comments in the article from Qaradawi. However, there was some error.

He says: "if someone wants to make a picture of an animate being with no intention of competing with Allah as creator or for its glorification or respect, there is no prohibition of doing so; there are numerous sound ahadith in this regard."

There is no hadith making this permissible under any intentions. Notice, he did not list any either. If you can find such a thing, "let me know."

Intentions must line up with our actions, and the only exception is that which is beyond our control. Picking up a pen is something we do of our own control. We cannot say we have no intention to draw a picture and then pick up a pen and draw a picture.

This may require one to study the whole understanding of INTENTIONS, in that we get rewarded/punished based on our intentions in doing an action. That means we could be ignorant of a ruling (such as, say you didn't know you weren't supposed to eat pork and you just became Muslim), insha'Allah, you are judged by your intentions to be obedient. But, if ten years later, your intentions weren't strong enough to educate yourself on Islam, you may still not be aware of that ruling (not to eat pork), and then you are held accountable for not making the effort to educate yourself. This is where ignorance is not acceptable, once you have had an opportunity to know. So, technically, if a person makes an image and did not KNOW this was haram, INSHA'ALLAH, Allah swt may not hold that sin against them, that is the hope, based on the application of actions are judged by intentions. If, however, they are shown clear proof, on ANYTHING, and they still persist when they should stop... this is clear disobedience as it is a haram act.

There are many articles of evidence we could provide to continue to demonstrate this point. Insha'Allah, we have included one article by Shaikh al-Albaanee, in which he writes it as a specific refute to certain comments made in Al-Qaradaawee's writings about image-making:

Clarification of Some of the Mistakes of Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qaradaawee Regarding the Issue of Image-Making

Excerpts taken from Shaykh Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee's book "Ghaayah al-Maraam Fi Takhreej Ahaadith al-Halaal wa'l-Haraam, the chapter on Image-Making, pgs. 76-100.

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying:

• Angels do not enter a house [or any other place] where there are statues (tamaatheel) or pictures (tasaaweer). [Hadith #6, Chapter One]

These ahadith and those of similar meaning which are to follow in the book include 'as-surah al-mujassamah' (three dimensional, solid images, like statues) as well as 'ghair al-mujassamah' (two dimensional images, on a plane surface).

Yet the author (Yusuf al-Qaradaawee) has taken it to apply only to 'al-mujassamah' (solid images). And this, coming from him, is strange, since he knows well - I believe - that the occasion concerning which these ahaadtih (words) were spoken, and the reason prompting this matter to be addressed, was in reference to ghair al-mujassamah (two dimensional, non-solid images).

This is indicated clearly by the angel Jibreel's (peace be upon him) being prevented from entering the house while it had in it the curtain containing images (surah).

• [This is in reference to Hadith #18, Chapter One, containing the words: "...Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked permission to enter upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). So he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Enter. He (Jibreel) said: HOW CAN I ENTER WHILE THERE IS A CURTAIN (SITR) CONTAINING IMAGES (TASAAWEER) IN YOUR HOUSE?..."]

The other ahaadith also indicate this, such as the hadith of 'Aa'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) which follows this one.

POINT #2

Narrated 'Aa'isha (may Allah be pleased with her):

• Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) returned from a journey when I had placed a curtain of mine containing images over (the door of) a chamber of min. When Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw it, he tore it apart and said: "The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be those who try to make the like of Allah's creation...

In the other narration:

• ...those who make these images [Hadith #4, Chapter One]

[After mentioning the above hadith of 'Aa'isha (may Allah be pleased with her), and pointing to the various narration's as they were reported by al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, and others -- Shaykh al-Albaanee continues:]

It is known from the circumstances prompting the speech of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on this occasion [curtain of mine having iamges] that the IMAGES which were mentioned were ghair al-mujassamah (not solid images) [they were pictures on a curtain]. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) pointed to this, in his word "...these images."

For this reason, Qaradaawee's interpreting it to refer to as-suwar al-mujassamah (three dimensional, solid images) is very far from the truth. Wa'llahu'l-Musta'aan! (Allah is the One we turn to for help)!

POINT #3

Narrated an-Nadr ibn Anas ibn Maalik, ... that Ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said:

• I heard Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying: "Whoever makes an image in this world would be compelled to breathe soul (rooh) in it on the Day of Resurrection, but he will never be able to do so." [Hadith #15, Chapter One]

This hadith also points out the fact of (the prohibition) being inclusive of 'ghair al-mujassam' (i.e. other than three dimensional solid images). This is because (the hadith) is 'MUTLAQ' (absolute/generally inclusive of all images, without conditions or restrictions). Also, because the narrator of the hadith -Ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) --did not make it clear that there is any difference [regarding the prohbition of three dimensional images which have body, and two dimensional images which do not].

So, if (the prohbition) was exclusively limited to al-mujassamah, i.e. the images which have body (like statues)- he (Ibn Abbaas) would not have been so strict on the questioner [in prohibiting all images which have a soul, without consideration as to whether it is three dimensional or two dimensional]. Instead, he would have also ruled the permissibility of ghair al-mujassamah, i.e. images which don't have a body, even of those which have souls, as is clear.

Additionally, the understanding of a companion (sahaabee) is a hujjah (legal proof), especially if he is the narrator of the hadith in question. This position is also supported by the rules of "Usool al-Fiqh," as is the case here.

It is also supported by the other texts, as he preceded. For this reason, Imaam an-Nawawee has decisively declared the incorrectness of the opinoin of those who make permissible the images which don't case a shadow (two dimensional), i.e. those which don't have a body.

POINT #4

From Abu Zur'ah who said:

• I and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered a house being built in al-Madeenah for Sa'eed or Marwaan. (Abu Zur'ah) said: he (Abu Hurairah) saw an image-maker (musawwir) making images in the (wall of) the house. He then said: Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, said: 'Who is more a wrongdoer than one who tries to create creation like My creation. Let him create a small ant (dharrah) or a grain of wheat.' [Hadith #16, Chapter One. This is the wording in Saheeh Muslim.]

In this hadith is an evidence, as in the previous ahaadith, of the prohibition of image-making of ghair al-mujassamah (that which has no body) -- by way of DALAALATI'L-UMOOM, the expression which is general in its application to everything which could possibly come under its meaning, all at one time. [The general expression is the words one who tries to create CREATION LIKE MY CREATION]. And that is what the narrator of this hadith - Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) - understood.

Ibn Battaal said: "Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that image-making (tasweer) is inclusive of that which cast a shadow (three dimensional objects) as well as that which does not cast a shadow (two dimensional images). For this reason, he (Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him) renounced what was inscribed/engraved in the walls (of the house)."

POINT #5

Narrated Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him):

• Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'Angels do not enter a house where there are images (surah).'

Busr [Ibn Sa'eed, who narrated this hadith from Zaid ibn Khaalid, who narrated it from Abu Talha] added:

• Then Zaid fell ill and we paid him a visit. Behold! There was hanging at his door, a curtain with an image (surah) on it. I said to 'Ubaidullah al-Khawlaanee, the foster-son of Maimoonah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): 'Didn't Zaid tell us about images (suwar) the day before yesterday?' Ubaidullah said, 'Didn't you hear him saying: except a design in a cloth (illa raqman fi thawb)?' [Hadith #7, Chapter One]

Narrated 'Ubaidullah ibn 'Abdullah:

• He entered upon Abu Talha al'-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) to visit him, and he found Sahl ibn Junaif (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered someone to remove a pillow which was under him. Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: Why are you removing this? He said: It is because it has in it images (tasaaweer) and you already know what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said about that. He (Sahl) said: Didn't he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 'illa raqman fi thawb - except designs/inscriptions in a cloth?' He (Abu Talha) answered: Yes, he did say so. But, (removing it) is more pleasing to my soul. [Hadith #8, Chapter One]

al-Qaradaawee has quoted this hadith and the one before it, regarding the matter of clarification of "the ruling concerning images (suwar) which are drawn on flat surfaces such as paper, cloth, curtain... ." He (al-Waradaawee) then concludes, asking the rhetorical question [the question already being fixed in the mind of the questioner]: "Don't these two ahaadith prove that the figures (suwar) which are prohibited are those which are solid, that is to say statues?"

I (Shaykh al-Albaanee) say, in clarification of the reality,: Absolutely not! In no way do these two ahaadith prove the above. And in order to explain this, a reminder is necessary of the fact that we have two issues in front of us: At-Tasweer (the act of making images), and Iqtinaa' as-suwar (the act of possession of images).

The ahaadith which are related to this topic are divided into two divisions: those connected to the first issue [the act of making images], and the other connected to the second issue [the act of possession of images]. I have seen that many of those who have written on the topic of 'tasweer' have had the two divisions mixed together, and therefore treated the two divisions as one.

1) As for those ahaadith related to the first issue [act of making images] they are all in agreement about the fact of the prohibition of tasweer (making images) of both types, al-mujassam (solid images) as well as ghair al-mujassam (that which is on a plane surface).

2) Some of these ahaadith prove the prohbition by dalaalah al-umoom (i.e. it points to the general prohibition of everything included in the meaning of "surah/image." An example of this is the previous hadith [Hadith #15] which contains the words: "whoever makes an IMAGE (surah) in this world would be compelled to breathe soul (rooh) in it on the Day of Resurrection, but he will never be able to do so."

3) Also, from these ahaadith are those which prove the prohibition of images by dalaalah al-khusoos [i.e, it points to the prohibition of a special/particular type of image, which is specifically pointed out in the text of the hadith]. An example of this hadith [#4, Chapter One] which contains the words: "...the people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be those who make these images (alladheena yusawwiroona HADHIHI AS-SUWAR"). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was pointing to the iamges of the "winged horses" [Hadith #2, Chapter One] which were on the curtain which he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) tore up.

4) As for those ahaadith which are related to the second issue [possession of images] such as these two ahaadith [#7 and #8] -- neither of them indicate the permissibility of making images, which would be in contradiction to the indication of the ahaadith of the first division.

5) Verily, they only indicate the permissibility of possession (of images). As for the permissibility of making images - this is something which the two ahaadith under discussion do not address at all. So, how could it be permissible to use them as a proof for that [the permissibility of making images]? While at the same time, they would be in contradiction to the ahaadith of the first division [i.e. those ahaadith which actually address the issue of the act of making images, and point to its prohibition].

6) The truth of the matter is that the hadith of 'Aa'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) which has preceded [#4] addresses both issues: the prohibition of tasweer (the act of making images), and the permissibility of possession of those images which are degraded - there being some difference of opinion on this the second point, and this can be reviewed in Fath al-Baaree and other books for its details. [See: Introduction (of an-Nawawee) to Chapter One, and explanation of Hadith #4, Chapter One, for opinions of Ibn al-'Arabee, az-Zuhree and an-Nawawee, in this matter.]

7) This, while the two ahaadith mentioned above have in common with the hadith of 'Aa'isha [#4] the fact of their addressing the second issue (possession of images), while both being silent concerning the first (the act of making images).

8) This is what is understood by everyone who studies the 'dalaalah' (indications/point addressed) by the ahaadith connected to this topic -- if he is not influenced by anything except the desire to attain the truth.

9) Imaam an-Nawawee has summarized the speech/sayings [of the scholars] concerning this topic, in a complete and most excellent summarization, in his sharh (explanation) of Saheeh Muslim, saying: "...IMAGE-MAKING (tasweer) of animate (living) beings [human and animal] is sternly prohbited and it is a major sin. This is because the one who engages in it is threatened with the stern warning mentioned in the ahaadith. It is the same whether one makes the image in that which will be disrespected and degraded or otherwise - in every case, its making is prohibited...

As for the possesion/keeping of that which has in it images of animate beings [human or animal] -- if it is hanging up on a wall, or in clothing that is worn, or a turban... or those things which are not considered to be degraded or dishonored-- then, it is forbidden.

However, if it is in a carpet which is trampled upon and treated with disdain... or those things which are degraded and disrespected -- it is not forbidden. Yet, there remains the question of whether or not it prevents the entry of the angels of mercy to that house... .

Finally, there is no difference in any part of this matter [concerning the prohibition] between that which cast a shadow [three dimensional, solid objects] and that which does not [two dimensional pictures, drawings, etc.]...