Picture Making (Tasweer)
التصويرMaking and displaying images of living beings in the contexts addressed by the Prophetic narrations
Hadith
الحديث النبويإِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ
We were with Masruq at the house of Yasar bin Numair. Masruq saw pictures on his terrace and said, “I heard 'Abdullah saying that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying: The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers.”
إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِي أَوْ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ بَيْتًا مُزَوَّقًا
Safinah reported:
A man prepared food for Ali ibn Abi Talib, who was his guest. Fatimah suggested inviting the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. When the Prophet came and saw the figured curtain in the house, he turned back. Ali followed him and asked what caused him to return. The Prophet said, “It is not fitting for me, or for any Prophet, to enter a decorated house.”
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَصْنَعُونَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرَ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Those who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them: Make alive what you have created.”
لَا تَدْخُلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ كَلْبٌ وَلَا صُورَةُ تَمَاثِيلَ
Narrated Abu Talha:
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature.”
مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا كُلِّفَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
I heard Muhammad (ﷺ) saying, “Whoever makes a picture in this world will be asked to put life into it on the Day of Resurrection, but he will not be able to do so.”
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذَهَبَ يَخْلُقُ كَخَلْقِي فَلْيَخْلُقُوا ذَرَّةً أَوْ لِيَخْلُقُوا حَبَّةً أَوْ شَعِيرَةً
Narrated Abu Huraira:
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “Allah said: Who is more unjust than one who tries to create like My creation? Let them create an ant, or let them create a grain of wheat or barley.”
أَلَا أَبْعَثُكَ عَلَى مَا بَعَثَنِي عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ لَا تَدَعَ تِمْثَالًا إِلَّا طَمَسْتَهُ وَلَا قَبْرًا مُشْرِفًا إِلَّا سَوَّيْتَهُ
Abu'l-Hayyaj al-Asadi reported that Ali ibn Abi Talib said to him:
“Should I not send you on the same mission as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent me? Do not leave an image without obliterating it, or a high grave without levelling it.”
Another transmission with the same chain says: “Do not leave a picture without obliterating it.”
أَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَقَالَ لِي أَتَيْتُكَ الْبَارِحَةَ فَلَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي أَنْ أَكُونَ دَخَلْتُ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ كَانَ عَلَى الْبَابِ تَمَاثِيلُ وَكَانَ فِي الْبَيْتِ قِرَامُ سِتْرٍ فِيهِ تَمَاثِيلُ وَكَانَ فِي الْبَيْتِ كَلْبٌ فَمُرْ بِرَأْسِ التِّمْثَالِ الَّذِي فِي الْبَيْتِ يُقْطَعُ فَيَصِيرُ كَهَيْئَةِ الشَّجَرَةِ وَمُرْ بِالسِّتْرِ فَلْيُقْطَعْ فَلْيُجْعَلْ مِنْهُ وِسَادَتَيْنِ مَنْبُوذَتَيْنِ تُوطَآنِ وَمُرْ بِالْكَلْبِ فَلْيُخْرَجْ
Narrated Abu Hurayrah:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that Gabriel came to him and explained that he had been prevented from entering because there were images at the door, a curtain containing images inside the house, and a dog. Gabriel instructed that the head of the image be cut off so that it resembled a tree, that the curtain be cut into two cushions to be used and trodden upon, and that the dog be removed.