Hanging Paintings and Pictures in the House
Question:
I am an ardent fan of art and I love to paint and buy paintings. specially horses. I've read quite a few times that hanging paintings and photographs of living beings is prohibited in Islam. My mind can not just accept this when the intention behind it, is purely a contrast. In fact when you paint and put up the paintings that is also a way to appreciate Allah's creation. In fact art draws be closer towards Allah swt, even music for that matter. Can you please guide me and share with me the logic behind it. Thank you very much. Wassalam Mahwush.
Answer:
As a general principle, other than what is clearly prohibited in the Qur’an, nothing else can be called impermissible unless it is used for something that is prohibited in the Qur’an.
On the basis of the above, no game, no movie, no painting, no music, etc. can be called Haram per se.
However if I use a game for gambling, if I watch indecent scenes in a movie, if I paint something to worship it, if I play a music that encourages evil behaviour then all these will become impermissible.
In other words, these are all tools and by themselves cannot be called impermissible. They will become impermissible if they are used for an impermissible cause. A knife is a knife, it can be used to help with cooking and it can be used to kill an innocent person with it. To say “is a knife legal” is missing the point. Using knife for cooking is legal while using it for killing is illegal.
You need to appreciate that the Prophet (pbuh) was sent to a nation who were deeply involved in Shirk (polytheism). These were people who would use anything to commit Shirk, including paintings. Besides, the paintings could be used to illustrate indecent sexual acts.
When the messenger of God (pbuh) is sent to such society, it is only obvious that he would root out any attempts and any symbols of Shirk (and indecency). This was the reason that the Prophet (pbuh) and some companions like Ibn Abbas prohibited painting. In that era due to the campaign to remove Shirk completely, no painting was tolerated even if it was simply made for the sake of art and beauty.
At our time as you mentioned, painting is normally used as an art. I am not aware of any civilized society who would use painting to commit Shirk.
Accordingly, in our time, as long as the painting is not illustrating indecent pictures (nudity, sexual relationship, etc.) I do not see any problems with it.
Expressing artistic works in my view is one of the most powerful and beautiful illustrations of the love of a human being for the ultimate truth, no matter if this is appreciated by the artist or not.
May God be satisfied with the family of the Prophet (pbuh) and his pious companions.
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February 2013
I am an ardent fan of art and I love to paint and buy paintings. specially horses. I've read quite a few times that hanging paintings and photographs of living beings is prohibited in Islam. My mind can not just accept this when the intention behind it, is purely a contrast. In fact when you paint and put up the paintings that is also a way to appreciate Allah's creation. In fact art draws be closer towards Allah swt, even music for that matter. Can you please guide me and share with me the logic behind it. Thank you very much. Wassalam Mahwush.
Answer:
As a general principle, other than what is clearly prohibited in the Qur’an, nothing else can be called impermissible unless it is used for something that is prohibited in the Qur’an.
On the basis of the above, no game, no movie, no painting, no music, etc. can be called Haram per se.
However if I use a game for gambling, if I watch indecent scenes in a movie, if I paint something to worship it, if I play a music that encourages evil behaviour then all these will become impermissible.
In other words, these are all tools and by themselves cannot be called impermissible. They will become impermissible if they are used for an impermissible cause. A knife is a knife, it can be used to help with cooking and it can be used to kill an innocent person with it. To say “is a knife legal” is missing the point. Using knife for cooking is legal while using it for killing is illegal.
You need to appreciate that the Prophet (pbuh) was sent to a nation who were deeply involved in Shirk (polytheism). These were people who would use anything to commit Shirk, including paintings. Besides, the paintings could be used to illustrate indecent sexual acts.
When the messenger of God (pbuh) is sent to such society, it is only obvious that he would root out any attempts and any symbols of Shirk (and indecency). This was the reason that the Prophet (pbuh) and some companions like Ibn Abbas prohibited painting. In that era due to the campaign to remove Shirk completely, no painting was tolerated even if it was simply made for the sake of art and beauty.
At our time as you mentioned, painting is normally used as an art. I am not aware of any civilized society who would use painting to commit Shirk.
Accordingly, in our time, as long as the painting is not illustrating indecent pictures (nudity, sexual relationship, etc.) I do not see any problems with it.
Expressing artistic works in my view is one of the most powerful and beautiful illustrations of the love of a human being for the ultimate truth, no matter if this is appreciated by the artist or not.
May God be satisfied with the family of the Prophet (pbuh) and his pious companions.
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February 2013