I just found a question about why drawing is prohibited in Islam and read 5 / 6 chest thumping answers quoting Allah, Prophet and Book that why it is. There were a couple of sane answers explaining what kind of drawings are prohibited and why. I put this question to those chest thumper, who parade their little knowledge about Islam in a manner as if they are third after the God and the Prophet. If every kind of drawing is prohibited, what about photography ? What about photographs of your family on Yahoo albums ? What about photos of Ka'ba sharif in Muslim homes ? In India and Pakistan Muharram is observed, what about those Tajias and Horses ? The problem is that same Islamic voices are drowned in the cacophony raised by these self-appointed spoke-persons whose knowledge of Islam - less said is better.
Muhammad, I remember you. You have given a very good response to one of my earlier question on Quran - I chose that as best answer. I am unable to understand what you are trying to say this time.
Aishah - you have discussed the question very well. However, I will keep the question open atleast for a day to provide a chance to those chest thumpers to respond to this question also.

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There are a few opinions on it, I'll try to tell you about them although I still don;t know where my heart rests with this opinion.

1. That all pictures are prohibited, no martter of who or what, drawn or photographed. I don;t believe there is enough proof to back this opinion, so I'll leave it at that.

2. There is a hadith that says some thing like the one who draws or sculpts anything with a soul (key word: soul) will be punished on the day of judgement as they were trying to create something, but Allah is the only Creator.

For this opinion, they say that the eyes are especially important to NOT be drawn. You will see some Muslim cartoons are pictures of people with the eyes shaded out or not drawn. Anyways, they say that drawing is one thing, so imagine what photography is -- it is holding that particular person in that moment in that form EXACTLY as they were forever. It is the 'continuation of drawing' i guess you could say, and is therefore unlawful. As well, people put these images on display and the other paart if this opinion is that is you are to display anything, you want people to marvel over it, which in many opinions should only be reserved for Allah. So, in this opinion -- people and animals -- don't draw or photograph unless ABSOULUTELY necessary, other inanimate things (nature, rocks, water, etc) its all good.

3. Some say that drawing is different from photography as photography is just capturing a reflection of light -- that is all. So they are not trying to create, just capturing light which is different from drawing, sculpting or creating.


One of the main reasons there is such an issue with drawing and sculptng is because worshipping anything in place of God in Islam is completely forbidden. In prophetic times, people would take prophets and make busts of them or draw them or whatever and they were worshipped after they died. It may have been that the statue may have been respected for a few generations after the prophets death, but eventually were often worshipped. This went not only for prophets, but many people who had a grand spiritual enlightenment (i.e.: Buddah -- he never said to worship him but now flock of people do)

Islam wanted to steer clear of this -- worship only Allah and do not take prophets as gods or as divine beings -- they are human like you and I. Thus the whole issue of the drawings of Prophet Muhammad.

So this, in combination with the narration of those who draw things with souls will be punished, people have formed their opinions.

Sorry this answer is barely legible. My mind is running away from me right now ..LOL

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It is no sin for you that you seek the bounty of your Lord.

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Is photography also banned in Islam ?
no,it isn`t
www.alazhar.org
www.daralifta.org

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They dont expose that as well and on that count you are right

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In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most merciful.
Islam is about reality, about security about peace about rights and limitations.Islam has not come to make it difficult on the people But rather it teaches humans to take a moderate path
based on the teachings of the Quran and the ways of the prophet Muhammad [pbuh ].Islam is a proactive Religion.It does not wait for the final act of disobedience to occur and then steps in to tackle problems when it becomes to late but Islam attacks crime and wrongdoing at the grassroots levels.
Drawing is a profession where people spend hours and
days months away from the reality of this world trying to
conjure or create images out of their imaginations and forget
that God almighty is the best of creators.So a person will have to put life into his creation on the day of judgment and
burn in the fire of hell as he will never be able to do so.
But drawing of existing nature , abstract images ,and so on
is permissible as long as it is within the permissible conditions of Islamic law.
Photography per say is not banned in islam.It is not a creation
But only a reflection of the already existing image.So we can
say that photographing nature, Industrial photography, Photographs as evidence , photographs for passports,driving
licenses and other official uses is permissible, So also the
Photgraphs of masjids and the kaba is permissible under
cetain conditions as long as people do not worship it or pray
to it.
Where phorography is banned is when it is used for wrong
purpose. like photographing women in compromising positions pronographic photography ,and anything that is not
allowed in Islam. what we have to seen here is not the restrictions but the wisdom behind these prohibitions.Islam
wants to protect us especially women from the perverts of this
world.Today you see that people can take your photograph
put it in the computer and play with it as they wish causing
great harm to society ,like breaking up homes, mlackmailing
women etc.so what islam is doing is warning the people of the negative effects of Photography on society .But permissible according to necessity.
As far as Muharram is concerned what you see being celeberated by a certain sect of Muslims with images etc is
not from the teachings of islam and is done in Ignorance.

We are adviced by the prophet muhammad [pbuh]not to keep a Dog at home, or have statues or Idols at home , nor to hang
photographes of Live or dead persond hanging on our walls,
as the Angels do not enter such homes and one would be
devoid of the good they bring with them to our homes.
And Allah Knows best.

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