Creating images and sketches without the intention of worshipping
Dear Brother & Sisters,
I found out your website 4 months ago and it's really amazing you people are doing a wonderful job. As we all know about the hadith that image makers will be severely punished on the Day of Judgement. I make sketches of people and drawings of comic book characters (male ones). But when I came across this hadith I fell into a terrible debate with myself.
My question is that Muslim artists also make pictures but they are not used for worshipping, what does the hadith say about that? And of course I make sketches only for fun and as a good activity for time spending and never for worshipping or anything like that. Please my good brothers and sisters help me out here I am really really confused.
Gratitude for the help...
Hamas16
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You can draw, just don't make the faces complete.
Look into nouman ali khan and his tafseer video, he draws people with coma eyes and arabic letters ...but not complete faces. I will try to find the video.
http://youtu.be/meqLFR5WDFE.
Salam alaikum,
It does not explicitly explain in hadith why we cannot sketch, but it is implied that we might be tempted to worship either the sketch OR WORSHIP OURSELVES FOR SUCH GREAT SKILL WE HAVE. It is very hard to catch ourselves in the act of worshiping ourselves, therefore it is very nearly impossible to stop ourselves. So the best answer is just to stay away from all doubt and not to create images. InshAllah now you can see the wisdom behind our beloved prophet Muhammad's words.
Salam,
Shereen
Shereen:
It does not explicitly explain in hadith why we cannot sketch, but it is implied that we might be tempted to worship either the sketch OR WORSHIP OURSELVES FOR SUCH GREAT SKILL WE HAVE.
Do you think people will be more likely to worship actors in movies? What about photos taken with cameras. Is movie making or taking pictures a sin? Will these people also asked to create real human beings?
Dear brother
There are a lot of authentic hadith against image makers. But we do not know the exact background of what kind of image makers are not allowed.
As the people of Makkah at the time of these Ahadiths use image of animate beings solely for the purpose of idol worship and decorating religious shrines with them. Hindus use solid images to remember their great people and they still do.
There is a strong possibility that Prophet(Peace be upon him) referred to such kind of image makers and the very presence of image of an animate being in his house reminded him of the decoration of Kaaba with images and paintings that leads him to remove and disallow this painting in his own house.
The real question is that can we generalize his spontaneous dislike for images and painting of animate being at his time to ours can only be answered by contacting a Muslim religious Scholar. We can only speculate here.
Here is another reference
Narrated `Aisha:
I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6130
In-book reference : Book 78, Hadith 157
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 73, Hadith 151
This reference demonstrates the possibility that images and solid objects can be used for the fun and play matter if not for decorating.
My theory is that when an artist puts a lot of effort in image creation of a real person and will definitely feel that he has make an exact copy of that person created by Allah. This leads to one feel being proud and that feel equivalent to creator. Now such kind of feeling is definitely sin.
A muslim artist should not let the feeling of being equivalent to creator crept in yourself but rather redirect that feeling to feel better than some local artist and accepting that your picture can never become an exact replica of exact thing created by Allah but always be inferior to that and this is a scientific fact that a computer generated image or photo of a person will always miss something crucial present in actual face.
Hey, can anyone please tell me that can we draw animated characters like Manga or disney characters ?
Brother,
On the day of judgement Allah will ask the person who makes the sketch of a living being or a human to bring it to life.
So keep away from drawing living things. You may draw sceneries, trees , plants etc.
Better be on the safer side.
Dear Brother
You may have read the reference of playing with dolls too. Will the doll maker be asked to do that too?
The key element is that artist or doll maker should say/intend this in his mind that he is not competing with the nature or Allah while making a sketch of a living being. He is doing for competing with some local artist. It is the intention that is important.
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him), reported:
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The deeds are considered by the intentions, and a person will get the reward according to his intention.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Arabic/English book reference : Book 1, Hadith 1
I hope that i am clearing up matters here.
Regarding some questions that have been asked here:
1. It is haram to draw, paint or sculpt people and animals. This is well known in Shari'ah. Some people say, "I would not worship it." But Shari'ah is not only for you. It is for all people at all times, and the fact is that idol worship has always been tied to the creation of figures or statues. Go into a Christian church and what do you see? The image of Isa (as) on a cross, astaghfirullah. The Hindus have their many idols, the Buddhists have their Buddha statues, etc.
By prohibiting the creation of images, Allah has cut off the path that leads to idol worship.
My point is that it's not necessarily about what you personally would do, or your intentions. Islam takes strong action in this area to shut down the path to idol worship before it gets near. By the way, the creation of images was prohibited in the Old Testament as well. It is the second commandment, I believe.
2. Dolls and toys are an exception. Aisha (RA) used to play with dolls. The scholars say that such things have no risk of being revered, because they are simply playthings for children.
3. For the same reason, the scholars have allowed cartoons, comic books, etc. They are not images to be admired and revered, but merely tools for children, whether for entertainment or education.
4. The majority of the scholars say that photography and film are permissible (assuming the subject matter is not illicit, of course) because these are not acts of creating images. These processes merely capture light and chemically or digitally transfer it to another medium.
If the photo is treated as an object of veneration or worship, however, then that is haram of course. As a martial arts practitioner I have seen many schools that display a photo of the founder on the wall, and students are expected to bow or even prostrate to the photo before and after class. Such things are haram.
Wael
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Dear Wael
You missed a very crucial point here. Intention is very important here.
An image, sketch or a sculpture is the human way of expressing of an actual event or his feelings to outside world.
The artists will be asked to breath life into their images(Whether a doll, cartoon or even a sculpture) in after-life because in real life on earth an artist, very devoted to drawing, may believe that he is not just actually sketching the image but actually creating a real person. I am not a painter or sketcher(always poor in drawings) but you may inquire this from a non muslim artist. I believe it is the devotion related to their work rather than the image that is dangerous and will be questioned in hereafter.
I repeat something very important from my previous comment that you must have missed it.
A muslim artist should not let the feeling of being equivalent to creator crept in himself but rather redirect that feeling to feel better than some local artist and accepting that his picture(cartoon, animation, film or even sculpture) can never become an exact replica of exact thing created by Allah but always be inferior to that and this is a scientific fact that a computer generated image or photo of a person will always miss something crucial present in actual face.
Sketching images, cartoons and sculptures of heroes for remembrance will definitely lead to idolatry. But that can be easily outlawed in a Muslim society. We can always train our next generation artists not to think of their artistic products as equivalent to Allah creation. Same is the case for creating new form of life by genetic engineering. It is also an act of becoming God.
Dear Brother
I cite my own example here. This year i just finished a research project with my student simulating solar system on a laptop.
I was in a trance am i creating a part of universe . But my rational mind took over and explained it to me i cannot make or even think of making a detailed simulation of the solar system as it should involve detailed features of dust, asteroids including the structure of earth, that is impossible on even a super computer and requires a detailed collaboration of entire universities. And these are just pixels on computer not an actual world.
Scientists are working on simulating universe on super computers. All of them go through the experience as i am. Use the link below to find out more.
"http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/computationalstructureformation"
Animate sketching was confined to house in medieval times. A man with the urge to create animate beings hides his painting due to fear of the law. It is developing now openly in Muslim countries now and cannot be stopped by any fatwa or interpretation of hadith. This is like dealing with a flood. It cannot be stopped but can be redirected properly by properly understanding the Hadith and its relation to God like feelings of an artist.
If muslim artists make distorted human figures due to the fear of Allah to make them imperfect. then why not make a normal human figure and fight that God like feeling(Trance) instead along with the proper realization that these are just marks on paper not an actual person.
So my advice is to do justice with your skill. Make a perfect sketch of person but once it is finished, come out of the trance immediately of creating an actual person. If you cannot fight that feeling then even introducing a new comic character is not correct in my opinion. Just do not get much absorbed in your work.
I have no idea what you're talking about feelix. But you are plainly advising someone to do something that is haram and in fact is a serious sin in Islam. I am putting you on moderated status from now on.
Wael
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Dear Wael
I am talking about the idea may be an artist considers himself as God after creating a sketch of human figure and gets absorbed in it that is why it is prohibited in Islam. So as long as the artist does not get seriously absorbed in his work, this feeling will not arise. But i believe that idea should be considered by scholars.
I sincerely apologize my brother here to give a controversial advice so early and impatiently and in rush before having much discussion or research.
Dear Wael
I believe that i can help you understand my point now using your own comments
"Dolls and toys are an exception. Aisha (RA) used to play with dolls. The scholars say that such things have no risk of being revered, because they are simply playthings for children."
My point was
Okay the artist can make doll and toys with what-ever way he may like but he must not get so much devoted/absorbed in his work that he feels while doll making that he is breathing life into it and has become God.
3. For the same reason, the scholars have allowed cartoons, comic books, etc. They are not images to be admired and revered, but merely tools for children, whether for entertainment or education.
My point was(It needs your advice)
Okay the artists of cartoon and comic book create whatever character with what-ever way he may like but he must not get so much devoted/absorbed in his work and considered created characters merely a product of their imagination and do not get too much attached to their created characters and forgot them as just routine work. If they gets emotionally attached they may think themselves as God.
4. The majority of the scholars say that photography and film are permissible (assuming the subject matter is not illicit, of course) because these are not acts of creating images. These processes merely capture light and chemically or digitally transfer it to another medium.
Now my point was that since photo can be used as well for idol worship just like sketch of a person by hand. So banning sketch is not successful in cutting off the path of idolatry.
In science we study nature created by Allah, while in literature people use their imagination to create imaginary worlds or people as reflected in "Story writing" and "Figure sketch" along with sculpture.
This small post cannot solve or explain all the problems. But i believe that a joint effort of Scholars from both "Science/Literature" and "Shariah" can solve the real issues in a very long debate and that is not to Imagine oneself as God(Literature) and Act like God(Science)..
Creating distorted figures is not the solution of problem but is in my opinion running away from the real problem stated above.
Dear Wael, I am sorry for my hasty conclusions and advises but topics like sketching, dancing and music can only create disputes in this forum as none of us all are religious scholars and the Muslim Ummah holds conflicting views on these issues. We should focus only on helping people move on with their lives and get rid of guilt as we are getting successful in it.
Asalam-o-Alykum all brothers and sisters.
Regarding this topic, I am really confused. Sketching is my hobby. It is one of the things I like to do, besides the sketching equipment is so cheap that It makes easy for me to carry on my hobby. I spend all my day indoors and have no other opportunity of expressing myself or get indulged in any other thing I like such as sports or visit any place outside. Sketching makes me forget about worries and boring routine sometimes.
I cannot draw new faces except what is already there and my drawing is not professional at all.
Recently, a friend of mine shared a Hadith with me which refers to the punishment of putting your soul in your drawings on the day of Judgement.
I make every sketch with some feelings like making them and giving them as less expensive gifts and a memory for myself. I made one of myself just to admire the happiness and smile in that picture which I cannot have any longer. My sketches always reflect memories and beauty.
I am surprised because I cannot draw or reproduce even a dust particle of what Allah Has created. I sometimes think that being an incapable artist I can admire the creativity of Allah much better than common people, the colors and shades, fresh and green, colorful birds and fishes. Allah's creativity never cease to amaze me from a leaf to sky, autumn, winter, spring with their beautiful colors.
By saying all this, I am certainly not saying that I do not agree or doubt the Hadith, but I wish someone can explain it with more detail.
I am not good at sketching at all like many other professionals though my freinds compliments me on my skill but It makes me sad a little now after reading all this. I do not know what to do.
You can sketch other things like nature scenes (mountains, trees, flowers, skies, lakes, ocean, etc), you can do abstract paintings, or you can do Islamic designs. But in Islam it's prohibited to make artistic renderings of people and animals.
Wael
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Dear Sister
As explained in discussion in above posts, the main purpose of human artist is to create something so that other admires him. It appears that Islam has reserved that admiration (in case of human figure) especially for Allah. That is why in Islam one does not even admire a Prophet, Saint, king, queen or knight equal or more than Allah. An Artist is no exception to this rule.
There is another purpose of artist is to draw, sketch or build figure for illustrative purposes like (story telling, education, learning and toy-making). Toy-making is already allowed in Islam as discussed above.
Drawing figures to inspire children and people to undertake a useful task is another path to express one's artistic creativity. I look forward to the opinions of senior people of this forum to throw light on the validity of figure sketching in illustrative art in the light of Islamic teachings.
the prophet PBUH wasn't alive in the the time modern paper and pencils were invented , although paint brushes were , it would be hard to make the kinds of drawings we can make now.
this means that in the hadith the prophet PBUH wasnt talking about traditional artists or digital artists , he was talking about sculpture makers . and even then , statues were used for worship meaning as long as you have the intent to do something good that means its good. on top of that this is a hadith not the quran meaning there is a small chance the prophet didnt say this and that it was made up (but its only a small chance)
people mistake statue making for pencil art which simply are 2 different things which are in the same group ( like an english school and a pakistani school)
however if you make something that you intend to be worshipped then that is wrong, what happens after your death is out of control
shahkar, you are making excuses and trying to justify something that is haram. Art of all kinds existed in the time of the Prophet (sws). For example, one time Aishah (RA) bought a curtain that had pictures of animals, and hung it in the house. The Prophet ordered her to remove it, as he said that angels do not enter a house that has such images.
It doesn't matter whether you intend for it to be worshiped or not. Islam prohibits the creation of such images from the start, in order to cut off all avenues leading to idolatry. In fact, the first idolatry in the world came about when some people long ago made statues of three righteous men, in order to honor them and remember their good deeds. After some generations the people forgot who those men were. Shaytan came to them and said, "You should pray to them, as it is by them that the rain comes." The makers of those statues did not intend for that to happen. But my creating the statues, they opened the door.
The religion doesn't go according to your desires. When you learn that something is haram, even if it is difficult for you, stop doing it. Allah will bless you and reward you in other ways.
Wael
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
But if drawing animate beings is haram then what about the toys and cartoons, mug shots etc being permissable is possible? One can not draw and make these things without practice. Without cartoons and characters children cannot learn and read without pictures in books, what about science and technology? There is. Strong need for drawing of anatomy organs etc to understand it. If we simply say that drawing humans and animals is prohibited, then the world would not be able to run without such a big factor if everyone stops drawing. I am having these questions and I cannot bring myself to simply quit drawing entirely without being answered since I do not know what Allah actually wants in this matter, it is only one hadith that says something regarding it and another contradicts it. I have however halted my drawing until I find answers but I cannot get myself to believe that Islam would tell us to quit something which would lead to economic doom. Worshipping can be done with money as well as many other things so saying that drawing makes this possibility doesn't entirely make sense. Anything used in the wrong way can be wrong.