Why is it forbidden to draw pictures of Mohammed(PBUH)?

**Raaina** · 01-02-2010

As the title says:

Why is it forbidden to draw pictures of Mohammed (PBUH) when he has already pictured in earlier Islamic Art?

**ardianto** · 01-02-2010

I am not Ulama. Of course I cannot answer a question in the thread title. I just want to say, I am living in Indonesia, a country where Ulama have made an "ijtihad", drawing picture of life being is allowed in certain necessities. However, drawing or even publishing picture of Rasulallah (saw), pictures of prophets, pictures of sahaba is strictly prohibited. In my place if someone published picture of Rasulallah (saw), this someone will go to jail.

**Ramadhan** · 01-02-2010

It is part of human nature to glorify people who they hold in high honor.
The problem is, that kind of veneration can grow over time after the death of that person to the level where adoration turn into worship for the pious person when likeness such as images and statues of that persons are created.
And thus create partners for Allah SWT.

It is established that the idols of the people of Mecca during the time when the prophet Muhammad SAW pbuh such as latta was actually pious person who had died, and to remember him, statues of created. Over time people did not really remember who he was, and instead treating him as a god among many idols placed in and around kaaba.

It is also highly probable that persons such as Buddha and hindu or chinese gods/goddesses (such as Kwan Im goddess) were pious prophets who taught their people to worship Allah SWT but when they died, their people started to create, built and drew their likenesses to remember and venerate them, but over centuries when knowledge of their true teachings were lost, their followers started to worship them instead.

The same goes with christianity. In early centuries, in order to make greeks/latin to follow the teachings of Jesus pbuh, they were encouraged to create likenesses of Jesus pbuh, and over the next three centuries, the teaching that Jesus pbuh is part of God became mainstream and finally officiated by Niceae council.
But christians did not stop with Jesus pbuh, they built and built and built likenesses of Maryam and the "saints" who they venerated and that's how you get current situation within christianity where actual worship of God is almost non existant, instead replaced by all kind of rituals that glorify humans.

The fact that Islam strictly prohibits likeness of prophet Muhammad SAW as well as all prophets and the shahaba is another proof that Islam is the true religion.

**★ηαѕιнα★** · 01-02-2010

It's also because when u draw the eyes it looks like ur giving the picture a soul. That means ur a creating something. But Allah swt is the biggest Creator and no man can do that. Thought this also was a reason, butt dunno for sure, am kinda new here

Salaam

**★ηαѕιнα★** · 01-02-2010

I ment "but" sorry..

**lifeguard** · 01-07-2010

According to my understanding and some reading that I have done..though i'm still just a student and still learning about Islam everyday...

I feel that Prophet Muhammad (saw) told us not to draw images because he did not want us..with the passage of time...to start worshipping those images and worshiping him instead of Allah (swt).

As he had seen the people of his time before he became a prophet..worship idols and stones and images etc etc..he did not want a recurrence as humans have the tendency to err..

Also he was a prophet and was constantly communicating with Allah (swt) through angel Gabriel (as)...Allah (swt) must have told him to warn man against it....

only Allah knows best...

**MSalman** · 01-07-2010

as-salamu alaykum

because drawing pictures of animate beings are haraam. For more please refer to The reason why there is no picture of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

and Allah knows best

**Raaina** · 01-07-2010

Originally Posted by islamiclife

as-salamu alaykum

because drawing pictures of animate beings are haraam. For more please refer to The reason why there is no picture of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

and Allah knows best

But there are pictures of him in early Islamic art. So when was it decided that there couldn't be pictures of him anymore?

**MSalman** · 01-07-2010

^sister, you are asking about Islamic ruling and not what certain Muslims did. What they did doesn't prove that it was allowed when the Shari'ah is clear on this subject. I don't know when this practice was banned in Islamic history.

**cat eyes** · 01-07-2010

its not allowed because once people start painting pictures of our prophet (saw) people will start to worship it

**Ramadhan** · 01-08-2010

Originally Posted by mystical_moon

But there are pictures of him in early Islamic art. So when was it decided that there couldn't be pictures of him anymore?

We don't know who drew those pictures and why. The fact that there are not many of those drawings signify that the drawings must not have been approved or condoned.
I am sure there are also people even these days who are drawing the pictures of prophet Muhammad SAW, but the ruling on the ban of creating likeness of prophet SAW is very clear and strong.

Can you imagine what happen if it was allowed to draw his pictures?
Majority of muslims would fall into shirk, no doubt.
it is only in human nature to revere people we respect and love, but this easily can go overboard.

I give you a case: recently, Abdurrahaman Wahid (better known as Gus Dur),the head of world's largest muslim organization Nahdatul Ulama, died in Indonesia. As soon as he died so many people started to collect his pictures, proposing him as a national hero etc, basically people trying to make him as greater than he was, which is only a man.
Many uneducated and poor people have been on "pilgrimage" to visit his graves just to collect the dirt from his cemetary which they consider as being "kramat" or contains magical properties.
Astaghfirullah.

Just look at what happened at christianity.
Early christians converts were allowed to make drawings and built statues of jesus pbuh along with his mother and other apostles.
2,000 years later, they are what most christians pray to, not God the eternal and the absolut.

**malayloveislam** · 01-11-2010

The same thing happened to Siddarth Gauthama Buddha or might be Krishna... Siddartha never taught about making a statue of himself, but people still making his statue in postures according to their marga of Buddhism later after his death... and later on, many statues of Potiseth (Boddhisatvas) whom were actually devout monks being made and public kneeling in front of them although they said they are not worshiping the statue.

**Zico** · 01-18-2010

Originally Posted by mystical_moon

As the title says:

Why is it forbidden to draw pictures of Mohammed (PBUH) when he has already pictured in earlier Islamic Art?

Name of Questioner

Usamah - Lithuania

Title

Fatwa on Photography

Question

Is photography allowed in Islam? Bearing in mind that it is not the same as painting or recreating a being, it's rather a capture of image through light and lens.

Date

16/Sep/2003

Name of Counsellor

Ahmad Kutty

Topic

Drawing & Photography

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, we would like to thank you for showing keenness on knowing the teachings of Islam, and we appreciate the great confidence you have in us. We hope our efforts meet your expectations, yet we apologize for the late reply.

With regard to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, answers:

"Photography as a medium of communication or for the simple, innocent retention of memories without the taint of reverence/shirk does not fall under the category of forbidden Tasweer.

One finds a number of traditions from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, condemning people who make Tasweer, which denotes painting or carving images or statues. It was closely associated with paganism or shirk. People were in the habit of carving images and statues for the sake of worship. Islam, therefore, declared Tasweer forbidden because of its close association with shirk (association of partners with Allah). One of the stated principles of usul-u-Fiqh (Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence) is that if anything directly leads to haram, it is likewise haram. In other words, Tasweer was forbidden precisely for the reason that it was a means leading to shirk.

The function of photography today does not fall under the above category. Even some of the scholars who had been once vehemently opposed to photography under the pretext that it was a form of forbidden Tasweer have later changed their position on it - as they allow even for their own pictures to be taken and published in newspapers, for videotaping lectures and for presentations; whereas in the past, they would only allow it in exceptional cases such as passports, drivers’ licenses, etc. The change in their view of photography is based on their assessment of the role of photography.

Having said this, one must add a word of caution: To take pictures of leaders and heroes and hang them on the walls may not belong to the same category of permission. This may give rise to a feeling of reverence and hero worship, which was precisely the main thrust of the prohibition of Tasweer. Therefore, one cannot make an unqualified statement to the effect that all photography is halal. It all depends on the use and function of it. If it is for educational purpose and has not been tainted with the motive of reverence and hero worship, there is nothing in the sources to prohibit it."

Do keep in touch. If you have any other question, don't hesitate to contact us.

Allah Almighty knows best.

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