The Ruling of Clothing With Images

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The Ruling of Clothing With Images Shaykh Musa Jibril ‫حفظه الله‬

Title: The Ruling of Wearing Clothing With Images of Animate Beings

Author: Shaykh Musa Abdullah Jibril ‫حفظه هللا‬ Self-publishing Publication date: Shawwal 1445AH / May 2024 CE Published by: Jaamiatu Jibril ash-Shaamilah Revised by: Shaykha Umm Musa ‫حفظها هللا‬ NO RIGHTS RESERVED. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is allowed. Any part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author/publisher. This is upon the condition that its content is not changed and/or edited, nor is there a charge for it, this book is free of charge - for the sake of Allah.

THE PROPHET, PEACE BE UPON HIM, SAID, “THE ANGELS DO NOT ENTER A HOUSE IN WHICH THERE IS A DOG, NOR AN IMAGE IN A LIKENESS.” ABU TALHAH SAID, “THE PROPHET MEANS BY LIKENESS AN IMAGE OF LIVING SOULS.” [BUKHAARI]

‫َع ْن َأِبي َطْلَح َة َع ْن الَّنِب ِّي َص َّلى الَّلُه َع َلْيِه َوَس َّلَم َقاَل َلا َتْد ُخ ُل اْلَم َلاِئ َكُة َبْيًتا‬ ‫ِف يِه َكْلٌب َو َلا ُص وَر ُة َتَم اِث يَل وقال أبو طلحة ُيِر يُد الَّتَم اِث يَل اَّلِت ي ِف يَه ا اْلَأْرَو اُح‬ [‫]صحيح البخاري‬

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Introduction In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Islam is a complete and holistic religion, providing comprehensive guidelines that span all domains of life, as decreed by Allah. The religion of God intricately details all aspects of human existence, including the principles of dressing modestly and appropriately. In this light, the act of dressing, when aligned with Islamic teachings, transcends beyond a mere daily routine, becoming a profound act of worship and obedience to Allah. However, the integration of Muslims into societies that do not share the same fundamental beliefs poses challenges. Often, as Muslims merge into these communities, remnants of their pre-Islamic practices, which do not align with the teachings of Islam, inadvertently seep into their lives. The demarcation between what is deemed permissible (Halal) and impermissible (Haram) in Islam is explicitly defined. Yet, the complexities of contemporary living introduce shades of grey that many find hard to navigate. This book endeavours to explore a specific area of ambiguity that many Muslims, particularly those living in Western cultures, grapple with. The issue of whether clothing adorned with representations of animate beings is acceptable within Islam and if the stipulations differ when considering attire for children.

The Wretched Image Maker Wearing clothing featuring images of animals or humans is prohibited, as the Prophet condemned those who create such images, warning of severe punishment on the Day of Judgment. Allah will command them to bring to life what they have created. Clothing depicting humans, animals, or any entities with heads is not permitted because these images are considered an imitation of Allah's creation, which is forbidden (Haram). The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “The most severely punished people on the Day of Resurrection would be the image-makers.” ─ Bukhaari & Muslim The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Every image-maker will be in the fire of Hell. A soul will be made for him for every image which he has made and it will punish him in the Hell-fire.” ─ Muslim The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “Those who make these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them, ‘Make alive what you have created.’” ─ Bukhaari & Muslim Those from among the Ummah, who are Muslims but sinners (and their sins have not reached the level of disbelief), face the severest punishment in the Hereafter are the image makers. Allah the Glorious and Exalted said, “Who is more a wrongdoer than one who tries to create creation like My creation. Let him create a small ant or a grain of wheat.” ─ Muslim

A'ishah - may Allah be pleased with her - the wife of the Prophet, and the mother of the believers, purchased a decorative item adorned with the image of a living being. Upon seeing this, the Prophet refused to enter the room, standing at the doorway instead. Noticing his discomfort, A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, realised something was amiss. She said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I ask Allah's forgiveness if I committed anything!’ The Prophet indicated towards the decoration, prompting A'ishah to explain that she intended to please him with it, so perhaps he could use it for his pleasure e.g., use it as a pillow or a decoration. The Prophet then explained that those who create images will endure severe punishment on the Day of Judgment, as Allah will command them to breathe life into what they have made. Furthermore, he mentioned that angels do not enter a home containing images. ─ Bukhaari A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated: Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, returned from a journey when I had placed a curtain of mine having images over the door of a chamber of mine. When Allah's Messenger saw it he tore it apart and said: “The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be those who try to make the like of Allah's creation.” ─ Bukhaari The Messenger, peace be upon him, stated: “Jibril came to me and said: ‘I came to you last night and was prevented from entering only because there were images of men at the door, and there was a decorated curtain in the house with images on it, and there was a dog inside the house. So order the head on the image to be removed so that it resembles the form of a tree—order the curtain to be cut up and made into two cushions spread out on which people may sit and order the dog to be turned out.’” The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did that. The dog was a puppy belonging to al-Hasan or al-Husayn and was under their bench, so he ordered it to be turned out. ─ al-Tirmidhi & Aboo Dawood He gave him a choice, either chop off the head to prevent it from resembling the living creation of Allah or make it like a rug on the floor because you step on it and humiliate it, but not to hang it.

A Warning to the Image Maker Imam adh-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him in his book ‘al-Kabaa'ir (The Major Sins)’ included the placing of images of living things on clothing, walls, etc. Sa'eed bin Abil-Hasan said: “While I was with Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, a man came and said, ‘O Aboo Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures.’ Ibn Abbas said, ‘I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him. I heard him saying: Whoever makes an image will be punished by Allah till he puts a soul (life) into it, and he will never be able to put a soul in it.’ Upon hearing this, the man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. So, Ibn Abbas advised him, ‘Woe to you! If you insist on making pictures, I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other object that does not have a soul.’ ” ─ Bukhaari & Muslim Aboo Zur'ah said: “l entered a house in Madinah with Aboo Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, and he saw a man making pictures [of living creature] at the top of the house. Aboo Hurairah said: ‘I heard Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, saying that Allah said, Who would be more unjust than the one who tries to create the like of My creatures? Let them create a grain, let them create a corn or a gnat.’ ” ─ Bukhaari & Muslim The Prophet, peace be upon him, invoked Allah's curse on the makers of images. ─ Bukhaari

Aboo Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said, “Some of the Fire will come out in the form of a neck on the Day of Judgment. It will have two eyes which can see, two ears which can hear, and a tongue which can speak. It will say: ‘I have been left in charge of three: Every obstinate tyrant, everyone who called upon a god besides Allah, and the makers of images [of living things].’ ” ─ al-Tirmidhi

Rule: Clothing With Animate Beings Is Prohibited The scholars agree that clothing with animate beings is prohibited, whether creating it, wearing it or promoting it, for both adults and children. Regardless of the size of the animate being or whether it is a mere outline. If its resemblance is to that of an animate being, it is prohibited. On the contrary, our religion requires us to deface and destroy such items. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Do not leave any image, but [instead] efface it.” ─ Muslim As for clothing that has animate beings on it but the head has been removed or decapitated, it is permissible to wear. So long as the head is removed, and there is no attempt to make it appear like Allah's living creation it is permissible.

Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said, “The image is the head, so if the head is removed, it is no longer an image.” ─ al-Bayhaqi

What some people do today is draw animate beings with the head in place but without facial features (e.g., eyes, mouth etc.,). This is impermissible as you are still resembling the creation of Allah. The head needs to completely be removed and the resemblance to Allah's creation should not be there. In addition, logos with outlines are also not permissible (Haram) for the same reason.

The Angels Do Not Enter a House With Images Aboo Talhah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog, nor an image in a likeness.” Aboo Talhah said, “The Prophet means by likeness an image of living souls.” ─ Bukhaari & Muslim Zaid ibn Khalid al-Juhayni narrated: The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “The angels do not enter into a house where there are pictures or a dog.” In another hadith, it mentions pictures alone. ─ Bukhaari A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “Jibril ‫ ﷺ‬made a promise with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to come at a definite hour; that hour came but he did not visit him. There was a staff in the hand of the Messenger of Allah. He threw it from his hand and said, ‘Never does Allah back out of His Promise, nor do His Messengers.’ Then he noticed a puppy under his bed and said, ‘O A'ishah, when did this dog enter?’ She said: ‘By Allah, I don't know.’ He then commanded that it should be turned out. No sooner than had they expelled it, Jibril came and the Messenger of Allah said to him, ‘You promised to visit me. I waited for you but you did not come.’ Whereupon he said: ‘The dog kept me from coming. We do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.’ ” ─ Muslim

Imitating the Clothes of the Disbelievers Wearing clothing that is a slogan for the disbelievers, endorsing the beliefs or symbols of non-Muslims is strictly forbidden (Haram). This includes any attire that serves as a form of allegiance or promotion of concepts contrary to Islamic teachings, such as disbelief (Kufr). Specifically, clothes displaying national flags or endorsing political systems like democracy, secularism, kingdoms, or monarchies are not permissible. Moreover, garments featuring other religious symbols, religious phrases and/or attire specific to other religions are Haram. Such clothing, along with items decorated with animate images or gold (for men), especially, for example, those resembling a cross or the star of David, is strictly forbidden. The Prophet, peace be upon him, would conceal or remove crosses whenever encountered, emphasising the importance of not adopting the practices of non-Muslims (Kuffar) and maintaining our Walaa and Baraa (loyalty towards Allah and disavowal to anything other than Allah and His religion, Islam). This prohibition extends to all times, whether during prayer or in general daily life, as wearing these symbols is viewed as promoting religions other than Islam. Certainly, Allah's religion is only one. Indeed the religion of Allah is only Islam. All Prophets delivered a unified message to worship Allah and worship Him alone, and avoid false Deities. We do not distinguish between any of them in their message. They all advocated for pure and uncorrupted Monotheism. A'ishah narrated that in case by mistake there was something in the house with a cross on it, the Prophet, peace be upon him, would never leave anything in his house on which there were any crosses without erasing them or – according to another report – cutting them out. Even though the Hadith specifically mentions the cross, it is not limited to it. It encompasses all symbols or phrases of other religions. ─ Bukhaari

Aboo al-Hayaaj narrated: “Ali' ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said to me: ‘Shall I not send you on the same mission that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sent me? Do not leave any image without blotting it out and do not leave any built-up grave without levelling it.’ ” ─ Muslim As for any other clothes besides that (e.g., that which is an imitation of the disbelievers and clothing with animate beings on it), it is permissible to wear.

Clothing with Islamic Phrases I cannot explicitly say that it is Haram because there is nothing that explicitly states that. However, what is forbidden is dishonouring and disrespecting verses of the Quran or the name of Allah. Therefore, if there is any fear of disrespect, dishonour or humiliation it becomes prohibited to wear it. The one who wears such items of clothing should fear Allah, they have placed upon themselves an extra burden. Precaution needs to be taken by themselves to ensure they do not enter with such clothing into places of Haram and/or filth, like bathrooms. In addition to giving utmost respect to the word and/or name of Allah. There should also be no superstitions attached to such items of clothing, as this is Haram. For example, wearing an item of clothing that has ‘MashaaAllah’ written on it intending to be protected from the evil eye is baseless and has no foundation in the religion. There are prescribed Shari' ways of protecting oneself from the evil eye. The correct issue of the matter is that such items of clothing should be avoided to prevent them from being disrespected as they contain the name/word of the Almighty High, Allah. These words are for uttering and reciting, to gain reward and grow in Godconsciousness, not to be worn. We do not find the best of generations indulged in this custom, what was sufficient for them to gain closeness to Allah and increase in piety, is sufficient for us.

Conclusion In conclusion, by default, the ruling concerning image making (of animate beings) is that it is impermissible (Haram). Thereby, anything to do with it is also by default impermissible (Haram). The authentic ahadith are plenty to show that this prohibition applies to statues, figures, images drawn on paper, cloth, walls, etc., whether it is made, sold, displayed, or commissioned, whether made out of wood or stone, whether for decorating the home, or on a rug, or in a car, or on billboards and adverts ― all of this is competing with the creation of Allah. We see from the Hadith narrated by A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, although one should avoid it all in all, it is only possible in a case where the image will not be treated with respect, for example, the images you find on nappies. In this case, the one who created it will be punished for his creation of (animate) images, not the one who wears it (in this case, the person who puts it on the child). The one who makes images has indeed earned himself the curse of Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him. Imagery is a pathway to fitnah (tribulations), and a path to polytheism in many cases. Therefore, it is punished with the gravest punishment for a sinner. The sin encompasses the one who makes the image, the one who has it made for him and the one who helps it to be made because they have all cooperated in the sin. Included in the punishment are those who encourage it, promote it, publicise it and engage in it. Allah has forbidden it in His saying: “...but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment.”

‫َو َلا َتَع اَو ُنو۟ا َع َلى ٱْلِإ ْثِم َو ٱْلُع ْد َٰو ِنۚ َو ٱَّتُقو۟ا ٱلَّلَه ۖ ِإ َّن ٱلَّلَه َش ِد يُد ٱْلِع َقاِب‬ ─ Surat al-Ma'idah: 2 As for children, the ruling is the same. It is impermissible to dress them in clothing that has animate beings on it, because when one wears clothing it is a sign of respect, honour, and a form of acceptance, therefore, prohibited to wear. In the case where it cannot be avoided due to being the only available option for a person, the image that depicts living creatures must be eliminated from clothing or any other items. The removal can be accomplished by blotting them out. The crucial step is to obliterate the face, either by blotting it out or sewing a piece of cloth over the face.

Images depicting living creatures must be

eliminated from clothing or any other items. The removal can be accomplished by blotting them

out. The crucial step is to obliterate the face, either by blotting it out or sewing a piece of cloth over it so that the face is obliterated. Shaykh Musa Jibril ‫حفظه الله‬