Riyad as-Salihin - On the prohibition against depicting living creatures on rugs, stones, clothes, dirhams, cushions, dinars, pillows, etc. The prohibition against putting images on walls, curtains, turbans, clothes, etc. The command to efface images Hadith

 

Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous)

 

by Imam Nawawi

 

305. Chapter: On the prohibition against depicting living creatures on rugs, stones, clothes, dirhams, cushions, dinars, pillows, etc. The prohibition against putting images on walls, curtains, turbans, clothes, etc. The command to efface images

1678. Ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Those who make images will be punished on the Day of Rising. They will be told, 'Bring to life what you have created.'" [Agreed upon]

1679. 'A'isha said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came from a journey and I had screened off a shelf of mine with a curtain which had some figures on it. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw it, he ripped it down and his face changed colour. He said, ''A'isha, the people with the worst punishment with Allah on the Day of Rising will be those who make things like Allah's creation.'" She said, "So we cut it up and made one or two cushions from it." [Agreed upon]

1680. Ibn 'Abbas said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Everyone who makes images will have a soul appointed for him in the Fire for every image he made and it will punish him in the Fire.'" Ibn 'Abbas said, "If you must do it, then make trees or anything else which is inanimate." [Agreed upon]

1681. Ibn 'Abbas said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Anyone who makes an image in this world, will be obliged to breathe life into it on the Day of Rising, and he will never breathe life into it.'" [Agreed upon]

1682. Ibn Mas'ud said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Allah Almighty says, 'The people with the worst punishment on the Day of Rising will be those who made images."'" [Agreed upon]

1683. Abu Hurayra said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Allah Almighty says, "Who does a greater wrong than someone who goes about creating in imitation of My creation? Let them see if they can create an ant or create a single grain or create a barley seed!"'" [Agreed upon]

1684. Abu Talha reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image." [Agreed upon]

1685. Ibn 'Umar said, "Jibril promised the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that he would come to him but he was slow in coming and that was hard on the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He went out and Jibril met him and he complained to him. He said, 'We do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image." [al-Bukhari]

1686. 'A'isha said, "Jibril, peace be upon him, made an arrangement with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for a time when he would come. That hour came but he did not come." She said, "He had a staff in his hand and cast it from his hand, saying, 'Neither does Allah break His promise nor do His Messengers." Then he turned round and there was a puppy dog under his seat. He said, 'When did this dog come in?" I said, 'By Allah, I was not aware of it.' He commanded that it be taken out and then Jibril, peace be upon him, came to him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'You made an arrangement with me and I sat waiting for you but you did not come.' He said, 'The dog which was in your house prevented me. We do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.'" [Muslim]

1687. Abu'l-Hayyaj Hayyan ibn Husayn said, "'Ali ibn Abi Talib said to me, 'Shall I send you with the same instructions with which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent me? Do not go past a picture without obliterating it nor an elevated grave without levelling it.'" [Muslim]