Q. You mentioned in an earlier answer that it is permissible to paint natural scenery and people’s faces. I have been quoted a Hadith that makes painting people and animals forbidden. Could you please clarify this confusion?
Sarah
A. The Hadith does not speak of painting as such. It uses the term tasweer that we nowadays use primarily for photography, and we may include under it other forms of producing a likeness. Photography was unknown at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), but the word was used in the Hadith and in the Qur’an, so we need to define its meaning at the time. Fortunately, we do not have to look far. If we look at the different instances of its use in the Qur’an we formulate a clear concept of its meaning, which is “to shape, give form, fashion, etc.” A Hadith that includes a clear prohibition explains that tasweer aims at making something to look like God’s creation. This is clearly forbidden, because it includes an implicit claim of an ability similar to that of God. Hence, the person who produces such a likeness will be told on the Day of Judgment to give life to his production, and he will not be able to do so.
Unfortunately, people with a restrictive tendency apply the word as we use it today and make all types of image making forbidden. This is not right. One Hadith makes a clear exception of what is painted on clothes and similar material. This is not much different from a painting on a canvass. The prohibition certainly does not apply to photography, which is nothing more than the printing of a reflection against a lens, similar to a reflection in a mirror.