Bismillah,

JazakAllahKhayr

As Salaam Akaikum,

As far as I know, depiction of human or animals is prohibited in Islamic arts.

ZamanH

Dear ZamanH

How about television, video, film, etc these are also human depiction, the different is the rate, in the moving pictures you see 15 to 30 images per second or even more depend on the quality/smootheness of the movement.  Do you watch tv/video/film?

How about television, video, film, etc these are also human depiction  

But no one claims tehm to be a product of Islamic arts. I watch TV, video but, I don't think that is comparable to  adorning walls though pictures of human beings or animals. Though, I consider taking photograph for documentation purposes to be Islamic (but, not otherwise).

Bismillah,

If people won't display art in human form, or even family pictures on the wall, what is the difference in leaving a television with human form displayed, especially to watch a movie?  To be strict in this belief of not displaying the human form, one would have to only read books and magazines, and maybe just watch news and documentaries on TV.

Isn't the whole point so that we don't worship these images and also to not be swelled up in pride saying look what I created with paintings and scultptures?

ZamanH wrote: How about television, video, film, etc these are also human depiction   But no one claims them to be a product of Islamic arts.

Now they are halal,  so if someday somehow somebody claims them to be a product of Islamic arts, will be haram?

ZamanH wrote:  I watch TV, video but, I don't think that is comparable to  adorning walls though pictures of human beings or animals.

The current TV (LCD) can be hang on the wall (many people do), so what is the different?

ZamanH wrote: Though, I consider taking photograph for documentation purposes to be Islamic (but, not otherwise).

In the old days, there was no photo technology yet, so they used hand to record sombody/animal image.

Is there any hadith stated "for documentation is OK, otherwise not OK." ?

Also from your post: we can conclude if you put images in album/book for documentation is ok , but if we put them in a wall is not OK, so the halal/haram's parameter is a wall.

I thought its just the image of God, that is haram ? no one and nothing else.

But then if you say that God is everywhere, then everything should be banned, trees, rivers, moon, earth, flowers, reading books to  etc and etc.

oh why we might not else well be creative because really that is being like God, God is creative and is creator, so initially we should ban our selves and not do anything, lets face it, just writing this post is being creative I am the creator of this post, so am I acting like God in being a creator?

Bismillah,

LOL Angel!

As Salaam Alaikum,

Honestly, I don't know about the subject really well. Sculptures and engravings of human-beings and animals are notable by their absence in medievial islamic buildings in India. I have heard two reasons concerning the prohibition - firstly, to prevent shirk; and secondly, to prevent man from claiming that he can duplicate/recreate the beauty in Allah's creation through depicting human-beings and animals in pictures,paintings etc.

Therfore, my personal understanding of the matter is that it is unislamic to depict huamn beings and animals in art merely for the sake of pleasure or entertainment (but, for the sake of information/documentation, its alright).

herjihad wrote: To be strict in this belief of not displaying the human form, one would have to only read books and magazines, and maybe just watch news and documentaries on TV.

Yes, that is the what I discern about the matter.

Angel wrote: But then if you say that God is everywhere, then everything should be banned, trees, rivers, moon, earth, flowers, reading books to  etc and etc.

When we say, God is everywhere, it clearly indicates that we mean that His influence is everywhere/all-pervasive; I don't understand how can that mean everyone and everything is Allah.

"oh why we might not else well be creative because really that is being like God, God is creative and is creator, so initially we should ban our selves and not do anything, lets face it, just writing this post is being creative I am the creator of this post, so am I acting like God in being a creator?"

But then, you are not claiming to create life. Are you?? 

We, Muslims, seem to be so pre-occupied with small issues making a weighty thesis out of an alphabet book... 

Should we wear pijamas with teddy-bears depicted on them or would it be better to switch to a checkered one despite it resembling crosses... can we allow passports... what about music and movies... and back to pictures... and return to passports and the time passes by and we grow out of our teddy-bear pijamas... and we wonder, where have we gone wrong. 

If only we could strive as hard to establish the meaning of Tawheed deep in our hearts and let it navigate our lives.   

MOCKBA

Bismillah,

The prophet, PBUH, smiled and laughed.  Maybe our discussion seems silly, but silly can be good when it is lighthearted and goodnatured.

Tawheed and Taqwa are excellent endeavors.  May Allah, SWT, lead us to them.

ZamanH wrote: When we say, God is everywhere, it clearly indicates that we mean that His influence is everywhere/all-pervasive; I don't understand how can that mean everyone and everything is Allah.

Well, if God influences you, then why can He not influence you to draw, paint, grow flowers, write - which can be for a book, plant trees and etc. So many people say they were influence by God and they give thanks to God.

As for the moon and earth, well I guess that is a little out of reach  

But then, you are not claiming to create life. Are you??

Um....If and when I have a baby I will  

ZamanH wrote: Therfore, my personal understanding of the matter is that it is unislamic to depict huamn beings and animals in art merely for the sake of pleasure or entertainment (but, for the sake of information/documentation, its alright).

If that is what you understand, it is fine

You might like to research the matter some more, one day when you are able to.

Angel wrote: Um....If and when I have a baby I will

If you read my post carefully, my point was, when you are writing a post or doing daily chores you are probably not  claim to be creating life.

Besides, when you will be producing a baby, you can only claim to be deriving life from pre-existing life. Even the best of the scientists are nowhere near "creating" life.

You probably deserve 10 Noble Prizes if you are able to create life from a scratch.    

Also, even if you are able to CREATE life!!, you will still not be able to claim that you can reproduce the beauty in Allah's creation by depicting animals or humans in photographs, sculpture etc (though you can claim you can create life through your apparatus that you would have invented etc.).