emotions

herjihad wrote: Many people take things literally as you and she, but I don't.  Sorry.  I like the picture of the horsey on my bathroom wall.  And you yourself must be aware that many, many Muslims don't agree with you.  Haven't you been to the homes where they have blown up, huge pictures of their kid's pictures on the wall?  And the homes of the families of martyrs have huge pictures in every room of their fallen loved one?

Herjihad, such people have very less knowledge of deen, or the enviorment in which they live in has very less muslim scholars or Imams. Also, it is their responsibility to learn what the teachings of Islam are ( if Allah wills ).

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

As a Muslimah trying to live a righteous life that is pleasing to Allah, I must say that I too found this to be a bit extreme to consider a sin. And the use of emoticons sinful, I don't know about that.  But, I am not God and none of us are.  We either submit fully to Allah's (SWT) Will or we don't.  When we don't fully submit, we are sinning.  Submitting to Allah (SWT) means even when our Lord's decrees don't make sense to us or we just flat out don't like them, we must strive for forgiveness and ask Allah (SWT) to help us to be obedient in our state of ignorance.  Allah (SWT) does not mislead a people after He (SWT) has guided them, in order to make clear to them what to fear and avoid. Allah has knowledge of all things (as interpreted from Quran 9:115). 

Here are some Hadiths that, insha'allah, will put a burden on our hearts to love Allah (SWT) so much that we obey Him no matter how irrelevant it may seem to our finite thinking. I ask Allah (SWT) to give those who seek the Truth, the knowledge to know the Truth and obey it.  Ameen.

1678. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Those who draw pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection; and it will be said to them: `Breathe soul into what you have created.'''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:  We learn from this Hadith that drawing pictures of humans, animals and all those things that have a soul in them is a great sin and is liable to heavy punishment. However, one will not be taken to task for such pictures which are made compulsory by the Government, i.e., identity cards, passports, domicile certificates etc., because one cannot exercise his own will in such matters, but this exemption is subject to the condition that he does not exceed the compulsory requirement.

1679. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) visited me after returning from a journey, and I had a shelf with a thin cloth curtain hanging over it and on which there were portraits. When he saw it, the colour of his face changed (because of anger) and he said, "O `Aishah! the most grievous torment from Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be for those who imitate (Allah) in the act of His creation.'' `Aishah said: We tore it into pieces and made a cushion or two cushions out of that.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith has already appeared earlier [Hadith No. 650]. We learn from it that the act of drawing (pictures of humans, animals and things that have a soul in them) or photography and hanging of pictures (of such things) for display or decoration in homes is a great sin. It is, however, permissible that sheets bearing such pictures are cut into pieces for making such things which are not sacred and people go on trampling them, as was done by `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) that she made pillow covers of these pieces.

1684. Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a portrait.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:  Angels here means angels of mercy whose visit is a blessing for homes, because the angels who supervise us and record our deeds are with us all the time.

1686. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: Jibril (Gabriel) (PBUH) made a promise with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) 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 (PBUH). 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 `Aishah, 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 (PBUH) 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].

Commentary:  This Hadith has an elaboration of the preceding Hadith and tells us that a puppy had entered the house of the Prophet (PBUH) and he did not know about it. The presence of the puppy in the house obstructed the visit of Jibril (Gabriel). It is a pity that now many Muslims keep dogs in their houses in imitation of the Europeans and also display in their showcases photographs of animals, or their own family members, or pictures of their deceased parents, or their mentor, or some saint for the sake of blessing, little knowing that such pictures deprive one of the Blessings of Allah rather than bestowing it upon them.

ak_m_f wrote: I dont want to sound rude or neither I am making fun of Hadith, I have this question. In todays world you cant get anywhere without ID, like passport, health card, Driver lisence. They all ahve photographs on them, is it permissible to have them? is it allowed to be a photographer in Islam? I mean taking picture of birds, flowers? is it ok to take picture of Flowers and trees? I have seen some beautiful quran with vines of flowers drawn over them, is it ok ? Can someone please anwer this question, or maybe ask some scholar they know.

akmf, you obviously didn't read my post.  So, here is your answer cut/pasted from my complete post.

Commentary:  We learn from this Hadith that drawing pictures of humans, animals and all those things that have a soul in them is a great sin and is liable to heavy punishment. However, one will not be taken to task for such pictures which are made compulsory by the Government, i.e., identity cards, passports, domicile certificates etc., because one cannot exercise his own will in such matters, but this exemption is subject to the condition that he does not exceed the compulsory requirement.

Salam,

Hind