Question
(#068)
Salaam
I am asking this on behalf of a Pakistani friend, who is an expert in CAD. A technology that is able to show 3D models of buildings, trees, gardens etc. It’s mainly used in construction field.
However 3D models of humans and animals can be created for education, medicalscience, cartoons, etc.
Is such 3D modelling allowed?
Answer
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
حامدا و مصليا و مسلما
Muhtaram
We received your query regarding different aspects relating to the designing of 3D models.
Our response is as follows:
Rasululullah Sallallahu alai wa salm has narrated to have said:
(ان اشد الناس عذابا عند الله المصورون (متفق عليه
Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam is reported to have said, on the day of resurrection the severest of punishment will be for those who make/take pictures. (Muslim vol 2 pg 201)
In another Hadith it is narrated, those who make/take pictures will be punished on the day of resurrection and they will be told bring to life that which have sketched/drawn/ taken a picture of. (Muslim vol 2 pg 201) Hence, one should abstain from keeping pictures which invite the wrath of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala.
Mufti Mahmood Gangohi Rahmatullah Alayh states in his Fataawaa with regards to pictures for business purposes. He says, “a picture of any living object whether it is made on a wall, on a paper etc and whether the picture is made with a pen or by the means of any other instrument or machinery, whether the limbs are made separately or at once, whether it’s in the manufacturing of clothing or any other item in all the above situations it will not be permissible”.
(Ref:Fatawaa Mahmoodiyah vol 29 pg31,Mirqaat vol 4 pg 483,Shaami vol 2 pg 416.)
This prohibition entails all forms of picture formation such as, painting, carving, drawing, photography, digital photography as well as 3D modelling. This is because the ‘illat (cause and reason) of impermissibility is:
مشابهة بخلق الله (emulating the creation of Allah).
علة حرمة التصوير المضاهاة لخلق الله تعالى -شامى 1\647
And this is found in all types of pictures as long as the following two conditions are found:
1) – اختيار it is created by one’s own choice.
2) – دوام It is not dependant on the continuous presence of the object for its existence.
Those who permit the production and viewing of digital images argue that these images are not pictures in the strict sense envisaged in the Ahadeeth unless they are printed in a durable form on paper or any other object. They claim that a digital image has more similarity with the reflected image on a mirror than with a picture, as a digital image, like a reflection, has no durability.
However, this contention holds no weight as there are several reasons why a digital image cannot be given the law and ruling of a reflection.
a). The fundamental difference between a mirror image and a digital image is that a mirror image only exists as long as the reflected object is in its presence, and once the object moves away, the mirror image disappears. Thus a reflection is dependent on the continuous presence of the object for its presence. On the other hand, a digital image remains the same even after the actual object moves away.
Even if it is a live video, the picture on the screen is dependent on an electrical image, and not on the actual object, so even after it moves away it will still appear on the screen, even if it is only for a split second.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica explains: ‘the scene to be televised is first translated into an electrical image, and the latter is then broken up into an orderly sequence of electrical impulses which are sent over the channel one after the other. At the receiver the impulses are translated back into a corresponding sequence of lights and shadows, and these are reassembled in their correct positions on the viewing screen. …It is then possible to recreate more than ten complete pictures per second, and to stimulate thereby the motion of the scene so that it appears to be continuous. …In practice, to depict rapid movement smoothly, it is customary to transmit from 25 to 30 complete pictures per second.’
b). Another difference between digital images and reflections is that the producer of digital images is emulating Allah Ta’ala by his own choice in the creation of living objects, whereas this is not the case with a reflection, as a reflection appears naturally every time someone looks into a body of water.
c). The Shariah has also considered ‘Urf (the common perception of the people) as a criterion for establishing the definition of many things (provided the common perception of the people is in accordance with the laws of ‘Urf). A digital image is classified as a picture in terms of ‘Urf, hence the experts clearly state that a digital image is a picture.
d). In terms of the English language also, a digital image is a picture. The Oxford Dictionary defines a picture as follows: ‘a representation of something produced on a surface by painting or any other means.’ Clearly digital images also fall under this definition.
Also, the word ‘picture’ has the following synonyms: movie, cine, cinema, film, flick, motion picture, moving picture, photo play, picture show, show. And the word ‘image’ has the following synonyms: double, picture, portrait, ringer, simulacrum, spit, spitting image. (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines television as follows: ‘the electrical transmission of pictures in motion, and the simultaneous transmission of the accompanying sounds.’
From the above we can understand that the prohibition of pictures also includes digital pictures, and that just as the drawing of pictures is impermissible, the production of digital pictures is also completely impermissible.
Therefore the production of any type of image of an animate and living object is not permissible according to the Shariah. Therefore one should excuse oneself and abstain from producing 3D images of people and animals etc even though it may be for educational, scientific etc reasons. If one is in need then the Fuqahaa (Islamic jurists) have given permission that one may produce the image of a living image without the head. However in this case one should show extreme precaution that one does not produce images of the opposite sex, as this will be not permissible.
Together with this, one should not forget what Allah Ta’ala has stated in the Noble Qur’aan
“Whosoever fears Allah (stays away from what Allah Ta’ala has forbidden) then Allah Ta’ala will make for him a way (out of his difficulty)”
And Allaah Ta’ala knows best.
Muhammad Irshad Motara
14th Feburary 2013
2nd Rabee’uth Thaani 1434
Checked and approved by:
Mufti Musayab Saahib
