Drawing humans and animals
Question:
Salam Alaikum,
I’ve been drawing since I was 2 years old, and recently gave up drawing humans and animals after reading a few ahadith. When I searched for more rulings on picture making, I read that it is permissible to draw a human or animal figure if you leave out facial features. My question is, is it okay to draw a human figure but leave out the eyes and include the mouth and nose? Would it be okay to draw the eyes but leave out the nose and mouth? And is it okay to draw the impressions of a face in an inanimate object like a rock or tree? Here are two examples of what I mean: http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/242/6/5/654e2af9479a5b449313e3a34928a071-d2xi5go.jpg
http://features.cgsociety.org/newgallerycrits/g88/289488/289488_1230271174_medium.jpg
Answer:
Wa Alaikum As Salaam,
The prohibition which has been given is with regards to drawing animate objects which represents animal life. Hence, if you draw a human or animal figure and leave out its eyes etc., then this will not be permissible, because the figure still represents life, seeing that a human being can live without an eye, mouth or nose.
So, it will not be permissible for you to draw a human or animal figure in such a manner that it represents life in the figure. Drawing these without the head is okay since life does not exist without the head.
With respect to drawing impressions of a face in inanimate objects, this will not be allowed, since by doing so, you will be trying to put a type of human life in an object that does not have it, and this is strictly prohibited.
And Allah knows best,
Mufti Waseem Khan
28/11/2011