Are statues,pictures and images really forbidden ?

[Union]

Making statutes and drawing images of living beings are strongly prohibited in traditional Islam. Several Sahih Ahadith prohibited this type of acts and confirmed that the artist and painter will be burnt in hell. On the contrary Qur’an’s stance is very logical and clear in this regard- if the statues and pictures are made with the intention of worshiping , then no doubt that is forbidden in Islam but if it is done only for decoration and aesthetic/artistic purpose , not meant to be anything else then it is not forbidden in Qur’an . The instances are depicted in Qur’an – when the statues/pictures were made in the time of Prophet Abraham and Prophet Moses for the Purpose of Shirk , that was condemned but when the same was done at the time of Prophet Solomon not for Shirk was admired by Almighty ALLAH


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Whatsoever , it is a matter of caution that the artists should need to be transparent of his/her intention as All-knowing GOD knows the inner of his/her thoughts . The statues and pictures of Jesus , Marry , Krishna , Ram , Hanuman , Kali etc. are widely used for the purpose of Shirk , hence the artist should avoid these works and should not give priority to the commercial benefit

Forbidden-[021:051] We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were We acquainted with him.
[021:052] Behold! he said to his father and his people, "What are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted?"
[021:053] They said, "We found our fathers worshiping them."

[021:054] He said, "Indeed ye have been in manifest error - ye and your fathers."



Forbidden-[007:138] We took the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea. They came upon a people devoted entirely to some idols they had. They said: "O Moses! fashion for us a god like unto the gods they have." He said: "Surely ye are a people without knowledge.​

[007:148] The people of Moses made, in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of calf, (for worship): it seemed to low: did they not see that it could neither speak to them, nor show them the way? They took it for worship and they did wrong.

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Allowed-[034:012] And to Solomon (We made) the Wind (obedient): Its early morning (stride) was a month's (journey), and its evening (stride) was a month's (journey); and We made a Font of molten brass to flow for him; and there were Jinns that worked in front of him, by the leave of his Lord, and if any of them turned aside from our command, We made him taste of the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.
[034:013] They worked for him as he desired, (making) arches, images, basons as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places): "Work ye, sons of David, with thanks! but few of My servants are grateful!"

 

[Union]

Let us see the following hadith and let us try to find the logic behind the prohibition of images :

Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 3.428 Narrated by Said bin Abu Al Hasan :
While I was with Ibn 'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Apostle. I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' " Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn 'Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other unanimated objects."

From the above mentioned Hadith It appeared that it is prohibited to draw images of animated or living things as it will be asked to the artist in the day of Judgment to put life in those images he created , which s/he will certainly fail . In collaboration with that it was permitted to draw trees as to the best of the knowledge of these Hadith writers trees are lifeless and unanimated object .

This exposes the origin of these type of prohibition being mortal and fallible as like human and animals , plants (e.g.,trees) are also living organisms . Hence this flawed injunction could never be from GOD , the Almighty nor from HIS prophet .

Sunan of Abu-DawoodHadith 4146 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah :
The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me and said: I came to you last night and was prevented from entering simply because there were images at the door, for there was a decorated curtain with images on it in the house, and there was a dog in the house. So order the head of the image which is in the house to be cut off so that it resembles the form of a tree; order the curtain to be cut up and made into two cushions spread out on which people may tread; and order the dog to be turned out. The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) then did so. The dog belonged to al-Hasan or al-Husayn and was under their couch. So he ordered it to be turned out.

 

[W3bcrowf3r]

With images the context is idols...

But the salafi orthodox take it to the extreme and say you cant make an image of a living soul at all.

Only if you want to make a video of their lectures so that you can spread their ahadith doctrines!