Designing Cartoons and Animations

Q: I am a graphic designer by profession. Sometimes, I am hired to design cartoons and animations of people, animals, etc. Can I accept these jobs?

A: All pictures of animate objects are haraam and forbidden in Islam. All the four mazhabs are unanimous upon the impermissibility of drawing and creating pictures of animate objects. There is no difference in the Islamic ruling between a picture that is drawn by hand and a digital picture. Hence, earning via this means is impermissible in Shari’ah. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:

 إن أشد الناس عذابا عند الله يوم القيامة المصورون (صحيح البخاري رقم 5950)

Those involved in picture-maki​ng will be subjected to the worst forms of punishment on the Day of Qiyaamah.

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)


 

Q: A graphic designer who makes computer games with animals and people, will he have to give up his job?

A: It is permissible for him to design pictures of inanimate objects.

وكذا النهي إنما جاء عن تصوير ذي الروح لما روي عن علي رضي الله عنه أنه قال من صور تمثال ذي الروح كلف يوم القيامة أن ينفخ فيه الروح وليس بنافخ فأما لا نهي عن تصوير ما لا روح له لما روي عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنه أنه نهى مصورا عن التصوير فقال كيف أصنع وهو كسبي فقال إن لم يكن بد فعليك بتمثال الأشجار (بدائع الصنائع 1/116)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

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