Is owning an image different from creating or drawing an image?

Q: Is owning an image different from creating or drawing an image? I came to know that several Sahaabah and the grandson of Hadhrat Abu Bakar Siddiq (radhiyallahu anhu) owned a curtain that had a picture of birds and phoenix.

Also, several Sahaabah wore rings for stamping that had drawings of men with swords. Kindly clarify the issue.

A: The hadeeth strictly prohibits pictures of animate objects. A curtain that had pictures was destroyed. Hence, don't look for isolated cases to justify picture making.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)