Question: 

Can a animate pictures be showed to a child when explaining the greatness of Allah تعالى , Example animals and sea creatures .

Answer: 

In Shari’ah we are only obligated to teach and present Deen by those means which are in accordance to its laws. Any other way which contravenes these principles will not be permissible. To take pictures of animate beingsi is totally prohibited in Shari’ah and there are grave warnings in the Ahaadeeth with regard to this. It follows thus, that showing animate pictures to a child in order to explain the Greatness of Allah Ta’aala ii is something that is totally unwarranted and would be impermissible, as a child’s mind is very susceptible and such methods could instill in the child’s mind the acceptability of capturing, displaying and depicting pictures of animate beings.

A person can also understand the greatness of Allah Ta’laa by pondering over His inanimate creations. It is mentioned in the Quran:

أَلََْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَََّّ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ ثَََرَاتٍ خمُّْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانَُُا وَمِنَ الِْْبَالِ جُدَدٌ بِيضٌ وَحُُْرٌ خمُّْتَل فٌ أَلْوَانَُُا وَغَرَابِيبُ سُودٌ - 35:27

Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby fruits of varying colours? And in the mountains are tracts, white and red of varying shades and [some] extremely black.

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ وَالدَّوَا بِ وَا أ لْ أَ نعَامِ مُ أ ختَلِفٌ أَ أ لوَانُهُ كَذََٰلِكَ إِنَّمَا يَ أ خشَى اللَََّّ مِ أ ن عِبَادِهِ ا أ لع لَمَاءُ إِنَّ اللَََّّ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ - 35:28

And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colours similarly. Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.

A person does not have to venture far out; one can see the Greatness of Allah Ta’laa by simply stepping out of the house. There one will be able to see with one’s own eyes all the different types of creation, whether living or lifeless. By pondering over these, one can bring the fear and greatness of Allah Ta’laa in one’s heart. This can be shown to children in such a way that they can understand the magnitude of what they are looking at. Look at how Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم explained it to Ibn-Abaas رضي الله عنه when he was a child, Ibn-Abbas رضي الله عنه narrated:

“I was behind Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم one day when he said: ‘O child! I will teach you a statement: Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you. When you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek aid, seek Allah’s aid. Know that if the entire creation were to gather together to do something to benefit you- you would never get any benefit except that which Allah had written for you. And if they were to gather to do something to harm you- you would never be harmed except that which Allah had written for you. The pens are lifted and the pages are dried.'” (Tirmidhi Book 37, Hadith 2706)

AND ALLAH TA’AALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST

ANSWERED BY: Umar Abdullah Hans 

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY: Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B. 

Islamic Date: ٨ ذی القعدة ١٤٤١ 

English Date: 29 June 2020

i باب عَذابِ المصَُ ورِينَ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ ) عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ قال: كُنَّا مع مَسْروقٍ في دارِ يسارِ بنِ نَُُيٍْْ، فَرَأَى في صُفَّتِهِ تَََاثيلَ، فَقالَ: سََِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ قالَ: سَََعْتُ الن صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقولُ - - : "إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذاباً عِنْدَ اللهِ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ المصَُ وِرونَ".( صحيح الامام البخاري/رقم الحديث 22٩٨

ii قال المفتي محمد شفيع رحُه الله تعلی: و هذا كله مصرح في مذهب المالكية و مئيد بقواعد مذهبنا، و نصه عن المالكية ما ذكره العلامة الدردير في شرحه علي مُّتصر الخليل حيث قال يحرم تصوير حيوان عاقل او غيْه اذا كان كامل الاعضاء اذا كان يدوم و كذا ان لَ يدوم علی الراجح كتصوير من نحو قشر بطيخ و يحرم النظر الی المحرم لحرام )جواهر الفقه ج 7 ص 2٦٤ )