Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Angels (of mercy) do not enter a house where there are pictures.'" The subnarrator Busr added: "Then Zaid fell ill and we paid him a visit. Behold! There was, hanging at his door, a curtain decorated with a picture. I said to 'Ubaidullah Al-Khaulani, the step son of Maimuna, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) , "Didn't Zaid tell us about the picture the day before yesterday?" 'Ubaidullah said, "Didn't you hear him saying: 'except a design in a garment'?"
Hadith Text & Context
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) declared: "Angels (of mercy) do not enter a house where there are pictures." This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 5958 in the Book of Dress is further clarified by the incident where Zaid ibn Khalid fell ill and companions noticed a decorated curtain at his door, creating apparent contradiction until 'Ubaidullah explained the exception for designs woven into garments.
Prohibition of Images
Classical scholars explain this prohibition applies to images of animate beings possessing souls - humans, animals, and angels. This prohibition stems from: 1) Imitating Allah's creative act 2) Resembling polytheistic practices of idol worship 3) Preventing distraction from worship. The most severe form is three-dimensional statues, followed by prominent two-dimensional images.
Exception for Garment Designs
As clarified in the hadith's conclusion, the prohibition does not extend to designs woven into the fabric of garments where the image is flattened and integrated into the material's structure. Scholars like Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explain this exception because such designs lack the complete form and prominence of standalone images, thus reducing the risk of idolatrous veneration.
Scholarly Applications
Imam Nawawi states this prohibition applies to images displayed in positions of honor. Ibn Taymiyyah distinguishes between images made for veneration (strictly forbidden) and those for decoration or necessity (disliked but with varying rulings). Modern scholars extend this to photographs, permitting them for necessary documents while discouraging decorative display in living spaces where angels customarily enter.
Wisdom Behind the Ruling
The exclusion of angels serves as both a spiritual consequence and a divine warning. Angels bring mercy, blessings, and divine protection. Their absence creates spiritual void and diminishes barakah (blessing) in the household. This ruling ultimately preserves pure Islamic monotheism by preventing any means that could lead to image worship or excessive attachment to created forms.