She told that she bought a cushion on which were pictures, and when God’s messenger saw it he stopped at the door and did not enter. Seeing the signs of disapproval in his face she said, “Messenger of God, I repent towards God and His messenger. What have I done wrong ?” He asked, “What is the meaning of this cushion ?” and when she replied that she had bought it for him to sit and recline on he said, “The people who make these pictures will be punished on the day of resurrection and be told to bring to life what they have created,” adding, “The angels do not enter a house which contains a picture.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
Exposition of the Hadith on Images
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This narration from the Mother of the Believers, 'Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), contains profound legal and spiritual wisdom regarding the prohibition of images with souls. The Prophet's refusal to enter the house demonstrates the gravity of this matter.
The Nature of the Prohibition
The cushion containing images caused the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to halt at the threshold. This physical stopping signifies the spiritual barrier such images create. The scholars explain that images of animate beings—particularly those with souls—are forbidden because they constitute an imitation of Allah's creative act.
As Imam al-Nawawi comments in his Sharh Sahih Muslim: "The prohibition applies specifically to what casts a shadow—meaning three-dimensional images—and to what represents complete beings capable of life."
The Divine Chastisement
The warning that image-makers will be commanded to "bring to life what they have created" on the Day of Resurrection indicates the severity of this sin. Al-Qurtubi explains in his tafsīr: "This constitutes the ultimate humiliation, for they will be challenged to do what they attempted to imitate—Allah's exclusive power of giving life."
The Absence of Angels
The statement that "angels do not enter a house which contains a picture" has significant implications. Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalānī notes in Fatḥ al-Bārī: "The angels of mercy and revelation avoid such dwellings, thereby depriving inhabitants of divine blessings and spiritual tranquility."
Legal Rulings and Exceptions
The majority of scholars hold that this prohibition applies to complete images of animate beings. Exceptions exist for educational materials, necessary documentation, and images where the head is removed or the form is incomplete. However, decorative images—like those on the cushion—remain strictly forbidden.
As Imam Malik stated: "What is prohibited is what is made for veneration or to imitate the creation of Allah without necessity."