She reported the Prophet as saying, “Those who will receive the severest punishment on the day of resurrection will be they who imitate what God has created.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
Hadith on Imitation of Creation
"Those who will receive the severest punishment on the day of resurrection will be they who imitate what God has created." (Mishkat al-Masabih 4495)
Commentary on the Prohibition
This hadith addresses the grave sin of tasweer (image-making) and tamtheel (creating likenesses of living beings). The scholars explain that this prohibition stems from infringing upon Allah's exclusive attribute of creation (khalaq).
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani states in Fath al-Bari that the severest punishment is mentioned because such imitation constitutes a challenge to Allah's creative power and may lead to idolatry, as images were often worshipped instead of Allah.
Scholarly Interpretations
Al-Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim clarifies that this prohibition applies particularly to creating images of animate beings possessing souls, as this directly mimics divine act of creation.
Ibn al-Qayyim explains in I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in that the punishment is severe because the image-maker seeks to rival Allah in His specific attribute of giving form to creatures, which is pure arrogance and transgression.
Exceptions and Applications
Scholars make exceptions for necessary educational images, children's toys, and images where the head is removed or features are distorted, as these do not constitute complete imitation of Allah's creation.
This prohibition primarily applies to three-dimensional statues and images intended for veneration or display in places of honor, while two-dimensional images for necessary purposes are treated with more leniency by many jurists.