The Book of Clothes and Adornment

كتاب اللباس والزينة

Chapter 26: The Prohibition Of Making Images Of Living Beings, And The Prohibition Of Using Images That Are Not Subjected To Disrespect In Furnishings And The Like; The Angels (Peace Be Upon Them) Do Not Enter A House In Which There Is An Image Or A Dog

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

A'isha reported

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) visited me. and I had a shelf with a thin cloth curtain hangin. over it and on which there were portraits. No sooner did he see it than he tore it and the colour of his face underwent a change and he said: A'isha, the most grievous torment from the Hand of Allah on the Day of Resurrection would be for those who imitate (Allah) in the act of His creation. A'isha said: We tore it into pieces and made a cushion or two cushions out of that.

A'isha reported she had a cloth havinc, pictures upon it and it was hanging upon the shelf and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

Take it (away) from me (from my sight), so I removed it and made cushions from that.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

A'isha reported

Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) visited me when I had screened (my door) with a carpet having pictures on it. He removed it and we made cushions out of that.

A'isha, the wife of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), reported that she had hung a curtain which had pictures upon it. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered (the room) and he pulled it. A'isha said

I then tore it and prepared two cushions out of that. A person who was then in that company and whose name was Rabi'a b. 'Ata, the freed slave of Banu Zuhra, asked: Did you hear Abu Mabammad making a mention of A'isha having stated that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to recline upon them? lbn al-Qasim said: No, but I heard Qasim b. Muhammad saying so.

A'isha reported that she bought a carpet which had pictures on it. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw that, he stayed at the door and did not get in. I perceived or I was made to perceive upon his face signs of disgust. She said

Allah's Messenger, I offer repentance to Allah and His Messenger. (but tell me) what is the sin that I have committed. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: What is this carpet? She said: I bought it for you so that you might sit on it and take rest. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The owners of these pictures would be tormented and they would be asked to bring to life what they tried to create. He then said: Angels do not enter the house in which there is a picture.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'isha through another chain of transmitters also. Some of the other ahadith narrated through other chains of transmitters are more complete and there is an addition in them (transmitted through other chains of transmitters). In the hadith transmitted on the authority of the nephew of Majishun she (A'isha) is reported to have said

I took it and prepared two cushions out of that and he (the Holy Prophet) used to recline against them in the house.

Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said

Those who paint pictures would be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it would be said to them: Breathe soul into what you have created.

Ibn 'Umar reported a hadith like this through another chain of transmitters.

'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Verity the most grievously tormented people on the Day of Resurrection would be the painters of pictures. Ashajj (one of the narrators) in the hadith narrated by him did not make mention of the word" verity".

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Mu`awiya through another chain of transmitters (and the words are)

"Verily, the most grievously tormented people amongst the denizens of Hell on the Day of Resurrection would be the painters of pictures." The rest of the hadith is the same.

Muslim b. Subaih reported

I was with Masriuq in the house which had the portrayals of Mary (hadrat Maryan). Thereupon Masriuq said: These are portraits of Kisra. I said: No, these are of Mary. Masruq said: I heard Abdullah b, Mas'ud as saying Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said: The most grievously tormented people on the Day of Resurrection would be the painters of pictures. (Muslim said): I read this before Nasr b. 'Ali at-Jahdami and he read it before other narrators, the last one being Ibn Sa'id b Abl at Hasan that a person came to Ibn 'Abbas and said: I am the person who paints pictures; give me a religious verdict about them. He (Ibn 'Abbas) said to him: Come near me (still further). He came near him so much so that he placed his hand upon his head and said: I am going to narrate to yor what I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I heard him say: All the painters who make pictures would be in the fire of Hell. The soul will be breathed in every picture prepared by him and it shall punish him in the Hell, and he (Ibn 'Abbas) said: If you have to do it at all, then paint the pictures of trees and lifeless things; and Nasr b. 'Ali confirmed it.

Anas b. Malik said

I was sitting with Ibn 'Abbas when he gave religious verdicts but he did not say that it was Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who had said that. However when a man said to him (Ibn 'Abbas): I am the painter of these pictures. Ibn 'Abbas said: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who painted pictures in the world would be compelled to breathe soul in them on the Day of Resurrection, but he would not be able to breathe soul (in them).

Nadr b. Anas reported that a person came to Ibn 'Abbas and he narrated (the above menlioned hadith) from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ).

Abu Zur'a reported

I visited the house of Marwan in the company of Abu Huraira and he found pictures there. whereupon he said: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, said: Who is a more wrongdoer than one who tries to create creation like Mine creation. Let him create an atom or a grain of wheat or that of barley. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Zur'a and he said: Abu Huraira went to the house of Sa'ld or Marwan which they had built in Medina and he (Abu Huraira) saw a painter who had been painting pictures in his house, whereupon he told that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said like this, but he made no mention of the words:" Let him create the grain of barley."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Angels do not enter the house in which there are portrayals or pictures.

Chapter 27: It Is Disliked To Take Dogs And Bells On A Journey

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Angels do not accompany the travellers who have with them a dog and a bell.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Suhail with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The bell is the musical instrument of the Satan.