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Fatwa CenterUsing animal photo filters on human faces
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. I hope you are doing fine. I came across this statement: "Allaah honored you with a beautiful face, so what made you put a dog filter upon it?" and I really liked it. There are people who say that it is just for fun and that it is ok to do it. I would like you to clarify it and tell me whether it is permissible to use such a filter or not. Thank you very much!
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Allah, The Exalted, honored man and favored him over all other creatures. One aspect of this honor is creating man in the best form; Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {We have certainly created man in the best of stature.} [Quran 95:4] He also says (what means): {And We have certainly honored the children of Aadam (Adam) and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with (definite) preference.} [Quran 17:70]
Al-Munaawi 
wrote, "Allah, The Exalted, honored and favored man over all other creatures. He is the finest and best of the creation. Allah subjected all creatures in the heavens and earth to man and placed him as His vicegerent on earth... Allah created man in the best form and in the best of proportions and created all that is in the heaven and earth for his sake. All other creatures share the heaven and earth with man by way of subordination to him (they are inferior to man)."
Therefore, it is unbefitting of a human being to imitate animals, and such an act is dispraised and forbidden in the Sharia.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen wrote, "It is prohibited for the Muslim to imitate animals in any aspect because Allah, The Exalted, favored man above all other creatures. He honored the children of Aadam and carried them on the land and sea. It is unbecoming of the human being to reduce himself to such an inferior status by imitating animals." [Ash-Sharh Al-Mukhtasar ‘ala Buloogh Al-Maraam]
Hence, the Muslim should avoid using such photo filters to imitate animals. There is no doubt that there are many other means of entertainment that do not involve Sharia prohibitions. It is worthier of the Muslim to devote his time and effort to what benefits him in his religion and his worldly matters.
Allah knows best.
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