Digital art and computer graphics

25-8-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is digital art or computer graphics considered the same as hand paintings? Is it Haraam if the art resembles human beings?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

The majority of Muslim scholars are of the opinion that drawing animate beings is forbidden, based on many confirmed authentic narrations from the Prophet .
For more details please read the Fataawa: 83797, 83020, 83249 and 83351.

So, as a general principle in Islam, this rule applies to images and pictures that are made by computers.

However, if there is considerable benefit in producing images and this benefit cannot be achieved in any other way (e.g. in medical research to draw the human body, etc), then it is allowed.

In fact, sometimes when teaching in the field of medicine, a picture becomes very essential. In this case, the picture should be made without the head; human's private parts should not be exposed.  The picture should not show women's beauty or anything that could lead to sexual arousal.

Allaah knows best.