Question:
According to the Shariah, how is it to earn one's livelihood through the following means:
1) Designing billboards, posters, banners and packaging materials 2) Making TV advertisements 3) Taking photographs of weddings Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
We appreciate you
writing to the Darul Iftaa and we commend you for your concern of the
permissibility of your earnings according to the Shariah. Indeed, to be
concerned about one’s earnings is of utmost importance and is a blessing
of Allah Ta’ala. According to the following hadith, one of the first things
a person will be questioned about on the Day of Judgment will be about his
earnings: Abu Barza al-Aslami
(Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa
sallam) said, “On the Day of Judgment, no slave (of Allah) will be able
to move from his place until he is questioned about: how he spent his life, how
much he acted upon his knowledge, where he earned his money from and on what
things he spent it, how he utilized his body.” (Tirmizi, hadith 2341) Also, consider the
following ahaadith: Sayyiduna Jabir ibn
Abdullah (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu
alaihi wa sallam) said, “Flesh which has grown out of what is unlawful
will not enter Paradise, but Hell is more fitting for all flesh which has grown
out of what is unlawful” (Tirmizi; Introduction to Islamic Commerce by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai: pg 7) Sayyiduna Rafi’
ibn Khadij (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu
alaihi wa sallam) was asked what type of earning was best and replied, “A
man’s work with his hand and every business transaction which is
approved.” (Ahmad; Introduction to Islamic Commerce by Mufti Ebrahim
Desai: pg 8) The Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) has stated, “An honest, truthful
businessman will be (on the Day of Judgment) among the Prophets, sincere
Believers and martyrs.” (Tirmizi; Introduction to Islamic Commerce by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai: pg 9) Indeed, a person who
abstains from haram earnings out of the fear of Allah Ta’ala, Allah
Ta’ala will put barakah and blessings in his halal earnings. Allah
Ta’ala says: وَمَنْ
يَتَّقِ
اللَّهَ
يَجْعَلْ
لَهُ مَخْرَجًا
(2)
وَيَرْزُقْهُ
مِنْ حَيْثُ
لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
وَمَنْ
يَتَوَكَّلْ
عَلَى
اللَّهِ فَهُوَ
حَسْبُهُ “And he who fears Allah, He will make for him a way out; And will
provide for him from where he expects not; And he who puts his trust in Allah,
He is sufficient for him.” (Quran 65:2-3) Reverting to your
questions, you mentioned that you do the following types of jobs: 1) designing
billboards, posters, banners and packaging materials 2) making TV
advertisements 3) taking photographs of weddings. Hereunder we discuss each of
these separately. Designing billboards,
posters, banners and packaging materials Designing billboards,
posters, banners and packaging materials is permissible with two conditions: 1) The first condition is
that the billboard, poster, banner or packaging must not be for a haram product
or a haram service. This is not permissible as it is assisting in sins. Allah
Ta’ala says: وَتَعَاوَنُوا
عَلَى
الْبِرِّ
وَالتَّقْوَى
وَلَا
تَعَاوَنُوا
عَلَى
الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ “And help one another in righteousness and in piety;
but help not one another in sin and transgression” (Quran 5:2) 2) The second condition is that the design does not contain pictures of
humans and animals. It comes in a hadith
that on the Day of Judgement, the worst punishment will be given to those who
made pictures (Bukhari, hadith 5494). In another hadith, the Messenger
of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Those who make these
pictures will be punished on the Day of Judgement and it will be said to them
‘Give life to what you created’.” (Bukhari, hadith 5495). However,
drawing/printing pictures of inanimate objects (such as trees, buildings etc.)
is permissible. Consider the following narration: عن
سعيد بن أبي
الحسن قال كنت
عند ابن عباس
رضي الله
عنهما إذ أتاه
رجل فقال يا
أبا عباس إني
إنسان إنما معيشتي
من صنعة يدي
وإني أصنع هذه
التصاوير فقال
ابن عباس لا
أحدثك إلا ما
سمعت رسول
الله صلى الله
عليه وسلم
يقول سمعته
يقول من صور
صورة فإن الله
معذبه حتى
ينفخ فيها
الروح وليس بنافخ
فيها أبدا
فربا الرجل
ربوة شديدة
واصفر وجهه
فقال ويحك إن
أبيت إلا أن
تصنع فعليك
بهذا الشجر كل
شيء ليس فيه
روح Sa῾īd ibn Abil Hasan rahmatullah ῾alayh
says, “I was by Ibn ῾Abbās radiallahu ῾anhu when a
person came and said. “Oh Ibn ῾Abbās, my source of income is
through the labour of my hands and I manufacture these pictures.” Ibn ῾Abbās
radiallahu ῾anhu said. “I will not narrate to you except what I
heard from Rasulullah salallahu ῾alayhi wasallam. I heard Rasulullah salallahu ῾alayhi wasallam
saying, “Whosoever draws a picture, verily Allah will punish him until he
can blow life into the picture and most definitely he will not be able to blow
life into it. (so the punishment will be permanent).”” The person got very
worried and the colour of his face changed. Ibn ῾Abbās radiallahu ῾anhu
then said to him, “If you insist on manufacturing pictures then
manufacture/draw pictures of this tree and all those things that do not have life
(inanimate objects)”. (Bukhari, hadith 2073) Making TV advertisements Before understanding the ruling on making advertisements for TV, it is
important to understand the ruling on watching TV itself. For this please read
the following answer: http://askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.php?askid=a6213e913e5d0494f9e9ccd6139df951 It is clear that TV and movies are a compound of many great evils and
haram acts and that TV and movies have played a great role in promoting and
spreading promiscuity and evil throughout the world. Hence, making TV is not
permissible as it falls under assisting in sins. And if the advertisements contain other
haram elements -- such as pictures of humans, music etc. – then the prohibition
of such issues is clear. Taking
photographs of weddings As mentioned earlier, it is not permissible to take pictures of animate
objects. Hence, it will not be correct to use that as a source of income. Almighty Allah Ta’ala has given you the tawfeeq and courage to ask
these questions. Allah wants to guide you to pure and wholesome income. Allah
Ta’ala has taken the responsibility to sustain you. You inculcate the
courage and adopt halal means. Make an effort to adopt all permissible worldly
means and make dua to Allah. Allah will guide you to pure and halal income if
you are honest and sincere. May Allah grant you barakah in your intention and
courage. Aameen. |
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