Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

Can I sell eBooks with human images in it?

· 23 Jumada II 1439 AH1 min readFatwa 39905English

Question

1. I want to sell physical health eBooks that may contain images of humans for the purposes of demonstration. E.g. a fitness eBook demontrating how to perform an exercise or movement.

The intention is that buyers will be purchasing the eBook for the information and content and not for the images. What is the ruling on this (both male and female images, would awrah need to be covered as this is solely for demonstrational/educational purposes?) and will income gained from this be halal?

If this is not permissible, could you give me guidance on other methods I can use to demonstrate things such as exercises/stretches with visuals etc.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

As-salaamu `alaykum wa-ramatullahi wa-barakatuh.

It is not permissible to draw/make pictures of animate objects. The demonstrations could be shown without pictures of the face and the awrah of the body can also be covered.[1]

And Allah Ta`ala Knows Best.

Hussein Muhammad.

Student Darul Iftaa

Arusha, Tanzania

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[1]

الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي (1/ 65)

وإذا كان التمثال مقطوع الرأس " أي ممحو الرأس " فليس بتمثال " لأنه لا يعبد بدون الرأس

المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (5/ 309)

وإن كان التمثال مقطوع الرأس، فليس بتمثال.

البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (2/ 30)

قوله أو مقطوع الرأس) أي سواء كان من الأصل أو كان لها رأس ومحي وسواء كان القطع بخيط خيط على جميع الرأس حتى لم يبق لها أثر أو يطليه بمغرة ونحوها أو بنحته أو بغسله وإنما لم يكره لأنها لا تعبد بدون الرأس عادة

Fataawa Qasimiyya, Vol 24, Pg 549…551.

Answered by
Hussein Muhammad
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/39905
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-39905

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