37/26. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2110b — Unable to Breathe Soul into Pictures
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
Breathe Soul into Pictures Hadith and the Warning to Image Makers
Sahih Muslim : 2110b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2110b
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَجَعَلَ يُفْتِي وَلاَ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ أُصَوِّرُ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرَ . فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ادْنُهْ . فَدَنَا الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا كُلِّفَ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ " .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
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).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2110bIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 153USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5273
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2110b
This hadith about picture makers comes through Anas b. Malik's report of a sitting with Ibn 'Abbas. Ibn 'Abbas was giving verdicts, but when a man said he painted pictures, Ibn 'Abbas narrated directly from Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. He said that whoever painted a picture in this world would be made responsible to breathe soul into it on the Day of Resurrection, but he would not be able to do so. The meaning in the text is clear: making pictures is tied here to a demand that the maker cannot fulfill. For readers searching breathe soul into pictures hadith, image makers hadith, or pictures in Islam hadith, this narration gives the warning in direct words.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn 'Abbas narrated directly from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when asked by a picture maker.
- The picture maker will be ordered to breathe soul into the picture on the Day of Resurrection.
- The report states that he will not be able to breathe soul into it.
