Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith

58 <strong>Guide</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Creed</strong>
harm. Therefore, making pictures is the main cause of polytheism,
because it is a sign ofglorifying the embodied person, especially when
such a person has power, knowledge or piety, and when the picture is
hung on the wall or placed in a street or a square. Then, the ignorant
people as well as the devious ones gradually become devoted <strong>to</strong> such
pictures. In addition, this is the beginning of making idols and statues
<strong>to</strong> be worshipped along with Allah.
What follows is the text ofthe sahih (authentic) hadiths pertaining <strong>to</strong> this
<strong>to</strong>pic followed by a brief explanation.
It is related in the Two Sahihs (the two Authentic <strong>Book</strong>s of AI-BukhArt
and Muslim) on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet (PBUH) has said:
"Allah says, 'Who are more unjust than those who try <strong>to</strong> create something
like My creation? I challenge them <strong>to</strong> create even a small ant, a wheat
grain or a barley grain: »
This hadith states that no one is more unjust than the one who imitates
the creation ofAllah by making pictures ofpeople or animals. For, when
a person makes pictures ofliving beings, he imitates Allah in His unique
creation. Allah is the Sole Crea<strong>to</strong>r of everything and He gives shapes <strong>to</strong>
His creatures and provides them with souls <strong>to</strong> maintain their lives, as He,
the Almighty, says:
"He created the heavens and earth in truth and formed you and
perjectedyourjorms ..• " (Qur'w: At-Taghabun: 3)
And He says:
"He is Allah, the Crea<strong>to</strong>r, the Inven<strong>to</strong>r, the Fashioner •••"
(Qur'w: AI-Hashr: 24)
In order <strong>to</strong> prove their inability <strong>to</strong> create anything, Allah challenges the
makers ofpictures, <strong>to</strong> breathe souls in<strong>to</strong> their pictures. Such a challenge
indicates their failure; they cannot create a plant or even a seed ofa plant.
It is related in the Two Sahihs (the two Authentic <strong>Book</strong>s of AI-BukhArt
and Muslim) on the authority of'Rishah (may Allah be pleased with her)
that the Prophet (PBUH) has said:
"The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of
Resurrection will be those who try <strong>to</strong> make the like ofAllah's creations."