Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear sir

i had questioned u before also but to no avail i am asking again Prophet Jesus Christ (sa) came some 600 years before Prophet Muhammad (saws) but the christians have a potrait of Jesus Christ while we dont have any image of Prophet Muhammad (saws)

what are ur opinion in this regard

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Answer:

Why Images of Isa are available but not Prophet Mohamed ?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

It is not conceivable that a Prophet of Allah would have made it permissible for someone to make an image of him during his lifetime! The image the Christians portray of Prophet Isa (a.s.), is only a figment of their imagination and not an actual image; which was created hundred of years after his death. Some time ago, a black congregation of Christians claimed that Prophet Isa (a.s.) was black, and made an image of a black-Jesus for themselves!

Painting of portraits, or images and sculptures of human beings and animate objects, etc. are absolutely forbidden in the deen of Islam.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.428 Narrated by Said bin Abu Al Hasan

While I was with Ibn 'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Apostle. I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' " Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn 'Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures, I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other unanimated objects."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.834 Narrated by Muslim

We were with Masruq at the house of Yasar bin Numair. Masruq saw pictures on his terrace and said, "I heard 'Abdullah saying that he heard the Prophet (saws) saying, "The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers.' "

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan