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:

I do handembroidery work (zardosi) on cloth for Salwar kameez and saris. Can i Keep mannequins in my workshop to drape them and take pictures to display on internet and show to my clients.

Can muslims keep mannequins in their shops to display clothes. I will be obliged for replying soon as i am considering of buying a mannequin for my workshop.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Display mannequins

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Such is the abhorrence of the unforgivable and most grievous crime of ‘shirk’ in Islam that all types of idols, statues, sculptures, portraits or drawings of animate objects, etc. are absolutely forbidden in Shariah Law.

Because a ‘mannequin’ is in reality a figure or sculpture of a human being, the vast majority of the scholars have cautioned the believers to fear Allah and His Wrath, and stay away from making or using it. Some scholars have reluctantly permitted its usage, provided the ‘mannequins’ do not have faces and their display is not indecent. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan