Question
My question is regarding drawing a mascot for a company in a way that it remains halal and doesn’t fall under the ahadith condemning picture makers.
The issue arises in how to create the mascots in a way that doesn’t emulate the creation of Allah. Most sources I’ve read state that drawing humans and animals without a face is impermissible, but drawing inanimate objects such as cars with facial features is permissible. So my questions are:
- At what point is an object considered inanimate or too unlike the creation of Allah?
- If it is unlike a human or animal in its resemblance (an imaginary being of some sort) then can a face be drawn on it?
- Can such an object then be turned into a mascot that has a life and does things, shows emotions etc.?
- Would an emoji be considered impermissible?
I would have attached pictures of the mascots that I am not sure are haram but I can’t, so I’ll just list them instead. Please check them out so you have an idea of what kind I mean. A google search should suffice.
- Snoo (Reddit mascot): Most similar to what I have in mind
- MnM mascot
- Minions (from Despicable Me)
- The Michelin Man mascot
- The Pillsbury Doughboy mascot
My apologies for the long question. I hope it helps clarify the query. I would highly appreciate as urgent a response as possible.
Answer
To make a form or picture of anything animate or to make any such feature which illustrates life in an object, be it an actual real-life object or something imaginary, will all fall within the ambit of Haraam picture making. Therefore, to depict the complete body shape of a human being or animal in such a way that it very clearly portrays a living object, would be impermissible. This is regardless of whether the head has been removed or not. Similarly, to apply human like features (such as a car with facial features) to an inanimate object would also be considered impermissible, as it would show life in something which is supposed to be lifeless. Very similar is the case of emoji’s, which distinctly portray facial features.
Therefore, the mascot which you choose may not be personified and has to be free of any humanly or animalistic shapes or features that portray animateness.
The mascots with regards to which you have queried all fall into the impermissible category, as can be understood from the above explanation.
N.B. The term ‘inanimate mascot’ in today’s world refers to an inanimate object which has been given facial features. This is impermissible.
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
References
بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (5/ 127)
ثُمَّ الْمَكْرُوهُ صُورَةُ ذِي الرُّوحِ فَأَمَّا صُورَةُ مَا لَا رُوحَ لَهُ مِنْ الْأَشْجَارِ وَالْقَنَادِيلِ وَنَحْوِهَا فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.
رد المحتار علي الدر المختار( 1/648)
… وَظَاهِرُ كَلَامِ النَّوَوِيِّ فِي شَرْحِ مُسْلِمٍ الْإِجْمَاعُ عَلَى تَحْرِيمِ تَصْوِيرِ الْحَيَوَانِ، وَقَالَ: وَسَوَاءٌ صَنَعَهُ لِمَا يُمْتَهَنُ أَوْ لِغَيْرِهِ، فَصَنْعَتُهُ حَرَامٌ بِكُلِّ حَالٍ لِأَنَّ فِيهِ مُضَاهَاةَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ فِي ثَوْبٍ أَوْ بِسَاطٍ أَوْ دِرْهَمٍ وَإِنَاءٍ وَحَائِطٍ وَغَيْرِهَا اهـ فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ حَرَامًا لَا مَكْرُوهًا إنْ ثَبَتَ الْإِجْمَاعُ أَوْ قَطْعِيَّةُ الدَّلِيلِ بِتَوَاتُرِهِ اهـ كَلَامُ الْبَحْرِ مُلَخَّصًا. وَظَاهِرُ قَوْلِهِ فَيَنْبَغِي الِاعْتِرَاضُ عَلَى الْخُلَاصَةِ فِي تَسْمِيَتِهِ مَكْرُوهًا…. (قَوْلُهُ أَوْ مَقْطُوعَةَ الرَّأْسِ) أَيْ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ مِنْ الْأَصْلِ أَوْ كَانَ لَهَا رَأْسٌ وَمُحِيَ، وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ الْقَطْعُ بِخَيْطِ خِيطَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الرَّأْسِ حَتَّى لَمْ يَبْقَ لَهُ أَثَرٌ، أَوْ بَطَلَيْهِ بِمَغْرَةٍ أَوْ بِنَحْتِهِ، أَوْ بِغَسْلِهِ لِأَنَّهَا لَا تُعْبَدُ بِدُونِ الرَّأْسِ عَادَةً وَأَمَّا قَطْعُ الرَّأْسِ عَنْ الْجَسَدِ بِخَيْطٍ مَعَ بَقَاءِ الرَّأْسِ عَلَى حَالِهِ فَلَا يَنْفِي الْكَرَاهَةَ لِأَنَّ مِنْ الطُّيُورِ مَا هُوَ مُطَوَّقٌ فَلَا يَتَحَقَّقُ الْقَطْعُ بِذَلِكَ، وَقَيَّدَ بِالرَّأْسِ لِأَنَّهُ لَا اعْتِبَارَ بِإِزَالَةِ الْحَاجِبِينَ أَوْ الْعَيْنَيْنِ لِأَنَّهَا تُعْبَدُ بِدُونِهَا وَكَذَا لَا اعْتِبَارَ بِقَطْعِ الْيَدَيْنِ أَوْ الرِّجْلَيْنِ بَحْرٌ