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It is
generally believed that the attitude of Islam towards the fine arts is not very
encouraging; it does not nurture the aesthetic sense found in human nature; in
particular, it totally prohibits the art of music as well as the art of making
human images and portraits. We believe that this view is not consistent with
Islam.
However, before
we present our observations on this issue, it is necessary to keep in consideration
two important principles of interpreting the shariah.
Firstly, it
is only the Quran which prohibits anything in Islam. As far as the Ahaadith
are concerned, they only explain something alluded to by the Quran or state
the corollory of some principle mentioned in the Quran. They are not an
independent source of knowledge on Islam and must have some basis in the
Quran, the Sunnat-i-Thaabitah1
or the established principles of human nature and intellect. Consequently,
if some Ahaadith mention the prohibition of something, it is imperative
to look up its basis in the original sources.
Secondly,
if a particular matter has been elaborated upon in the Ahaadith, it is
necessary to have a complete picture of it by collecting and analyzing
all the Ahaadith on the subject. This is essential in order to have some
idea of the context and background of what has actually been said or implied.
In the light of these two principles, it is
evident that:
i) As far
as the Quran is concerned, there is no mention of any absolute prohibition
of music or portrait making. On the contrary, it mentions that the Prophet
Solomon (sws) had made many statues and images through the agency of his
obedient army of jinns (34:13). Similary, it is also a known fact that
one of the other divinely revealed scriptures, the Zaboor, is basically
a collection of hymns. The Prophet David (sws) used to sing the various
Psalms revealed to him on his harp.
ii) If the
Quran does not apparently mention this absolute prohibition, it is necessary
to re analyze all the Ahaadith on this subject to see whether they have
been interpreted correctly.
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By collecting
and analyzing all the Ahaadith on portrait and image making, the complete
picture which emerges is that a particular category of pictures and portraits
had acquired the status of idols and were worshipped like them. They were
regarded as deities by the people of Arabia. As such, they used to consider
them alive and capable of granting them their wishes. They used to bow
down before them in adoration. Even in the Ka`aba, as a study of its history
reveals, besides numerous idols, there were many sacred pictures drawn
on its walls. Consequently, there is mention of the fact that the portraits
of Abraham (sws) and Ismail (sws) were sketched on its walls. Moreover,
Ayesha (rta) has narrated some Ahaadith in which it is stated that the
portraits of Maryam (rta) and Jesus (sws) were suspended on the walls of
churches and people used to bow before them.
Similarly,
if all Ahaadith pertaining to music are examined, the real picture which
comes to light is that musical gatherings possessed a great element of
immorality. Slave girls used to dance before an inebriated gathering, where
lewdness was let loose and promiscuity prevailed. They were a means of
stimulating base emotions in people. The extent which these gatherings
of music and dance had reached can be ell imagined by the fact that even
after the battle of Badr, a Companion of the Prophet (sws) as great as
Hamzah (rta) was seen witnessing the dance of a slave girl with some of
the people of the Ansaar, while they were taking liquor. Inspired by the
words of the song the maiden was singing and in a state of deep inebriation,
he severed the hemp of a camel standing nearby and brought forth the meat
to her.2
In the light of this analysis, the prohibition of
portraits and music can be easily understood: only portraits which possessed
religious sanctity and led people into worshipping them had been prohibited,
while music and songs which possessed an element of immorality in them had been
forbidden. Both music and image-making, it is clear, were not condemned because
of any intrinsic evil in them, but because the former contributed to the
polytheistic tendencies of people while the latter was responsible of
stimulating base sentiments in a person.
The main object
of the religion revealed to the Prophet (sws) was to cleanse and purify
human souls from evil. All means which promote base emotions in people
certainly could not be allowed in the society. He, therefore, strongly
took exception to the gatherings of music and dance in order to rebuild
the society on healthy lines.
Similarly,
the Quran regards monotheism as the fundamental article of faith and the
Prophet (sws) considered it his duty to eliminate any traces of polytheism
in the society; therefore, he ordered for the elimination of portraits
and images which had assumed the status of gods. Consequently, if the Ahaadith
are carefully studied, the words which cannot be helped missing are `such
pictures.. ' and `these pictures...', which point to a certain type of
portraits and not to all forms of it. In this regard, another hadith often
quoted in support of their total and unconditional prohibition, we are
afraid has not been interpreted correctly. The words of the Prophet as
quoted in the Sahih of Bukhari are:
"Creators of images shall be chastised and asked to inject
life in them and they shall be unable to do so." (Kitab-ul-Libaas?)
The words
actually point to the fact we have stated before. The people of Mecca used
to regard these images as living beings and as such used to invoke their
help. The hadith warns such people and says that those who believe that
that these images are living creatures and will save them on the Day of
Judgement from the wrath of the Almighty, shall actually be asked to inject
life in them on that Day, if they can, to redeem them of their punishment.
This demand, of course, would only be meant to add insult to injury.
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It is evident from the foregoing discussion that the prohibition of music and
image making pertains to a few specific forms of these arts. Music which boosts
the morale of an army or expresses noble sentiments is perfectly allowed in
Islam. Similarly, the art of image making and sculpture, if it does not revolves
around immorality or cultivate the sentiments of worship towards something is
certainly not disallowed. Similarly, Islam has no objection against photographs
which have become a social need in the form of identity cards, passports and a
means of information.
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