Fatwa

Advertising

Question

Assalamuikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu
Is it permissible to advertise a product on road side billboards using pictures of people or animals

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Photography which results in a physical manifestation of the created image is prohibited and impermissible as Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam forbade us from Tasweer (drawings/paintings) of animate objects (humans and animals).

Whilst there is a difference of opinion regarding digital photography wherein the image created is confined to the device, there is no legitimate difference regarding an image that is made manifest into our reality.[1] Therefore, once an image is printed out, it is equally impermissible as an actual painting which is prohibited by Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

Accordingly, it is not permissible to create and use images of humans or animals for the purpose of advertising. One may use images of non-animate objects.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Bilal Pandor

Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel

Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia

www.daruliftaazambia.com

[1] Contemporary Fatawa Mufti Taqi Usmani pg 409-414 Maktaba Ma’ariful Quran