Fatwa

Why are passport photos permitted

Question

Is photography allowed or not and if its not then why is passport photos allowed

With dalaeel

Answer

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

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

Photography is contested amongst contemporary Ulama due to the fact that photographs did not exist in the time of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. What did exist were portraits, paintings and sculptures, i.e. Tasweer, and these are accepted by all our Ulama to be prohibited. Using analogy, some scholars say photography is no different to Tasweer. Others argue that as opposed to a painter, a photo is not ‘created’ by the person, rather by the camera. It is also not an image, rather a mirror of an image. Nevertheless, it is accepted by all groups that to err on the side of caution is still the best option especially given the grave warnings that exist against the ‘Musawwireen’. Furthermore, scholars who do not consider photography to be ‘Tasweer’ have even spoken out against the way people have accepted it and have made it a daily part of their lives with selfies and the like.

As for passport photos, one principle in Shar’iah is that necessity facilitates ease. It is not possible to move freely in the world, which is a right as a human, except with a passport. Hence, a passport photo will be permitted by all ulama as it fulfils a genuine need and purpose.

As for daleel, authors have written entire treatises on the subject. That is beyond the scope of the layman.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Bilal Pandor

Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel

Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia

www.daruliftaazambia.com