Question:
[This question is from a set of questions asked from india].
Some Hizbees (partisans) say images are allowed (to be used) for the sake of ‘da’wah’. They also say it is permissible to teach women without a barrier due to the teacher’s need to know who the female student is for the benefit of questions. Is this correct?
Answer:
This is opening a door for evil.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
{ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالدُّخُولَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ }
Avoid entering upon women
[Narrated by Uqbah ibn Aamir in Al-Bukhari, Hadith Number: 5232]
This is a warning from our Prophet ﷺ for a man not to enter upon a woman that is not lawful for him.
{ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالدُّخُولَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَفَرَأَيْتَ الْحَمْوَ . قَالَ : ” الْحَمْوُ الْمَوْتُ ” }
Avoid entering upon women. A man from The Ansar said: Oh Messenger of Allah ﷺ, tell me about the brother of a woman’s husband. He said ﷺ The brother of a woman’s husband is death
[Narrated by Uqbah ibn Aamir in Al-Bukhari, Hadith Number: 5232]
The brother of a woman’s husband is death, so there is no doubt that he who is more distant is death also.
If he is left with her or looks at her whilst teaching it is an opportunity (for sin to occur). Perhaps he calls her to the office or to a meeting or begins teaching her alone, paying her more and more attention. And after that, protection from Allah is sought (from what may follow). We ask Allah for well-being and safety.
The laws of the religion have been put in place to close off paths of sin and evil. This is from the innermost essence of our religion; closing off paths of sin and evil. This action is therefore not allowed for you, teaching women without a barrier, because it opens a door for sin that must be closed.
We do not know that which you have mentioned to be from that which permits the use of pictures – ‘da’wah’. The haraam is haraam. It is not permissible except due to a necessity, in which case the sin is upon whomever has compelled the person to take the picture.
Pictures are not required for da’wah in any way. The da’wah of ‘Ahlus Sunnah’, which is the strongest in the world, has entered the homes of the disbelievers and people of innovation without any use of pictures.
Not only do they not use them, they are strongly averse to their usage, especially in Yemen. Yet the da’wah is at large without the usage of videos or live streaming. Shaykh Muqbil did not have the facilities we have right now, yet his da’wah reached the end of the world without the internet or the like.
These affairs belong to Allah. If Allah wants something to be transmitted it will be transmitted, with or without these appliances.
Allah intended for the da’wah of Ahlus Sunnah to be transmitted, so it was transmitted. Transmitted east and west, causing hardship for the people of desires. All of this without pictures.
Some people claim these appliances spread the da’wah. No (this is not the case) I swear by Allah and there are alternative non-visual, readable appliances that Allah ﷻ has enriched us with such as authorship and other than it. All Praise is to Allah ﷻ The goal is achieved without the need for pictures.
The da’wah of Ahlus has not spread except by guarding and protecting from sin. As for whoever enters into sin, it is hard (for him leave to leave it).
Some people of Ahlus Sunnah have become weak. They say that this is da’wah, so he appears on these channels only for Ahlus Sunnah to abstain from his works. ‘Oh woe to him’ If only he had followed the path of his Shaykh, Al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy upon him) whose da’wah spread around the world without pictures or anything of the sort.
Shaytaan has deceived them by claiming that da’wah is spread this way. After you appear (on this channel) perhaps a singer appears after you. The refuge of Allah is sort. Perhaps the people of innovation also speak.
Therefore there is no advantage in the use of images for da’wah at all whilst the disadvantages have occurred.
Answered by: Shaykh Abu Bilaal Al-Hadhramy – may Allah preserve him
Source: https://t.me/abubilalhami/2776
Answered on: 21, Safar 1441 (19th October 2019)
Translated by: Abu Sufian Saami ibn Daniel Al-Ghaani