4 Superb Proofs Why Photography Is Halal in Islam
C.J Ahmed-15.03.2023
Taking selfies, photographs or filming videos are a normal thing in this era where technology is advancing every day. There is no doubt that taking photographs of animate object is not haram because of the overwhelming evidence stating so. Unfortunately some muslim brothers and sisters have gone in to extreme puritanism by stating that taking pictures of animate objects and even videoing them without knowing that it is Allah (swt) who has given these technological advances for us to use and not to go in to extremes in forbidding them. These arguments are based on the wrong fatwas of some scholars whom Allah will reward them inshaAllah for their sincere efforts in Ijtihad. Let me explain where these great scholars like Sheikh Fawzan, Albani and others went wrong in their fatwas and how scholars like Uthaymin and Bin Baz were right to say that making videos or taking pictures of animate beings is not haram based on the authentic evidences in Islam.
1. Analyzing the arguments of those who oppose photography
The argument of making photography is based on the hadiths prohibiting of making images of living souls. The prophet (sal) said:
"Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers."
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The prophet (sal) said:
'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like my creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'"
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
Ali (Rali) said:
"Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it."
(Sahih Muslim and Nasai)
Ibn Abbas(Rali) Narrated that the prophet (sal) said:
"Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects."
(Sahih Muslim)
The Prophet (sal) said:
"The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures."
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
These are some of the many narrations mentioning the prohibition of making the pictures of living souls. From these hadiths it is clear that drawing the images of animate objects such as humans or animals. Now this same argument is used to view photography and video making as also the same as making animate objects hence it's thought to haram. Before answering this argument let me make it clear that the animate objects that do not have a head or face or is deformed is not an animate object. This is based on the following hadiths.
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbas (Rali) that the Prophet (Sal) said: “The image is the head; if the head is cut off then there is no image.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami)
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked permission to enter upon the Prophet (Sal) and he said, “Come in.” He said: How can I come in when in your house there is a curtain on which there are images? Either cut off their heads or make it a rug that is stepped on, for we angels do not enter a house in which there are images.
(An Nasai-authenticated by Albani in Sahih An Nasai)
2. Images of animate beings can be used as rugs or as a cushion to recline.
Images of animate objects can be used as rugs or carpets and also can be used as pillows to recline. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"The Prophet (Sal) set out for an expedition. I took a carpet and screened the door with it. When he ( Prophet (Sal)) came back he saw that carpet and I perceived signs of disapproval on his face. He pulled it until it was torn or it was cut (into pieces) and he said: God has not commanded us to clothe stones and clay. We cut it (the curtain) and prepared two pillows out of it by stuffing them with the fibre of date-palms and he (Prophet (Sal)) did not find fault with it.
(Sahih Muslim)
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"I bought a cushion with suras on it. When Allah’s Messenger (Sal) saw it, he kept standing at the door and did not enter the house. I noticed the sign of disgust on his face, so I said, “O Allah’s Messenger! I repent to Allah and to His Messenger. (Please let me know) what sin I have done.” He (Sal) said, “What about this cushion?” I replied, “I bought it for you to sit and recline on.” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “The makers of these suras will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, ‘Breathe life into what you have created.’” He (peace be upon him) added, “Angels do not enter a house where there are suras. I took it and turned it into two pillows on which he used to recline at home.”
(Sahih Muslim)
It must be noted , unlike nowadays where some muslim brothers and sisters are harsh when images of animate objects are present on clothes, the prophet (sal) was lenient on this issue. Images of animate beings are allowed when there are designs on the clothing or if there are images in sheets as well. The above hadith also proves clearly that buying images or objects/dolls of animate beings is not haram because when Aisha (Rali) told the prophet (Sal) that she brought the cushion, the prophet (Sal) did not forbid her on that.
Ubaydullah ibn `Abdullah who narrated that he went to Abu Talhah Al-Ansary to visit him during his illness and found Sahl ibn Hunayf with him. Abu Talhah asked someone to remove a rug on the floor. Sahl asked: "Why do you (want to) remove it? He replied: Because it includes suras and I know what the Messenger of Allah (Sal) said about them (suras – i.e. the ruling on them). He said: Did he not say: “Except a design in a cloth”. He said, “Yes, but this is more comfortable for me.”
(Narrated in Musnad Ahmed, Nasai ,Tirmidhi-Imam Tirmidhi graded it as Hasan Sahih)
Narrated on the authority of Busr ibn Sa`id from Zayd ibn Khalid from Abu Talhah that the Prophet (Sal) stated: Angels do not enter a house in which there is a sura. Busr said, “Zayd then fell ill and we went to visit him but there was a curtain with a sura hanging at his door. I said to `Ubaydullah Al-Khawlany: the stepson of Maymunah – the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Did not Zayd tell us about (the ruling on) suras the day before? `Ubaydullah said: Did you not hear when he said: Except a design in a cloth.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim- another hadith narrated on the authority of `Amr ibn Al-Harith from Bukayr Al-Ashaj from Busr that he said, “I said to `UbaydullahAl-Khawlani: Did he not tell us about (the ruling on) suras? He said: He said, “Except a design in a cloth. Did you not hear him?” I said: No and he said: He said, “He indeed did say that.” -This hadith was also narrated in Bukhari and Muslim).
This was how the sahaba understood this hadith when an image was on a curtain.
The other hadith to prove that hanging an image of an animate being is allowed is in the following hadith.
A'isha (Rali) narrated :
"We had a curtain with us which had portraits of birds upon it. Whenever a visitor came, he found them in front of him. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upop him) said to me: Change them, for whenever I enter the room) I see them and it brings to my mind (the pleasures) of worldly life. She said: We had with us a sheet which had silk badges upon it and we used to wear it. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Muthanna but with this addition: 'Allah's Messenger (Rali) did not command us to tear that."
(Sahih Muslim)
If having images of animate beings was such a strict matter, the prophet (sal) would have not acted so leniently. In the above hadith the prophet (Sal) ordered Aisha (Rali) to remove the images not because it was forbidden but because it was reminding him of worldy pleasures.
3. Using dolls for play or statues that are not complete.
Images of animate beings can be used for food or as a toy or if such objects are deformed or does not resemble a full image of a human or animal. Aisha (rali) narrated
"I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (Sal). And I had girl-friends (playmates) who played along with me. They would hide (feeling shy) from him (Sal) whenever he entered. But, he ( Prophet (Sal)) would call them to join and play with me"
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Aisha(Rali) narrated
Then the side of the curtain which was over the dolls of 'Aa'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) was uncovered. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: What is this, O 'Aa'isha? She said: My dolls. She then said: then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw amongst them a winged horse which was tied up. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: What is this? I said: A horse. He said: A horse with two wings? I said: Didn't you hear that Sulaiman (Solomon - peace be upon him) had horses with wings? Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) laughed" (in another narration his teeth could be seen because of his laughter)
(Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani in Ghaayat al-Maraam)
From the above hadiths it is clear that this ruling applies to teddy bears and also any image which is not complete.
Some scholars erroneously argue that this incident took place before the prohibition of images. Ibn Hajar raheemaullah was one of them. He said in his Fath Al Bari,
“If the doll of Aisha (Rali) had clear features, then this was before the prohibition of picture-making, otherwise the doll did have prominent features”.
This is only his opinion based on mere assumptions. There is no evidence from the Quran or sunnah saying so. The other wrong argument is that this was permissible for Aisha (Rali) because she had not attained puberty. This is also erroneuos because the hadiths does not make any such distinctions between an adult an a child and there is no evidence whether such an incidence happened before Aisha (Rali)'s puberty.
Abu Hurayrah(Rali) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sal) said: Jibril came to me and said:
‘I came to you yesterday and nothing prevented me from entering except that there were statues by your door, there was a curtain in your house with suras on it, and there was a dog in the house. Tell someone to cut off the head of the statue by your door, so it will look like a tree; tell someone to tear up the curtain and make it into floor-cushions that will be stepped on; and tell someone to put the dog outside.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did that. The dog belonged to Al-Hasan or Al-Husayn and was under their couch. The Prophet (Sal) ordered that it would be taken outside the house.
(Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi ,Nasai with slight variations with a Sahih Sanad)
4. The wrong argument that the drawn image and a photograph/video is the same thing
Some muslims who are blind followers of scholars use the famous fatwa of Shaikh Naseeruddin Al Albani
(Raheemahullah) to prove that photography and video making are also a form of making pictures of living beings. Shaikh Albani as a human being is prone to mistakes and it is up to the individual to use his/her brain to understand and differenciate between right and wrong. When the question asked that photography is not similar to drawing , Sheikh Albani responded by stating
"Those who say that photography is permitted have “frozen” the meaning of the word “tasweer,” restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is “tasweer” or “picture-making” in every sense – linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?”
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albani, p. 38)
By looking at the above fatwa it might seem to many that Shaikh Albani has a point. The word tasweer that was explained and forbidden in the hadiths are hand drawn images not reflections do not come under this. As we look closer it will be clear to everyone that this argumant by Shaikh Nasir is wrong. Let me explain. Linguistically speaking, there was no word in arabic when photography was invented French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in the 1920's so the same word used for a drawn image was given to the photograph as soora.
The word for the caravan in the Quran is "SayYaara"(سَيَّارَةٌ). Now in modern day coloquial arabic the word "SayYaara"(سَيَّارَةٌ)
refers to a car. Allah says in th Quran:
"وَجَاءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌ فَأَرْسَلُواْ وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَى دَلْوَهُ قَالَ"
"And there came a caravan of travelers and they sent their water-drawer"
(12:19)
In the abobe verse , "SayYara"(سَيَّارَةٌ) means a caravan but in modern coloquial arabic means "Qafila"(قافلة). Now, imagine if someone argues that the word "SayYara" in the Quran also refers to the modern day Mercedes Benz will that argument hold water:? No because that would be foolish and it will change the real meaning in the Quran.
(From the above image it could be understood that the image is captured through a lense and is bounced with the help of a mirror. This same mechanism of reflection is similar to that of a mirror and it also exists in digital cameras in mobile and other devices as well. A reflection cannot be compared to a hand drawn image).
Now coming back to Shaikh Albani's argument of an idol making machine with the push of a button, this has nothing to do with taking pictures bacause taking pictures is done using reflection mechanisms similar to a mirror which is not haram in Islam. The push button example is similar to allowing a robot or a group of people drawing an image under your supervision which is haram. The push button example has to do with making and image and has nothing to do with a reflection. I therefore counter argue by saying if you push a button in a machine that only does reflect images similar to a mirror and produce an image then how can it be haram even if you had or not had physically got involved? Then someone could again counter argue by saying that the image in the mirror is not static It moves. My answer to that is, if you keep a mirror on the opposite side of a dead corpse, then what will you call it a handmade drawing or a reflection or if there is a mirror opposite a patient who is in coma and is not moving and the mirror is reflecting his entire body and if you seem to be near this patient how are you going to view this image in the mirror? Are you going to throw away the mirror because it is reflecting the patient's body in a static way? A camera in other ways is an advanced form of a mirror which has many features with buttons. The above explanation clearly proves beyond doubt that photography and making videos of animate beings is allowed in Islam. Scholars like Salih Al Uthaymin was of this view and Sheikh Bin Baz was of the view that taking videos of living beings is allowed. If the Muslim ummah stays away from making Taqlid (blind following) of scholars and stick to the Quran and the authentic Sunnah, it will be easier and practical for them to follow Islam.
Taking selfies, photographs or filming videos are a normal thing in this era where technology is advancing every day. There is no doubt that taking photographs of animate object is not haram because of the overwhelming evidence stating so. Unfortunately some muslim brothers and sisters have gone in to extreme puritanism by stating that taking pictures of animate objects and even videoing them without knowing that it is Allah (swt) who has given these technological advances for us to use and not to go in to extremes in forbidding them. These arguments are based on the wrong fatwas of some scholars whom Allah will reward them inshaAllah for their sincere efforts in Ijtihad. Let me explain where these great scholars like Sheikh Fawzan, Albani and others went wrong in their fatwas and how scholars like Uthaymin and Bin Baz were right to say that making videos or taking pictures of animate beings is not haram based on the authentic evidences in Islam.
1. Analyzing the arguments of those who oppose photography
The argument of making photography is based on the hadiths prohibiting of making images of living souls. The prophet (sal) said:
"Those who will be most severely punished by Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers."
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The prophet (sal) said:
'Who does more wrong than the one who tries to create something like my creation? Let him create a grain of wheat or a kernel of corn.'"
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
Ali (Rali) said:
"Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any built-up tomb without levelling it, and do not leave any picture in any house without erasing it."
(Sahih Muslim and Nasai)
Ibn Abbas(Rali) Narrated that the prophet (sal) said:
"Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects."
(Sahih Muslim)
The Prophet (sal) said:
"The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures."
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
These are some of the many narrations mentioning the prohibition of making the pictures of living souls. From these hadiths it is clear that drawing the images of animate objects such as humans or animals. Now this same argument is used to view photography and video making as also the same as making animate objects hence it's thought to haram. Before answering this argument let me make it clear that the animate objects that do not have a head or face or is deformed is not an animate object. This is based on the following hadiths.
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbas (Rali) that the Prophet (Sal) said: “The image is the head; if the head is cut off then there is no image.”
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami)
Abu Hurayrah (Rali) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked permission to enter upon the Prophet (Sal) and he said, “Come in.” He said: How can I come in when in your house there is a curtain on which there are images? Either cut off their heads or make it a rug that is stepped on, for we angels do not enter a house in which there are images.
(An Nasai-authenticated by Albani in Sahih An Nasai)
2. Images of animate beings can be used as rugs or as a cushion to recline.
Images of animate objects can be used as rugs or carpets and also can be used as pillows to recline. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"The Prophet (Sal) set out for an expedition. I took a carpet and screened the door with it. When he ( Prophet (Sal)) came back he saw that carpet and I perceived signs of disapproval on his face. He pulled it until it was torn or it was cut (into pieces) and he said: God has not commanded us to clothe stones and clay. We cut it (the curtain) and prepared two pillows out of it by stuffing them with the fibre of date-palms and he (Prophet (Sal)) did not find fault with it.
(Sahih Muslim)
Aisha (Rali) narrated:
"I bought a cushion with suras on it. When Allah’s Messenger (Sal) saw it, he kept standing at the door and did not enter the house. I noticed the sign of disgust on his face, so I said, “O Allah’s Messenger! I repent to Allah and to His Messenger. (Please let me know) what sin I have done.” He (Sal) said, “What about this cushion?” I replied, “I bought it for you to sit and recline on.” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “The makers of these suras will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, ‘Breathe life into what you have created.’” He (peace be upon him) added, “Angels do not enter a house where there are suras. I took it and turned it into two pillows on which he used to recline at home.”
(Sahih Muslim)
It must be noted , unlike nowadays where some muslim brothers and sisters are harsh when images of animate objects are present on clothes, the prophet (sal) was lenient on this issue. Images of animate beings are allowed when there are designs on the clothing or if there are images in sheets as well. The above hadith also proves clearly that buying images or objects/dolls of animate beings is not haram because when Aisha (Rali) told the prophet (Sal) that she brought the cushion, the prophet (Sal) did not forbid her on that.
Ubaydullah ibn `Abdullah who narrated that he went to Abu Talhah Al-Ansary to visit him during his illness and found Sahl ibn Hunayf with him. Abu Talhah asked someone to remove a rug on the floor. Sahl asked: "Why do you (want to) remove it? He replied: Because it includes suras and I know what the Messenger of Allah (Sal) said about them (suras – i.e. the ruling on them). He said: Did he not say: “Except a design in a cloth”. He said, “Yes, but this is more comfortable for me.”
(Narrated in Musnad Ahmed, Nasai ,Tirmidhi-Imam Tirmidhi graded it as Hasan Sahih)
Narrated on the authority of Busr ibn Sa`id from Zayd ibn Khalid from Abu Talhah that the Prophet (Sal) stated: Angels do not enter a house in which there is a sura. Busr said, “Zayd then fell ill and we went to visit him but there was a curtain with a sura hanging at his door. I said to `Ubaydullah Al-Khawlany: the stepson of Maymunah – the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Did not Zayd tell us about (the ruling on) suras the day before? `Ubaydullah said: Did you not hear when he said: Except a design in a cloth.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim- another hadith narrated on the authority of `Amr ibn Al-Harith from Bukayr Al-Ashaj from Busr that he said, “I said to `UbaydullahAl-Khawlani: Did he not tell us about (the ruling on) suras? He said: He said, “Except a design in a cloth. Did you not hear him?” I said: No and he said: He said, “He indeed did say that.” -This hadith was also narrated in Bukhari and Muslim).
This was how the sahaba understood this hadith when an image was on a curtain.
The other hadith to prove that hanging an image of an animate being is allowed is in the following hadith.
A'isha (Rali) narrated :
"We had a curtain with us which had portraits of birds upon it. Whenever a visitor came, he found them in front of him. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upop him) said to me: Change them, for whenever I enter the room) I see them and it brings to my mind (the pleasures) of worldly life. She said: We had with us a sheet which had silk badges upon it and we used to wear it. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Muthanna but with this addition: 'Allah's Messenger (Rali) did not command us to tear that."
(Sahih Muslim)
If having images of animate beings was such a strict matter, the prophet (sal) would have not acted so leniently. In the above hadith the prophet (Sal) ordered Aisha (Rali) to remove the images not because it was forbidden but because it was reminding him of worldy pleasures.
3. Using dolls for play or statues that are not complete.
Images of animate beings can be used for food or as a toy or if such objects are deformed or does not resemble a full image of a human or animal. Aisha (rali) narrated
"I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (Sal). And I had girl-friends (playmates) who played along with me. They would hide (feeling shy) from him (Sal) whenever he entered. But, he ( Prophet (Sal)) would call them to join and play with me"
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Aisha(Rali) narrated
Then the side of the curtain which was over the dolls of 'Aa'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) was uncovered. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: What is this, O 'Aa'isha? She said: My dolls. She then said: then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw amongst them a winged horse which was tied up. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: What is this? I said: A horse. He said: A horse with two wings? I said: Didn't you hear that Sulaiman (Solomon - peace be upon him) had horses with wings? Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) laughed" (in another narration his teeth could be seen because of his laughter)
(Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani in Ghaayat al-Maraam)
From the above hadiths it is clear that this ruling applies to teddy bears and also any image which is not complete.
Some scholars erroneously argue that this incident took place before the prohibition of images. Ibn Hajar raheemaullah was one of them. He said in his Fath Al Bari,
“If the doll of Aisha (Rali) had clear features, then this was before the prohibition of picture-making, otherwise the doll did have prominent features”.
This is only his opinion based on mere assumptions. There is no evidence from the Quran or sunnah saying so. The other wrong argument is that this was permissible for Aisha (Rali) because she had not attained puberty. This is also erroneuos because the hadiths does not make any such distinctions between an adult an a child and there is no evidence whether such an incidence happened before Aisha (Rali)'s puberty.
Abu Hurayrah(Rali) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sal) said: Jibril came to me and said:
‘I came to you yesterday and nothing prevented me from entering except that there were statues by your door, there was a curtain in your house with suras on it, and there was a dog in the house. Tell someone to cut off the head of the statue by your door, so it will look like a tree; tell someone to tear up the curtain and make it into floor-cushions that will be stepped on; and tell someone to put the dog outside.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did that. The dog belonged to Al-Hasan or Al-Husayn and was under their couch. The Prophet (Sal) ordered that it would be taken outside the house.
(Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi ,Nasai with slight variations with a Sahih Sanad)
4. The wrong argument that the drawn image and a photograph/video is the same thing
Some muslims who are blind followers of scholars use the famous fatwa of Shaikh Naseeruddin Al Albani
(Raheemahullah) to prove that photography and video making are also a form of making pictures of living beings. Shaikh Albani as a human being is prone to mistakes and it is up to the individual to use his/her brain to understand and differenciate between right and wrong. When the question asked that photography is not similar to drawing , Sheikh Albani responded by stating
"Those who say that photography is permitted have “frozen” the meaning of the word “tasweer,” restriciting it only to the meaning known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and not adding the meaning of photography, which is “tasweer” or “picture-making” in every sense – linguistic, legal, and in its harmful effects, and as is clear from the definition mentioned above. Years ago, I said to one of them, By the same token, you could allow idols which have not been carved but have been made by pressing a button on some machine that turns out idols by the dozen. What do you say to that?”
(Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albani, p. 38)
By looking at the above fatwa it might seem to many that Shaikh Albani has a point. The word tasweer that was explained and forbidden in the hadiths are hand drawn images not reflections do not come under this. As we look closer it will be clear to everyone that this argumant by Shaikh Nasir is wrong. Let me explain. Linguistically speaking, there was no word in arabic when photography was invented French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in the 1920's so the same word used for a drawn image was given to the photograph as soora.
The word for the caravan in the Quran is "SayYaara"(سَيَّارَةٌ). Now in modern day coloquial arabic the word "SayYaara"(سَيَّارَةٌ)
refers to a car. Allah says in th Quran:
"وَجَاءَتْ سَيَّارَةٌ فَأَرْسَلُواْ وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَى دَلْوَهُ قَالَ"
"And there came a caravan of travelers and they sent their water-drawer"
(12:19)
In the abobe verse , "SayYara"(سَيَّارَةٌ) means a caravan but in modern coloquial arabic means "Qafila"(قافلة). Now, imagine if someone argues that the word "SayYara" in the Quran also refers to the modern day Mercedes Benz will that argument hold water:? No because that would be foolish and it will change the real meaning in the Quran.
(From the above image it could be understood that the image is captured through a lense and is bounced with the help of a mirror. This same mechanism of reflection is similar to that of a mirror and it also exists in digital cameras in mobile and other devices as well. A reflection cannot be compared to a hand drawn image).
Now coming back to Shaikh Albani's argument of an idol making machine with the push of a button, this has nothing to do with taking pictures bacause taking pictures is done using reflection mechanisms similar to a mirror which is not haram in Islam. The push button example is similar to allowing a robot or a group of people drawing an image under your supervision which is haram. The push button example has to do with making and image and has nothing to do with a reflection. I therefore counter argue by saying if you push a button in a machine that only does reflect images similar to a mirror and produce an image then how can it be haram even if you had or not had physically got involved? Then someone could again counter argue by saying that the image in the mirror is not static It moves. My answer to that is, if you keep a mirror on the opposite side of a dead corpse, then what will you call it a handmade drawing or a reflection or if there is a mirror opposite a patient who is in coma and is not moving and the mirror is reflecting his entire body and if you seem to be near this patient how are you going to view this image in the mirror? Are you going to throw away the mirror because it is reflecting the patient's body in a static way? A camera in other ways is an advanced form of a mirror which has many features with buttons. The above explanation clearly proves beyond doubt that photography and making videos of animate beings is allowed in Islam. Scholars like Salih Al Uthaymin was of this view and Sheikh Bin Baz was of the view that taking videos of living beings is allowed. If the Muslim ummah stays away from making Taqlid (blind following) of scholars and stick to the Quran and the authentic Sunnah, it will be easier and practical for them to follow Islam.