Are Stuffed Animals Haram? No,and He is Why with 6 Proofs
C.J Ahmed-08.04.2023
Stuffed animals are toys such as reddy bears or real animals that have ben stuffed after they have died. Having or buying such animals is not haram in Islam because of the general permissibility of having toys such as dolls or any other animate toys.
The evidence is from the following hadiths,
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbaas (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)
(Bukhari and Muslim)
(Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani in Ghaayat al-Maraam)
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) )
Thre is evidence that Aisha(rali) brought a cushion with an imag of an animate object. The hadith is as follows,
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)After all the above hadiths clearly proving that having stuffed animals is halal, some blind following idiots will quote the following fatwa of Sheikh Ibn Baz to prove that stuffed animals are haram. Ibn Baz said,
“Keeping stuffed birds and animals, regardless of whether it is haraam or permissible to keep them when alive, is a waste of money and a kind of extravagance, because these things cost money. Allaah has forbidden extravagance and wastefulness, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade wasting money. This is also a means of making images of birds etc that have souls, and displaying them in houses, offices, etc, which is haraam. So it is not permissible to sell them or keep them.”(Majmoo’ah Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 5/377)
First of all wasting money is subjective and nowhere in any authentic hadith does it state that buying stuffed toys or animals is a waste of time.
Stuffed animals are toys such as reddy bears or real animals that have ben stuffed after they have died. Having or buying such animals is not haram in Islam because of the general permissibility of having toys such as dolls or any other animate toys.
The evidence is from the following hadiths,
Al-Ismaa’eeli narrated in his Mu’jam from Ibn ‘Abbaas (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)
- Aisha (rali) narrated
(Bukhari and Muslim)
- Aisha(Rali) narrated
(Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani in Ghaayat al-Maraam)
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) )
Thre is evidence that Aisha(rali) brought a cushion with an imag of an animate object. The hadith is as follows,
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)After all the above hadiths clearly proving that having stuffed animals is halal, some blind following idiots will quote the following fatwa of Sheikh Ibn Baz to prove that stuffed animals are haram. Ibn Baz said,
“Keeping stuffed birds and animals, regardless of whether it is haraam or permissible to keep them when alive, is a waste of money and a kind of extravagance, because these things cost money. Allaah has forbidden extravagance and wastefulness, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade wasting money. This is also a means of making images of birds etc that have souls, and displaying them in houses, offices, etc, which is haraam. So it is not permissible to sell them or keep them.”(Majmoo’ah Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 5/377)
First of all wasting money is subjective and nowhere in any authentic hadith does it state that buying stuffed toys or animals is a waste of time.