Shaykh Ibn Uthaimin clarifies his ruling on pictures

Shaykh Ibn Uthaimin clarifies his ruling on pictures 

Question: To the noble Shaykh Muhammed Ibn Salih Al-Uthaimin, may peace be upon you, and the mercy and the blessing of Allah.

We nowadays see many pictures, large and small, in stores and supermarkets. They are pictures of famous people, pictures that are placesd on products to give prestige to those products. When we warned store owners about this being unlawful, they said that these pictures are not three-dimensional and that they do not cast a shadow, and  therefore they are not unlawful. They say that they read a ruling of yours in 'Al-Muslimun magazine, a ruling that states  that three-dimensional picture, or something that has a body, is unlawful, but otherwise it is not. Please clarify this issue  for us. May Allah reward you well and may peace and Allah's mercy and blessing be upon you.

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, and upon you peace and Allah's mercy and blessings.Whoever attributes to me the saying that pictures that has a body is unlawful, but other than that is not unlawful, has lied upon me.

I hold the view that it is not not allowed to have any pictures, regardless whether it is a picture on
clothes for adults or for children. All pictures, including those kept as memento, are not allowed unless there is a necessity for having or taking one.

Shaykh Ibn Uthaimin
FATWA ISLAMIYAH VOLUME 8, PAGE 165-166