Decorating with Islamic Calligraphy

Decorating with Islamic Calligraphy

taken from AlBaseerah.org

 Q&A Session with Shaykh Ahmed Al-Munayee

 

Question:

 

What is the ruling on decorating the walls or placing the Names of Allaah as decoration in the house? And what about the calligraphy and pictures used as screensavers or wallpaper on computer monitor screens?

 

Answer:

 

As for the issue of beautifying the walls and the pillars with the Names of Allaah or the aayaat of Allaah from the Qur’aan then this is opposite and in opposition to what the Righteous Predecessors – the Salaf as-Saalih were upon. Rather, this is something that has come in and was introduced to us from the people of the outside religion such as the churches and other than them. It is well known that the Christians put these pictures on their walls and pillars.. They put up pictures and statues and these types of things and then the Muslims did something similar to that by placing the aayaat and ahaadeeth on their walls and pillars or placing some of the Names or words or things to this effect. This is not something that the Companions of the Prophet were upon, nor those who came after them from the Scholars of the Salaf or Ahlus Sunnaah. This is in opposition to the Sunnah.

 

Then after this the people of Sufiyyah took this action of putting up pictures and decorations all around, from the Christians. The Sufis started to introduce it into the masaajid and places of this sort. And as I said, this is in opposition to the Sunnah.

 

As for the Muslim putting some of the adkhaar, aayaat, hadeeth, or like that in his notebook or palm pilot etc. that he likes to read at certain times, or he makes it something that he does on a daily basis, then there is no problem with that. As for being used for beautification or ornamentation then this is not something that was done. Rather, the Qur’aan is something that is put in the books and which is recited, so that the people may worship Allaah by reciting it; as for being put up for beautification and ornamentation then this is in opposition to the Sunnah.