Is It Permissible To Buy Books With Human Bodies Depicted In Them?

Question: Assalamu ‘alaykum. Can we buy books on which there are paintings, that is to say where there are human bodies drawn?

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.
Yes, buying books with images of human beings is permissible. The rules of looking at ‘awra of others, however, will still apply. It would not be permissible to look at any inappropriate content such as the ‘awra of others. [Marghinani, Hidaya]

It would not be permissible to buy a book or magazine that has a primary purpose of depicting lewd images. It’s best to shun any content that will likely lead to the immoral.

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.