May a Muslim paint pictures?

Yes. What is forbidden is depicting imaginary gods to be worshipped. Painting reality, such as people, landscapes or objects, is not forbidden.

Many Muslims have heard that every picture is forbidden in Islam. Some scholars hold this strict view. But whoever looks closely finds something different in the Holy Qur’an. What it condemns are images that take the place of God and are worshipped.

The first verse above shows this clearly. Abraham (as) asked his people what these images were to which they were so devoted. The problem was not shapes and colours. The problem was worshipping something that is not God. That is why it is forbidden to paint imaginary gods that do not exist.

The second verse above reports that, among other things, statues were made for Solomon (as). The Holy Qur’an does not criticise this. So a picture or a figure is not bad in itself.

A simple example helps to understand this. When you look into a mirror, you see an image. But that image shows reality. Reality is not forbidden in Islam. A painting of a person, a landscape or a flower does essentially nothing more than capture reality.

So an artist who is a Muslim may paint, including pictures with no religious content. He should only make sure that his art does not lead to the worship of anything other than God and does not show anything indecent.