Nasai

(1) The prohibition of images is also established from this hadith.

(2) It is recommended and desirable to prepare food for people of knowledge and virtue and to invite them to eat.

(3) This blessed hadith clearly indicates the noble character and humility of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as he used to accept the invitations of his noble Companions and would go to their homes to eat.

(4) The angels of mercy absolutely do not enter a house in which there is an image; thus, what greater deprivation can there be than for mercy not to descend upon a person’s house, shop, or place of business? When the angels of mercy do not come, how will mercy descend?

(5) Obedience to Allah has been placed in the nature and disposition of the angels; therefore, they do not go to any place where there is disobedience and defiance of Allah.

(6) The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam returned from the house of Ali radi Allahu anhu without eating, because there was a curtain with designs and images hanging there. This manner of advising one’s children or relatives is extremely effective; therefore, in any gathering, assembly, or house where there is open opposition and disobedience to any clear command of Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, people of knowledge—especially the inheritors of the pulpit and the mihrab—should not go there. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
The narration of Abdullah ibn Wahb has already been mentioned with a connected chain in the chapter on "The Beginning of Bad Character."
Nawawi said: It is necessary to reconcile the hadiths, so in the hadith in which it is stated "except a figure on a garment (illa raqman fi thawb)," we will interpret it to mean that the decorative images on clothing are permissible if they are of non-living things, such as trees and the like. In fact, images of non-living things are absolutely permissible, whether they are drawn on cloth or paper, or made as sculptures. Therefore, the specific exception of a certain type of design would have no meaning.
Ibn al-Arabi said: Sculpted images (mujassam tasweer) of living beings (dhi ruh) are, by consensus, forbidden. As for drawn images (naqshi tasweer) and photographic images (aksi photo), there are four opinions:
➊ The first is that they are absolutely permissible.
➋ The second is that they are absolutely prohibited, and this is the preferred opinion regarding images of living beings, regardless of how they are made.
➌ The third opinion is that if the image is only up to the neck, or of such a portion of the body that the living being cannot live with it, then it is permissible; otherwise, it is not.
➍ The fourth is that if it is on the floor or on a cushion, where it is subject to humiliation, then it is permissible; but if it is hung up (as nowadays photos are hung for blessing or beauty), then this is never permissible. However, the dolls that girls make and play with are, by consensus, permissible.
(Wahidi)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Hazrat Basar bin Sa‘id went to visit Abu Talhah radi Allahu anhu together with Ubaydullah Khawlani, as is mentioned in another narration.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Creation, Hadith: 3226)
(2)
It should be noted that by "except a figure on a cloth" is meant such a cloth with an image on it that is trampled underfoot or spread out as bedding, so there is no harm in such a cloth.
In fact, at the beginning of Islam, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam prohibited every kind of image because people had only recently abandoned the worship of images.
When people became completely averse to these images, then, due to necessity, those images were permitted which were trampled underfoot and treated with disrespect, because no one worships something that is held in contempt. As for those images that are not humiliated but rather are kept with honor and respect, their prohibition remained in effect.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 15/130)
(3)
In any case, the fundamental point is that it is not permissible to hang up or keep with oneself images of living beings or symbols of the cross or false deities as decoration. However, if they are on cloth or in such a state where they are being disrespected, then it is permissible, but even then, it is better to avoid them.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
It is understood from this that the angels detest acts of disobedience.
Creating images of living beings is also considered a sin in the sight of Allah.
Therefore, in any house where such images exist, the angels of mercy do not enter; that house is deprived of Allah’s mercy.
Whatever has been stated in the Prophetic instruction is the truth.
To probe further into this is an innovation (bid‘ah).
Angels are spiritual beings.
Just as they are, so too are their actions.
In the house of Zayd ibn Khalid radi Allahu anhu, there were images of non-living things on the curtain fabric, which are exempted from this ruling.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Tamathil:
Plural of timthal,
The likeness or image of someone,
Whether it is a statue or a picture.

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:
By prohibited images are meant pictures of animate beings, and the images of inanimate objects are in reality merely designs and patterns, because they are simply lifeless drawings or lines.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
The original meaning of "raqam" is inscription and writing.
Therefore, by this is meant patterns and floral designs.

Benefits and Issues:
Some people have deduced from this hadith
that the image which has no shadow, i.e., does not have a body,
is permissible.
However, according to the majority, its meaning is the depiction of inanimate objects,
such as flowers,
buds,
trees, etc.,
because the meaning of "raqam" according to Ibn Manzur is "khutat min al-washi"—patterns of floral designs—and according to Imam Raghib,
"al-khatt al-ghaliz"—a thick line or bold pattern—and according to Ibn Athir,
"al-raqam" means pattern, and its original meaning is writing or inscription.
Therefore, interpreting it as making images is not correct.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ If the images in this curtain are considered to be of living beings, then by tearing it, they are eliminated, and it becomes permissible to use them in cushions and the like.

➋ Hanging curtains on walls without purpose is extravagance and wastefulness, which is absolutely forbidden.

➌ If a dog is kept for guarding, it is permissible; otherwise, it is not.

➍ Keeping images of living beings or their idols in homes, shops, etc., is forbidden. Because of them, the angels of mercy do not enter.

➎ This hadith also indicates that one should not reply to the greeting (salam) of someone who commits unlawful and reprehensible acts.

➏ This hadith also points to the greatness and virtue of the daughter of as-Siddiq al-Akbar, the most truthful and chaste woman of the universe, Umm al-Mu’minin, Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha, that she was always ready to keep the Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam pleased and happy, and that his pleasure could only be attained through obedience to him.
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And so on.

Benefits and Issues:
The fundamental point is that it is impermissible to hang pictures of animate beings or symbols of the cross or false deities as decoration. However, if they are on clothing or in a situation where they are being disrespected, then it is permissible, though avoiding them is still preferable.

Benefits and Issues:
In this hadith, “the angels not entering” refers to the angels of mercy. The noble recording angels (kiraman katibin) do not separate from a person. “Picture” here refers to idols and images of things possessing a soul, when they are hung up for decoration. If such images are being disrespected, then there is a certain degree of concession. As for “dog,” it refers to a common dog, not a hunting or guard dog, because those are permissible. According to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah, this narration is weak; therefore, it is not correct to say that angels do not enter because of a person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah). However, if the narration is authentic, it can be interpreted that if a person in a state of janabah shows negligence by not performing the ritual bath (ghusl) and also neglects prayers, then the presence of such a person in a house can certainly prevent the angels of mercy from entering.

262. Commentary:

➊ Ablution (wudu) does not remove the state of major ritual impurity (janabah), but a certain type of purity is still attained. In particular, the limbs washed in ablution become pure for the person in a state of janabah. Therefore, there is a concession for the person in janabah to delay the ritual bath (ghusl) until the next prayer, but it is preferable to perform ablution, as is mentioned in other ahadith. If one washes the private parts and sleeps without performing ablution, there is no harm in this and it is also permissible. It is narrated from Aisha radi Allahu anha that she said: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to sleep while he was in a state of janabah and would not touch water. This hadith is authentic. Shaykh Ahmad Shakir rahimahullah, in a highly scholarly and meticulous manner, has established the authority of this hadith in detail. For details, see: [شرح الترمذي از أحمد شاکر : 202/1]. Furthermore, at the end, he has concluded that a person has a choice: sleeping after performing ablution is preferable, and the sleeping of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam without ablution was to show permissibility. Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has also declared this hadith authentic, and this is the correct view. And Allah knows best. This position is further supported by the hadith in which Umar radi Allahu anhu asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: Can any of us sleep in a state of janabah (without ablution)? The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied: "He can sleep if he wishes, and if he wants, he may perform ablution." Thus, performing ablution is left to his discretion. See: [صحیح ابن خزیمة ، حدیث : 221 ، و موارد الظمآن ، حدیث : 232]. See also: [صحيح موارد الظمآن للألباني ، حديث : 195].

➋ By "angels," what is meant are the angels of mercy, not angels in general, because the guardian angels or recording angels also come to a person in this state and remain with him despite janabah. According to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah, this narration is weak in its chain, but the correct view is that the rest of the hadith, without the addition of "nor the one in janabah," is authentic, because it is supported by the narration in the two Sahihs. See: (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Creation, Hadith: 3225; and Sahih Muslim, Book of Dress and Adornment, Hadith: 2106; and Da'if Sunan Abi Dawud (detailed) by al-Albani, Hadith: 30). Therefore, to say regarding the person in janabah that, because of him, the angels of mercy do not enter is not correct, because this narration itself is weak. Although our esteemed researcher has considered the entire narration as authoritative, even if it were authentic, the person in janabah intended would be the one who delays the ritual bath (ghusl) without necessity; otherwise, the one who delays ghusl until the time of prayer does not fall under this warning, because there is a concession in this. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself would visit all his wives and perform ghusl at the end.

Without necessity, remaining in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) is also a reprehensible matter. When janabah occurs, one should perform the ritual bath (ghusl) immediately. At the very latest, one must necessarily perform the ritual bath before the next obligatory prayer. Delaying beyond this is a cause of sin. The fundamental principle is that one should bathe immediately; this is better both from the perspective of the Shariah and from a medical standpoint.

Benefits and Issues:
This hadith number 228 has already been mentioned previously; refer to it there.