Source: Excerpt from the book "Ahkām wa Masā’il Kitāb-o-Sunnat ki Roshni Main" by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
Is it permissible to hang the picture of a deceased person inside the house?
It is not permissible in Islam to hang pictures of living beings (dhī rūḥ – possessing souls) in houses—whether the being is alive or dead, whether the purpose is to remember them or any other reason.
This includes photographs of deceased relatives.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
"Do not leave any statue without defacing it, nor any raised grave without leveling it."
In another narration:
"And do not leave any picture without erasing it."
This ḥadīth shows a clear command to erase or destroy images, not to preserve or display them.
✘ Displaying pictures of deceased individuals—whether out of love, respect, or for memorial purposes—is forbidden.
✔ The correct practice is to avoid hanging any images of creatures with souls (humans or animals), as per the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ.
➤ Photographs of the deceased are not allowed to be hung on walls or displayed inside homes.
➤ The correct Islamic etiquette is to honor the deceased with duʿā’, Ṣadaqah, and good deeds, rather than idol-like displays of their images.
May Allah guide us all to what is correct and protect us from all forms of disobedience.
Āmīn.
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to hang the picture of a deceased person inside the house?
❖ Answer:
It is not permissible in Islam to hang pictures of living beings (dhī rūḥ – possessing souls) in houses—whether the being is alive or dead, whether the purpose is to remember them or any other reason.
This includes photographs of deceased relatives.
❖ Instruction from the Prophet ﷺ:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
"Do not leave any statue without defacing it, nor any raised grave without leveling it."
In another narration:
"And do not leave any picture without erasing it."
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Janāʾiz, Bāb al-Amr bi Taswiyat al-Qubr: Ḥadīth 969
This ḥadīth shows a clear command to erase or destroy images, not to preserve or display them.
❖ Key Ruling:
✘ Displaying pictures of deceased individuals—whether out of love, respect, or for memorial purposes—is forbidden.
✔ The correct practice is to avoid hanging any images of creatures with souls (humans or animals), as per the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ.
Conclusion:
➤ Photographs of the deceased are not allowed to be hung on walls or displayed inside homes.
➤ The correct Islamic etiquette is to honor the deceased with duʿā’, Ṣadaqah, and good deeds, rather than idol-like displays of their images.
May Allah guide us all to what is correct and protect us from all forms of disobedience.
Āmīn.
