Why are there no pictures in Muslim places of worship?

Answer 1

In Islam, it is not allowed to draw or try to depict in any form of drawing the God, Allah, the prophets or any companions or people close to the prophet. Also, one should not try to draw the creations of God. This is why there are no icturs of prophet Muhammad.

Answer 2

In Muslims, Allah is the Creator of the universe and has no resemblance. See related question listed below for more information on How Allah (God) look like.

But the real creator is the Lord. He created everything and everyone. ask me more questions on this subject :)

according to Islam God is not human and is not material at all and God the creator all materials and itself is not material ans so can not be seen by eye of head and can not be pictured because does not have any materialistic Image and God only can bee seen by eye of heart and believe.

Answer 3

First of all at the time the Prophet Mohammed lived 570 to 632 pictures of people was not a common practice and there WA no such thing as photographs. Thus it would be very unlikely that there would have been any contemporary images made of him.

Second, Mohammed's teachings (as recorded in the Qur'an) forbid the use of any imagery. Thus pictures of him would not have been made.

Answer 4

First, it is worth noting that we do not have a good idea about what most historical figures from the 7th century look like, so it is not surprising that we have no idea what Mohammed looks like. We can guess as to what he may have looked like, but we will never know (unless by miracle or technology we come to actually see him).

Answer 5

Muslims detest the making of images of religious people in general.

But there are rare friezes and images around the world. There is even one inside the U.S. Supreme Court chamber of Justice.

Answer 6

The question is incorrect in its supposition that there are no pictures of Muhammad. There are numerous pictures of Muhammad, tastefully drawn by Muslims throughout the centuries (as well as horrible caricatures by Non-Muslims). For example, if the question is displaying properly, you will see this picture of Muhammad above the question, which is an anonymous illustration of al-Biruni's The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries, depicting Muhammad prohibiting Nasi' during the Farewell Pilgrimage from a 17th century Ottoman copy of a 14th-century (Ilkhanate) manuscript (Edinburgh codex)..

However, there are two possibilities as to where this question was intending to go. (1) Why are there no pictures of Muhammad from when he was alive? and (2) Why do Muslims currently have such an issue with drawings of Muhammad? -- these questions have been linked to the same question asked separately.

(1) Why are there no pictures of Muhammad from when he was alive?

Paper was not common in Arabia and artistry with ink or paint was very rare. As a result, it is not surprising that Muhammad's portrait was never painted while he was alive.

(2) Why do Muslims currently have such an issue with drawings of Muhammad?

This is a problem that cuts along sectarian lines. It is Sunni Muslims (exclusively) who have an issue with drawings of Muhammad as a general proposition. Shiite and Ibadi Muslims oppose offensive or disgraceful depictions of Muhammad, but have no issue with images of Muhammad and visits to Shiite or Ibadi majority Islamic countries will reveal numerous votive images of Muhammad, up to the present day.

Sunni Islam went through an iconoclastic phase in the 9th century which led to the eventual banning of Muhammad's likeness under the fear that it could be idolatry. Many Islamic pieces of artwork containing Muhammad's face were defaced by iconoclastic Sunnis. However, there were periods when this feeling waxed and waned, leading to later Sunnis occasionally drawing Muhammad. There has been an upsurge in Sunni iconoclasm following the Muhammad cartoon controversies since Sunnis see the depictions as sacrilege.

Answer 7

Koran urges its followers to shun all kind of idol worship. A photo of Mohammed is prone to becoming just that. Hence these don't exist.

Answer 8

Its absolutely haraam to draw pictures of Allah or the Honorable Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him)

Answer 9

Because no one wants to see pictures of that dirty monstrosity they call allah