Why can't Muslims show images of ibn Khaldun in works of art?

Answer 1

There is no such prohibition. As you can see, Ibn Khaldun is pictured on the Tunisian 10 Dinar Bill.

-----------

The issue is with displaying images of the Prophet Muhammad, however, it would be incorrect to suppose that there 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, there is this picture of Muhammad, 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)..

The problem with Muhammad's image 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.