Praying in a room with pictures hanging on the wall
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Question: The council was asked about prayer in the workplace, in a room that has pictures of people hanging on the wall in front of them. Is the prayer valid and should they continue praying in such a place?

Response: The prayer is valid, and this does not harm them, inshaa.-Allaah, if they were pressed to pray in such a place, due to the absence of a nearby masjid. However, it is binding on them to do their best working with their supervisors to remove the pictures from this place, or to provide another place that does not have pictures, since prayer in a place that has pictures in front of the people is a kind of imitation of the worshippers of idols, and a number of narrations have come showing the prohibition of imitating the enemies of Allaah and the order to oppose them. Also, one should know that hanging pictures of things with souls on the walls is an affair that is not permissible, it is from the avenues of excessiveness and shirk, especially when they are pictures of honoured people. And we ask Allaah to grant success and guidance to all.

And through Allaah is the success, and may Allaah's Salaah and Salaam be upon our Prophet, and upon his family and Companions.

The Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research and Fataawa
Head: Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez ibn Abdullaah ibn Baaz;
Deputy Head: Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaaq 'Afeefee
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah ibn Ghudayyaan
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah ibn Qu'ood
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa., - Volume 6, Page 251, Fatwa No.1874

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Translated by: Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa Richardson