Wisdom behind Prohibiting Pictures
Questions
(The text posted by the questioner contained multiple questions, this response only contains one of the questions and the response.)
Why do you consider paintings to be allowed considering that we have evidence from the traditions prohibiting it. Not only did the Messenger (pbuh) prohibit drawings in his life but so did his companions afterwards.
Every command issued by God and His messenger have significant wisdom behind it. We cannot just say that paintings were forbidden because of the fear of idol worship. Do you realize that without pictures pornography cannot exist? One of the biggest evils prevalent today?
Response
Please take a look at my response to Painting Images of Living Objects. I have quoted Quran explaining that Prophet Solomon (pbuh) had paintings made at his behest. Should I believe what Quran – that unadulterated word of God – says about a prophet of God, or should I accept traditions that have not reached me with as reliable means as Quran and they make a claim on the Prophet (pbuh). Remember, all hadith are claims and they have to be verified. Please go through my response and provide me counter arguments or flaws in my reasoning that I should consider.
There is no doubt about this, but that does not mean that if any command reaches me, I accept it without verifying that that is what God wants from me. I do not doubt the wisdom of the words of my creator, but when my creator has not prohibited me from doing something, how can I prohibit it on myself and then tell others the same? Wouldn’t that be changing the law of God?
The principle that pornography cannot exist without pictures is not really a reason. This is true of all mediums. Any medium can be used in a positive way or a negative way. For instance, more than pictures, pornography cannot exist without movies. However, then Islamic lectures cannot exist without movies either. Similarly TV and radio can be means of communicating filthy content as pornography or useful content such as that related to spirituality and God, and those relating to positive fields in this world, such as science, medicine and technology.