ABSTRACT
Is it acceptable to represent in a picture the Prophet Muhammad? There is of course the prior question whether it is alright to represent any living thing in a picture, but let us assume that this can be done, and the issue is one of the appropriate subject matter. Currently this is often regarded as very problematic by non-Muslims and people often say that Islam forbids such an enterprise. However, there exist many such images, and until fairly recently it was quite common for the exquisite books of illustrations which Muslim rulers commissioned and put on display in their palaces to contain such images, and these were put on display in museums. They often show a man whose face is covered with a veil, in a white turban, surrounded by angels and a halo around his head. Sometimes we see his face and it is bright, as though it reflects the light of heaven. Museums are often reluctant to display such items now since they assume they will be regarded as offensive. There is nothing explicit in the Qur’an about the topic, although there are plenty of ahadith which are critical of painting as an activity in general. The problem with representing anyone is that it runs the risk of shirk, associating God with someone else.
