Can one draw images of humans and animals without their eyes?

Question

We know that drawing pictures of animate creatures is prohibited in Islam. The following hadeeth are very explicit.

Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) visited me after returning from a journey, and I had a shelf with a thin cloth curtain hanging over it and on which there were portraits. When he saw it, the colour of his face changed (because of anger) and he said, "O Aishah! The most grievous torment from Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be for those who imitate (Allah) in the act of His creation.' Aishah said: We tore it into pieces and made a cushion or two cushions out of that. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Those who draw pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection; and it will be said to them: 'Breathe soul into what you have created.' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying, "Every painter will go to Hell, and for every portrait he has made, there will be appointed one who will chastise him in the Hell.'" Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: If you have to do it, draw pictures of trees and other inanimate things. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

However, is one allowed to draw images of humans and animals without drawing their eyes?

Answer 1

Yes, because we have been warned that those who make images of a living being or that which has a face either by drawing it, carving it etc will be punished on the Day of Reckoning when they are asked to "bring to life that which you have created" and they will be unable to do so as only Allah is able to bring to life that which is lifeless. That would include (ie birds, creatures, animals and people) and as we know these also have a face. So, if a person, creature or animal was drawn with no eyes, nose or mouth then it's not included in those things referred to in the following hadiths as it's then not imitating the creation of Allah.

The above summarizes all of the below:

It was narrated from 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (S.a.W) said: "Those who make images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them: 'Bring to life that which you have created.'" al-Bukhaari (5607) and Muslim (2108).

It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) said: "The people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be those who imitate the creation of Allaah". Al-Bukhaari (5610) and Muslim (2107)

This quote from the sheikh also proves that if we were, as already mentioned above, to make an image with no eyes, mouth or nose there is nothing wrong with it.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah be pleased with him) said: With regard to dolls made of cloth, where the image does not have clear features, even though it has limbs, a head and neck, but there are no eyes or nose, there is nothing wrong with that, because this is not imitating the creation of Allaah. (Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen)

And Allah knows best

Answer 2

Sadly, no, because no being could live without a mouth, eyes, or a nose, we cannot exclude them to make our drawings halal. However, if you draw something without a head it will be halal.