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Assalamu alaikkum friends.....I am 20 years old.I have a very deep fond of Photography.So much that its Interest has almost taken over me.I wish to choose my Career as a professional photographer. I only take pictures of Landscapes and inanimate objects.
Is there any religious objection in Islam against pursuing photography as a Career?
I am going to explain everything in detail so stay with me for a second.
There is a hadith about people who recreate or imitate living things, that they will be the most severely punished in Hell, and they will be mocked (by either the angels or Allah) by being asked : "Give life to what you created".
I do not think that this hadith is correct but I'll talk about that later in the post. This hadith only applies to animate beings. So you're safe. What's more, is that the majority of Islamic scholars agree that this hadith applies to drawings and not photos, because they claim photos are "exact copies of God's creation and not recreations"....I don't understand how their minds work..
Anyways, now my claim that drawings are allowed is based on this ayah :
“They made for him whatever he wished of sanctuaries, and statues, and basins as [large as] great watering – troughs, and cauldrons firmly anchored. [And We said:] “Labor, O David’s people, in gratitude [towards Me] and [remember that] few are the truly grateful [even] among My servants!”
This ayah is about jinns making things for Prophet Sulaiman(a.s.), and they include statues. So if depictions of life are so condemned by Allah (s.w.t), why does Allah not condemn Sulaiman(a.s.) ?
Which is more authentic, this ayah, or some hadith that claims that Allah will mock people who make drawings?
Conclusion : Drawings or photographs whether of animate or inanimate things, are not haram. Even if you don't believe that, majority of Islamic scholars believe that photographs are not haram. And lastly, as you claimed, you don't take pictures of animate beings. I hope my post has changed your mind about only limiting photographs to inanimate objects, though.
