ANIMOSITY TOWARD THE ARTS, MUSIC AND CHESS
IS PAINTING WORSE THAN IDOLATRY?
Here are a few more hadiths that illustrate the injustices done to the arts:
The retribution for those who draw and paint shall be severe punishment on the Day of Judgment. And they shall be told to resuscitate what they have drawn.
Suneni Ibn Maja
All those who made these figures shall be told to recall to life what they have drawn.
Sahihi Bukhari
The greatest suffering shall be the lot of the painters on the Day of Judgment.
Ibn Hajar al Haytami, The lawful and the unlawful in Islam, Bukhari, Tasawir
Especially according to the last hadith, painting seems to be a major sin, greater than adultery, manslaughter or idolatry. Yet according to another transmitter of hadiths:
The greatest suffering shall be the lot of chess players on the Day of Judgment.
Great Sinners, Hafýz Zahabi
Hafýz Zahabi recounts how Ibn Abbas had thrown into a fire the chess board of an orphan.
59 – Say: “Did you see how God sends down to you all kinds of provisions, then you render some of them unlawful, and some lawful?” Say: “Did God give you permission, or are you imputing lies to God?”
10 Jonah, 59
Turn to the First Page of the Article/
PAGE 2: BAN ON MUSIC
PAGE 3: SECTARIANS’ APPRECIATION OF SOLOMON
