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Is It Haram to Generate Images With AI? What Islam Says About AI Art

AI images of landscapes and objects are permissible, but scholars differ on AI images of people and animals. How the image-making hadith apply to AI art.

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Short answer

Scholars differ on AI art, but AI images of landscapes, objects and other things without souls are permissible according to all views. For people and animals, some scholars, such as Islamweb, say AI images are not prohibited image-making because they have no physical existence, while others treat them like drawings of living beings, which they consider haram. All agree AI images are haram when the content is haram: immodest images, deepfakes, deception, and any depiction of the prophets.

Tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT, and Gemini can turn a sentence into a detailed picture in seconds, and AI images now fill social media feeds, ads, and even Islamic reminder pages. Many Muslims are unsure whether generating these images is allowed, especially because of the well-known hadith about image-makers. This guide explains the hadith, how scholars apply them to AI, and the cases everyone agrees on.

Is it haram to generate images using AI?

It depends on what you generate. Scholars separate AI images into three groups:

  1. Things without souls, such as landscapes, trees, buildings, cars, food, patterns, and calligraphy. These are permissible according to all scholarly views.
  2. People and animals. Scholars differ here, as explained below.
  3. Haram content, such as immodest images, deepfakes of real people, deception, or depictions of the prophets. These are haram according to all scholars.

What do the hadith say about making images?

Several authentic hadith warn about making images of living beings:

  • "Those who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them, 'Make alive what you have created'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 5951).
  • "The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers" (Sahih al-Bukhari 5950).
  • "Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature" (Sahih al-Bukhari 3225).

When a man told Ibn 'Abbas that his living came from making pictures, Ibn 'Abbas reminded him of these warnings and advised him that if he had to continue, he should make pictures of trees and other things without souls (Sahih al-Bukhari 2225). This is the basis for the agreement that images of things without souls are fine.

Are AI images of people and animals haram?

This is where scholars differ.

The permissive view. Islamweb issued a fatwa in 2026 on exactly this question. A creator asked about AI videos of insects, birds, and marine animals for YouTube, and the answer was that there is no religious harm in generating digital images of living beings with AI, and that this does not fall under the prohibited image-making, because such images have no real physical existence and only appear through devices. Some scholars have long held similar views about photography and digital images. Egypt's Dar al-Ifta goes further and permits even drawing humans and animals, describing the issue as one of legitimate scholarly disagreement. Our guide on whether taking pictures is haram covers the debate over camera photos in full.

The cautious view. Other scholars point out that AI images are not photographs of something Allah created. They are new images of living beings that never existed, which makes them closer to drawing or painting than to photography. Scholars who consider drawing living beings haram therefore apply the same ruling to AI images of people and animals, whether you draw them by hand or describe them in a prompt.

A middle path many people follow: use AI freely for landscapes, objects, and patterns, and if you generate living beings, choose stylized images, avoid faces where possible, and never display them in a way that glorifies or venerates them.

Is it haram to make deepfakes or AI images of real people?

Yes. Creating fake images or videos of real people, showing them saying or doing things they never did, is haram according to all scholars. It combines several sins:

  • Lying and deception, since the image presents something false as real
  • Slander and backbiting, when it harms someone's reputation (Qur'an 49:12)
  • Violating privacy and dignity, especially with any immodest or sexual content, which is a grave sin

The Prophet ﷺ said, "It is enough falsehood for a man to relate everything he hears" (Sunan Abi Dawud 4992). Sharing AI images as if they were real, even without making them, is also a form of spreading falsehood.

Can you make AI images of prophets or sacred figures?

No. Scholars across the four Sunni schools agree that depicting the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or any of the prophets is forbidden, and this includes AI-generated images. Be careful with prompts on Islamic topics, and do not share AI images that claim to show prophets, angels, or the Companions.

AI images of sacred places like the Ka'bah are a different matter. Since they contain no living beings, they fall under the permissible category, as long as they are not presented as real photographs or used to mislead.

Is it halal to sell AI art or use it for business?

Selling AI images of permissible subjects, such as landscapes, product mockups, patterns, and Islamic geometric designs, is halal, as long as you are honest that they are AI-generated where that matters to the buyer. Avoid selling images of living beings if you follow the cautious view, and never sell images that are immodest, misleading, or that copy someone else's protected work.

Islamweb's fatwa also confirmed that earning from YouTube is permissible when the content and the ads are permissible, while noting that the majority of scholars do not allow background music (Sahih al-Bukhari 5590). If you make AI videos, use voiceovers or natural sounds instead.

Whatever tools you use, keep your priorities in order. Creativity is a gift, and no screen should come between you and your prayers. Salah Home helps you stay consistent with all five daily prayers: log each one with a tap, grow your streak, and earn Dates to build your own Salah Home.

Frequently asked questions

Is AI art haram?

AI art of things without souls, like landscapes, buildings, and patterns, is permissible. For people and animals, scholars differ: some, such as Islamweb, permit AI images because they have no physical existence, while others treat them like drawings of living beings. Haram content, deepfakes, and images of prophets are haram according to all.

Is it haram to make AI pictures of people?

Scholars differ. Some permit it as long as the content is decent and not deceptive, while others consider generating new images of people similar to drawing them, which they consider haram. Deepfakes of real people are haram according to all scholars.

Are AI images the same as photos in Islam?

Not exactly. A photo captures something Allah created, while an AI image creates a new picture that never existed. This is why some scholars who permit photography are more cautious about AI images of living beings.

Can I use AI images on my Islamic reminder page?

Use images without living beings, such as landscapes, mosques, calligraphy, and nature. Never use AI images that depict prophets or Companions, and do not present AI images as real photographs.

Is it halal to sell AI-generated art?

Yes, if the subject is permissible, the content is decent, and you are honest about how it was made. Many sellers choose landscapes, patterns, and Islamic geometric designs to avoid the disagreement about living beings.

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