Questioner: One other, which I find puzzling is where the Prophet apparently cursed painters, I’m not sure if it was just painters or portrait painters, do you consider that to be genuine?
Huzoor (rh): I know, I know, and I have also already spoken on this as well, here in London. The fact is that all the paintings in those days when the Prophet was condemning paintings were devoted to idol worship.There’s not a single instance when a scenery was painted in Arab in those days, when a live phenomena was captured by the brush of the painter, or when a portrait was painted. All the painting was false imaginary and entirely devoted to idol worship. So that is, what is cursed is not painting in itself, not the means, but the object.
