Are you an anime creator or anime viewer? And that’s why you’re an Anime? Want to know the answer to this question?
Then you have come to the right place. Because on the website you have visited, I publish articles about Halal and Haram in Islam.
For that reason in the article you read – Is Anime Haram? I am discussing this matter in detail. In different parts of the article, I will attach the instructions about the enemy in the Quran-Hadith.
I will also insert the interpretations and opinions presented by Islamic scholars regarding the Anime of the Qur’an and Hadith in their respective places.
So that this article can enrich your knowledge base as an informative and valuable article.
Is Anime Haram? Islamic Perspectives On Avatar
Yes, anime is haram. The Qur’an and Hadith declare making idols and drawing pictures haram. Based on this, all Islamic scholars have opined that no Muslim can make idols and draw pictures. It is forbidden for him.
Anime is the modern form of the old-age picture. Anyone can easily create anime by guiding artificial intelligence. That is why anime is proved by the verses and hadiths which in the olden days have proved the pictures as haram.
However, there is an opinion regarding the photograph that it is not haram if the photograph of an actual object is captured in an electronic device.
But if the image to be captured in the electric device does not exist in reality, but only an imaginary image is drawn, then that image is haram. And anime is haram because it is only a creature created from a fantasy concept.
Qur’anic guidance on anime
There are no direct verses about anime in the Quran. Because the anime was created 1400 years after the Quran was revealed. But there are verses prohibiting idols and sculptures. In this regard, the clear instructions of the Quran –
“Avoid impure things i.e. idols and avoid lying.” – Surah Hajj: 30
This verse clearly commands the abandonment of all forms of idols and the prohibition of all activities centred on idols.
In another verse, the state of the infidel community is highlighted as follows-
“And they said, Never forsake your gods, and never forsake Wadd, Suwa, Yagush, Yawq, and Nasr.” – Surah Nuh: 23
Muslim scholars call modern anime haram by the verses that originally made idols and sculptures haram.
Hadith guidance about anime
In the Hadith Sharif, the Prophet – may God’s prayers and peace be upon him – has given clear instructions regarding idols and sculptures.
- Hazrat Amr Ibn Abbas – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates that the Holy Prophet – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – said:
‘Allah Ta’ala has sent me with orders to maintain ties of kinship, to destroy idols, and to worship one God and not associate anything with Him. -Sahih Muslim ha. 832
- Abul Hayaz Asadi said, Ali Ibn Abi Taleb – may God be pleased with him – said to me:
Shall I not send you with the task for which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent me?
That is, you will destroy all the idols of animals and destroy all the graves.’ In another narration, … and erase all the images.’ -Sahih Muslim ha. 969
- Ali Ibn Abi Taleb – may Allah be pleased with him – said that the Holy Prophet – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – was present at a funeral.
Then he said, ‘Which of you will go to Madinah and wherever he finds an image of an animal he will break it, wherever he finds a tomb he will raze it to the ground and wherever he finds an image he will erase it?’
Ali – Radiyallahu Anhu – prepared to undertake this duty. Then the Prophet – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – said,
“Whoever tends to recreate any of the above is a denier of the religion revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him).” -Musnad Ahmad ha. 657
Opinions of Islamic Scholars on Anime in Islam
Shaykh Syed said in his earlier book called ‘Fiqhus Sunnah’,
Some authentic and clear hadiths have been narrated regarding the prohibition of making idols. Similarly, the hadith also states that it is forbidden to depict pictures of animals, whether it is a human or an animal. (Syed the former, Fiqhs Sunnah, Beirut: Darul Kitab al-Arbi, 1977 AD, Volume-3, Page-498)
He also said that just as it is haram to make and draw idols and images, it is also haram to preserve them and keep them at home. The obligatory duty is to break it in such a way that it is not in the shape of an idol at all.
Imam Bukhari narrated – The Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – did not keep anything in his house that had the sign of the cross. If there was, he would have broken it. (Bukhari, Kitabul Libas, Babu Naqzis Surah, Fathul Bari Volume-10, Page-385)
Yusuf Karzawi said about Anime Haram,
Islam forbids Muslims to engage in making idols. It is also forbidden to make it for non-Muslims.
The Prophet – may God’s prayers and peace be upon him – said, ‘Those who make these images will face the most severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection.’
In another narration, ‘those who try to equal Allah’s creation.'(Muslim) The Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – also said,
‘Those who make an image will be given the responsibility of creating life in it on the Day of Resurrection, but they will never be able to create life. No. Fathul Bari, Volume-7, Page-169, Ha: 5963)
The significance of this hadith is that he will be called to create life. He will be told this as an assignment of the impossible. (Yusuf Al Karzawi, Al Halalu Wal Haramu Fil Islam, 1978 AD: Page-98)
When is anime halal?
Some Islamic scholars have opined that direct imitation of the Holy Quran and Hadith is forbidden. But not like anime idols.
Because idols are made for worship and anime is made only as a virtual portrait of a human being. So anime and idols are not the same thing. Rather, the difference between them is obvious.
However, the condition for anime to be halal is that anime cannot contain nudity, crime corruption, etc. characters. If so, it will be haram. In other words, while creating anime, the principles and rules presented by Islam as a whole cannot be violated.
8 Reasons Muslims Should not Watch Anime
1. Anime is Haram because it’s a non-Islamic nature
2. It contains inappropriate and immoral scenes
3. It encourages bad behaviour and destroys the character of Muslims
4. Some anime have Muslim characters but play them as bad people.
5. It has no relevance to Islam at all
6. The stories cannot be compared to real-life situations because they are fictional
7. It is not suitable for children under 12 years old
8. Some anime series are even banned in Muslim countries
Summary of the article
Point of view: Creating and promoting anime for any purpose is haram according to Ijma. Because animes last for a long time, people tend to forget the original purpose of having and creating anime as time goes by.
As a result, people started worshipping him. This is why it is only natural that a monotheistic religion like Islam would permanently declare idolatry and idolatry forbidden.
Moreover, there is not only one reason why Islam prohibits idols; Just as the reason for prohibiting it is to stop the way of shirk, the other reason for prohibiting it is to stop luxury and wastage and to prevent the effort to achieve equality with God in creation.
On the other hand, there is a different view that since anime is not intended for worship, anime is halal. It is not irrevocably haram in the same way that idols are irrevocably haram.