I'm a non-Muslim and wonder: Why are Muslims not allowed to make picture of the Prophet Muhammad?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is known that a photograph of the Prophet does not exist so that his picture may be published based on it, or for someone to claim that a certain image is his picture. This is nothing but a lie and a blasphemy; even if the purpose of publishing the picture is to glorify and honor him. So how could the person who published his picture claim that it was the Prophet's when he has not seen him?

If the purpose of publishing the picture is to mock and ridicule him then this is disbelief, as he was Allaah's Messenger and the best and the last Prophet, so how can one mock him and ridicule him? Such an act [mocking and ridiculing] cannot be accepted even if it is regarding a noble or great personality in this world, so how can this be accepted for one of Allaah's Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, whom hundreds of millions of people around the world believe as Allaah's Messenger?

On this occasion, we invite you to embrace Islam, as it is the true and last religion. By being a Muslim, a person achieves success in this world by believing and performing acts of good deeds, and success in the Hereafter by enjoying the eternal pleasure in Paradise whose width is as large as the heavens and the Earth; and saves himself from the misery of this world and the darkness of disbelief and disobedience, and from the misery of the Hereafter by being eternally punished and tortured in Hellfire.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa (plural of Fatwa) 88906, 86091, 88276, 88176, and 81979.

Allaah Knows best.