Pornographic cartoons

19-10-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

I have a friend who watches and owns a collection of porn cartoons, he says that it's not Haraam because it's just a cartoon! Mostly Japanese anime/hentai. They are very explicit and hardcore. I think he's totally wrong. Please tell me what Islaam has to say about this.

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Answer:

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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

It is not permissible to see or keep pornographic cartoon pictures for several reasons:

Firstly, the Prophet forbade image making (sculpturing and taking pictures) of living creatures and urged us to erase and destroy them. The Prophet said: "Whoever makes an image will be punished by Allaah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it." The Prophet also said: "Verily, the image makers are in Hellfire. Allaah will put life in every image and it will punish him in Hellfire." [Muslim] The Prophet sent Ali and ordered him destroy every idol and to flatten the graves. [Muslim] So it is not permissible to keep pictures of living creatures.

Secondly, pornographic cartoon pictures, even if they are not pictures of real people, they imitate the pictures of dissolute and immoral people and reveal private parts, and they could even erase one's desires. So there is no difference between these pictures and the pictures of real naked persons. Therefore, your friend has to repent to Allaah and tear up these pictures, as keeping them is a sign of his shamefulness and impudence, and that he is not a religious person.   

Allaah knows best.