Is using photoshop or other similar programs to beautify photographs of the living permissible?
Using these software products is something I am good at and now have been told it is impermissible. Some lecturers are using images of themselves which from my experience are photoshopped. Is there a difference of opinion about this?
Answer
باسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وأصحبه ومن والاه
May Allah bless you sister for writing in.
The scholars have differed with regards to the ruling related to actually taking a photo using a camera. The preferred ruling with regards to this, and Allah Almighty knows best, is that it is permissible to do so whilst looking after the following conditions;
1. That the photographer takes a picture of that which he/she is permitted to see.
2. That the photo is not used in a forbidden manner, such as a portrait, especially since the Angels refrain from entering homes that have displayed pictures or prohibited images, or any other manner shunned by our Shari’ah.
The reason for this permissibility is that the photo captured using a camera is actually a process of freezing a moment of a living being which Allah Almighty created and not the creation of something new which competes with the creation of Allah Almighty. It is a form of actually mimicking the processes of the eye, and in particular, the retina and the iris. The majority of the contemporary scholars, to my knowledge, now hold this view. And Allah Almighty knows best.
With regards to using Photoshop as you have described; then this would fall under those images which are prohibited as it would entail the creation of something different to the created reality captured by the device. I am unaware of any difference of opinion between the scholars regarding this ruling of prohibition here.
So for example editing the skin texture, or skin tone, or bodily features of a person would be impermissible as it falls under the described prohibition.
A question that is also often asked is related to the enhancement of the brightness of some photos for the sake of clarity especially since some devices fail to adequately capture light. In answer to this, it would be permissible to carry out this adjustment on condition the enhancement does not create a false and deceptive reality, especially with photos used between potential spouses during the proposal stages. I highlight this scenario given its occurrence and not for the purpose of restricting the answer to this scenario alone.
May Allah Almighty reward you for your endeavour here. Ameen.
And Allah Almighty knows best.