Job as an artist

Question:

Hi Sheikh! Thanks for answering my last question, I am curious if this sort of drawing is permitted. I would like to be an comic illustrator someday. I have 2 links on google drive to give you a better visual as to what I mean when i say drawing. This first one is https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MRQMJUvP3OqGRJDNG9DjG6ras49d8Dzw/view?usp=drive_link

Now this first one is simply the neck down to the toes, no head at all. From what I understand online from fatwas, no head means not a living being because no brain, not alive. But I am asking to confirm if this is true, so say I write a comic and whenever I have to show the character fully, I'll draw like the link, no head, is this allowed? Of course, considering it's a halal comic with good message and morals.

Second link/photo shows ...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M2-aJ7pEJNrYQN_bLRteKQ8UfiuaEovA/view?usp=drive_link

It shows just a head, now would I need to just eliminate the neck (and shoulder even) and live this floating head? Would that be halal? If I need to show character face, I'd just show the head like so.

Thank you for being patient as this is a bit of a tricky question. Also would you say this is majority scholarly opinion that this scenario is halal? May Allah reward all your efforts.

Answer: 

In the name of Allah the most Gracious and the most Merciful, 

Assalamualikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, 

You are correct about the fatwa that is not allowed in Islam to draw the pictures of living beings, 

Saaiduna Ibn Umar raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) has reported that the Prophet of Allah ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) has said, “Those who draw pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection; and it will be said to them: “Breathe soul into what you have created.” (Sahih Bukhari p.880 v.2)

So the second illustration that you have shared with full face revealed is absolutely not allowed and any income earned through such drawings will be considered haram.

As for the first one, since no face was shown, it is permissible to draw as such. Drawing an outline of the human body, without detailed features or drawing a particular part of a human body is permissible as long as one is doing it for a valid purpose.

One thing to note here is that if you draw a blurry face, for example one without eyes, such a drawing wouldn't be considered haram if done for educational/instructional purposes. 

And Allah knows best 

Mufti Umer Farooq Saleem