Is it permissible to photograph a sleeping person with a mobile phone, and is it considered reprehensible (makrooh) or a grave sin (kabeerah)?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Contemporary scholars differ on the ruling concerning photographic imaging of living beings, and the preponderant view, in our opinion, is its permissibility with controls. It is not permissible to photograph a person without their knowledge, and this is particularly emphasized concerning a sleeping person, because photographing them and circulating their image constitutes an offense against them.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/137149
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 137149
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy