What is the ruling on children playing with three-dimensional dolls, and why did the Prophet, may God's prayers and peace be upon him, approve of Aisha, may God be pleased with her, playing with dolls made of wool, if three-dimensional images are forbidden?

Dolls made of wool that have no facial features are not considered images, and therefore, the prohibition of imaging does not apply to them. Most scholars have exempted the making of dolls for girls from the prohibition of imaging and sculpting statues. This is the view of the Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools of thought. They cited as evidence the hadith (definition) of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in which her playing with dolls was mentioned. Scholars justified this exception by the need to train girls in raising children and developing their maternal instincts, as well as for the immediate benefit of their joy and delight.