By Engr. Abduhafeez Adewale

For over a decade, I have consistently advised Muslim sisters to exercise caution when posting their personal photographs online. This advice was never framed as a categorical declaration of haram, but rather as a sincere warning rooted in moral responsibility, technological reality, and concern for future consequences.

As a professional with years of experience in the technology space, spanning graphic design, software engineering, and robotics, I have firsthand knowledge of how images can be manipulated. Long before the rise of artificial intelligence, skilled designers could remove clothing, alter appearances, and fabricate indecent images using tools such as Photoshop and CorelDRAW. These processes required advanced expertise.

Today, however, we are witnessing a far more dangerous reality.

With the emergence of AI-powered tools such as image-manipulation systems currently trending on social media, what once required high-level technical skill can now be done by anyone, within seconds, at the click of a button. Images of women, including Muslim sisters wearing hijab, are being altered to falsely depict them in indecent clothing. This is no longer a theoretical risk; it is a lived reality.

This phenomenon is not merely a technological issue, it is a moral crisis.

A Collective Responsibility, Not a Blame Game

It must be stated clearly:

The sin of image manipulation lies squarely on the perpetrators who misuse technology to humiliate, objectify, and violate the dignity of women. Their actions are criminal, unethical, and condemned in Islam.

However, Islam also teaches preventive wisdom: avoiding paths that may lead to harm, even if the original act is not explicitly forbidden. This is where caution becomes necessary.

Some Muslim sisters may argue, based on certain scholarly opinions, that posting pictures is not inherently haram. While scholarly differences exist, Islam does not teach us to stop at the minimum legal threshold. Rather, it calls us to higher moral awareness and foresight.

The question should not only be:

“Is it haram?”

But also:

“Is it wise? Is it safe? Is it pleasing to Allah in the long term?”

 

Islamic Guidance on Modesty and Protection

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“… do not let your own hands throw you into destruction ˹by withholding˺. And do good, for Allah certainly loves the good-doers” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:195)

This verse establishes a fundamental Islamic principle: a believer must avoid actions that may reasonably lead to harm, physical, moral, or reputational.

Allah also says:

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments except what normally appears.” (Surah An-Nur 24:31)

While scholars differ on the interpretation of “what is apparent,” there is consensus that public display must be governed by modesty, dignity, and protection from fitnah.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Modesty is part of faith.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Modesty (ḥayāʾ) is not limited to clothing alone, it extends to behavior, exposure, and public presence.

 

Scholarly Perspectives on Images and Fitnah

Classical scholars debated the permissibility of images in different contexts. Contemporary scholars have further discussed photography and digital media. While some permit photographs under specific conditions, many scholars strongly caution against unnecessary public display, especially when it leads to:

•       Objectification

•       Harassment

•       Misuse or manipulation

•       Damage to honor (ʿird)

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim stated:

“The foundation of the Shari‘ah is wisdom and the welfare of the servants in this life and the next.”

If an action brings more harm than benefit, Islamic jurisprudence encourages restraint, even if the action is technically permissible.

 

The Reality of the Digital World

Social media thrives on trends, validation, and attention. Unfortunately, it does not protect honor, modesty, or long-term consequences. Once an image is uploaded, control is lost forever.

Artificial intelligence has now removed the final layer of safety. The damage caused by manipulated images is not limited to the individual, it affects families, marriages, mental health, and the dignity of the entire Muslim community.

 

A Call to Reflection and Action

This moment should serve as a serious lesson and wake-up call, especially for Muslim sisters and Muslims Ummah:

1.     Live with minimal public images, or none at all, where possible.

2.     Reduce dependence on social media, especially platforms that promote immodesty and exploitation.

3.     Adhere firmly to Islamic teachings of modesty, wisdom, and self-preservation.

4.     Encourage the Muslim Ummah to invest in ethical digital platforms—social networks guided by Islamic morals, privacy, and accountability.

 

Hereafter Over Hashtags

No number of likes, followers, or trends is worth jeopardizing one’s honor in this world or accountability in the Hereafter.

Allah reminds us:

“On that Day, their tongues, their hands, and their feet will testify against them for what they used to do.” (Surah An-Nur 24:24)

Technology is a tool. Used wisely, it can uplift the Ummah. Used recklessly, it can destroy dignity in ways never imagined before.

 

Brother Abdulahafeez (Abu Abdullah) is a Software and Robotics Engineer and Founder at Techware. He writes from Abuja, Nigeria.