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Is It Halal To Pray In A Room With Dolls And Toys In Islam?

Mohammad bin Abdullah

September 27, 2025

Photo by David López

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Most people want to know what Islam says about images, photos, and pictures in their homes. It’s a common question, especially when people wonder if having certain images might affect their prayers or if it’s okay to keep them at all.

It’s important to understand that Islamic teachings strongly discourage keeping images of animate beings—things like humans and animals—especially if they are carved, drawn, or made into statues. This is based on clear evidence from the Prophet’s teachings.

Is displaying or keeping images of living creatures allowed in Islam?

No, it is generally not allowed to keep images of living beings.

Muslims are told that angels, who pray for mercy for people, will not enter a house that has these images. This means houses with such images are believed to be deprived of the angels’ blessings.

If there are images of animals or humans, the house is considered less blessed because of it. The images that are forbidden include statues, photographs kept for memory, images drawn by hand or generated by computer, and certain jewelry shaped like animals.

But some images are okay to keep:

Necessary ones, like those on ID cards, passports, or banknotes.
Pictures that are on things meant to be thrown away, like on mats or food containers, which are treated disrespectfully.

Scholars have clarified that images made or kept in ways that are not disrespectful, such as those on clothing or in necessary documents, do not prevent angels from entering.

Evidence

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.” (Bukhari 3053, Muslim 2106)
`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet said:

“Jibril (peace be upon him) said: I do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.” (Muslim 2104)
It is also narrated that those who make images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and told: “Give life to what you have created.” (Bukhari)
The scholars agree that the images which prevent angels from entering are mainly those of animate beings that are prohibited.

Basically, the evidence is very clear that keeping these images can block angels, and that’s why it’s advised to avoid them unless necessary for serious reasons like identification or security.

Bottom Line

In summary, Islamic teachings discourage keeping images of living creatures that are forbidden. If images are necessary or disrespectful, they are generally allowed and won’t stop angels from entering.

Praying in a place with permissible images is okay, but it’s better if these images are removed or covered during prayer.