FatwaPerlisDress, Awrah & Adornment
Hukum Penggunaan Gambar Lama Arwah Wanita Muslimah Yang Tidak Menutup Aurat Di Dalam Buku Biografi Berunsur Sejarah
Is it permissible to use an old photograph of a deceased Muslim woman without proper covering of the aurah in a historical biography?
Short answer
As a default, publishing photographs of women who are not covering their aurah to the public should be avoided, and responsibility lies with the party who publishes.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Perlis State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Panduan Hukum
- Topic
- Dress, Awrah & Adornment
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
As a default, publishing photographs of women who are not covering their aurah to the public should be avoided, and responsibility lies with the party who publishes. Historical value is a recognised benefit but does not reach the level of necessity that would permit publishing the photograph in its original form, since documentation can be achieved by other means. The deceased does not bear sin for publication by heirs, provided the photograph was not taken for public distribution. Publication is also conditional on no objection from the person or close family, and the photograph not tarnishing dignity or raising negative assumptions.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Nilai sejarah merupakan maslahah yang diiktiraf, namun tidak mencapai tahap darurat yang mengharuskan penyiaran gambar tersebut dalam bentuk asalnya, kerana tujuan dokumentasi masih boleh dicapai melalui cara lain.
Read the full fatwa on the Perlis website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Perlis State Mufti Department. “Hukum Penggunaan Gambar Lama Arwah Wanita Muslimah Yang Tidak Menutup Aurat Di Dalam Buku Biografi Berunsur Sejarah”, 1 October 2026. https://muftiperlis.gov.my/index.php/panduan-hukum/1745-hukum-penggunaan-gambar-lama-arwah-wanita-muslimah-yang-tidak-menutup-aurat-di-dalam-buku-biografi-berunsur-sejarah. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-old-photo-deceased-muslim-woman-biography/