this is the safest position. videography was only permitted for deen, that too out of necessity if i can recall by Huzoor shaikhul islam. but sadly its gotten way out of hand. Selfies in HARAM SHAREEF back facing The blessed kaaba & Rawdah Mubarak. pics of ulema being printed out voluntarily in newspapers etc and now even hung on walls.
Would be interesting to hear the ruling on matrimonial sites/‘dating’ apps like muzmatch or Salams (former Minder) too.
I would add that its not enough for a person to set their profile to private. Things get hacked all the time and for example, one of your friends in Facebook might open one of your photos in front of someone that you haven't friended online, etc. There is another aspect to the whole photos on social media thing which is separate to the halal or haram issue. Isn't taking such photos a sign of vanity, like someone who constantly looks in the mirror? It is a sign of spiritual disease Additionally, the idea of posting photos and posts gives you the illusion that what you are doing and what you are saying actually matters- don't flatter yourself. This gives people an over inflated sense of ego and the worth of their opinion on whatever issue they have commented on. Clearly another spiritual disease. Again, this isn't even talking about the halal or haram of the matter, just an observation
well according to the position that taking pictures are Haram, then yes it would be forbidden to take the picture in the first place. as for if someone believes taking pictures is not Haram, then for a young woman she must veil her face from non-maHrams, and thus she would not be allowed to display her face online just as she is not permitted to do so offline.
Social media has totally decayed our barriers of correct genders interaction. Liking, commenting, replying and especially private messaging - would these things be ok offline? Then why online? Can we put heads together and draw up the guidelines. Our ulama do need to work on this and demarcate halal from haram. The fiqh of social media.
