From my understanding [some] mufti's of Pakistan (Karachi?) have ruled photos in digital format as permissible. Not just as necessity but in general. This is only in digital format not printed. I don't have evidence or statements but this was relayed by a reliable practising mufti. General Comment not specifically related to these particular photos
in this context the pictures are for the very purpose of dawah and promoting Maslake Ala Hazrat. only here I believe the pics and the larger overall context don't serve that aim they're not picnic selfies.
Also, what's the deal with the excessive picture-taking? I understand that some Muftiyan may have given Fatawa of Jawaz for pictures/videos as a necessary evil in our times. But why the need to pose for unnecessary pictures? Especially since these are supposed to be Muttaqi Sunnis doing dawah and promoting Maslak-e-Ala Hazrat...
Cheesy of DI to be flouting this but I think a insignificant piece of paper from Mayor Mohammed Azim Kashmiri is hardly representative of UK Gov!
I got this (image below) on whatsapp today and was baffled really. i understand the ghayr siyasi tanzeem aspect, and even the fact that DI wants to do authentic Sunni dawah without appearing on the radar of the powers that be, quietly promoting Sunniyat at a grass roots level en masse... but this is a very bad move and can come back to bite us! we don't need accolades from the kuffar, much less flaunt them as achievements or signs of success or victory or something. they could be hard core Sunnis but now will have to cop accusations of being sellouts, even if they're patently not so! good luck convincing cheap thrill seekers why xyz devbandi or fake peer or modernist is a sellout and DI is not! our enemies will use it as a perfect propaganda tool against us. even if uk govt "recognized" something about DI, they should have given them the cold shoulder and certainly not have flaunted those certificates. would Ala Hazrat have accepted knighthood from the english? ok he was a waliye kamil drenched in deeni pursuits, we common folk have other maslaha's to look after. just that this particular episode serves none of them someone please get the word out!
