Is it halal to create AI-generated videos, cartoons, images, and animal pictures for baby learning?

Answer: Ruling on Creating AI-Generated Videos, Cartoons, and Images of Living Beings

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

You have asked about using AI to create videos, cartoons, images, and pictures of animals for baby and English learning content. This is an important question in light of the clear Islamic prohibition on making images of animate beings (humans and animals) that resemble the creation of Allah.

1. General Ruling: Prohibition of Making Images of Living Beings

The majority of scholars, including the four Imams and the Salaf, hold that creating images of living beings (whether by hand, machine, or AI) is haram (forbidden) and is one of the major sins. This is based on authentic hadiths:

• The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
  "The most severely punished of people on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers."
  (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5950; Sahih Muslim, 2109)

• He also said:
  "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image he made, a soul will be created to punish him in Hell."
  (Sahih Muslim, 2110)

• The angels do not enter a house in which there is an image or a dog.
  (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3226; Sahih Muslim, 2106)

These texts apply to all forms of creating images that imitate Allah’s creation – whether hand-drawn, painted, sculpted, or digitally generated. The intent does not change the ruling unless a valid exception applies.

2. Scholarly Consensus on Modern Digital Images & AI

The permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta (Saudi Arabia), headed by Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him), and other major scholars like Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen and Shaykh al-Albani ruled:

• Photography (capturing a real existing image) is treated differently – many scholars allow it because it merely preserves an already existing image. However, creating a new image of an animate being, whether by drawing, CGI, or AI generation, falls under the prohibition of taswir (image-making).

• AI-generated images are not photographs of real existing creatures; they are newly created by the user’s command. Therefore, they are akin to drawing or sculpting. The one who prompts the AI to create a human or animal image bears the sin of image-making.

• Cartoons and animated videos of living beings are not exempt. Drawing characters (even for children’s education) is prohibited unless there is a necessity. The hadith about ‘Aisha’s dolls (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6130) is an exception for young girls playing with inanimate dolls (often made of cloth, not detailed representations). This exception does not extend to modern animated content with detailed facial features.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“It is not permissible to draw a picture of any living being, whether it is human or animal, because of the general meaning of the hadiths. The only exception is when it is a necessity, such as for identification purposes (e.g., passport photo), or for educational purposes where there is no alternative, but only to the extent needed.”
(Majmu‘ Fatawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/219)

3. Your Specific Work: Baby & English Learning Content

You asked if you can use such images and videos for baby learning (e.g., animals, cartoons, characters) and English learning.

Ruling:

• Prohibited if the content contains any human or animal images that you create (or cause to be created) using AI or any other tool.
• The prohibition does not apply to inanimate objects (e.g., letters, numbers, shapes, trees, mountains, food, toys without faces). You can freely use those.
• If you must show an animal or a person for educational purposes, consider the following alternatives:
  • Use real photographs of animals or humans (if you have permission and no harm). Although some scholars still consider photographs problematic, the majority of contemporary Salafi scholars permit photographs because they are not “making” a new creation – they are capturing a reflection of what Allah has created. (See: Fatawa of Ibn Baz and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen on photography).
  • Use simple silhouettes, or incomplete images (e.g., a face without eyes/nose, or cut-off body) – many scholars allow these if they are not detailed enough to be considered “making a likeness.”
  • Use Arabic/English letters, numbers, colors, and real objects that are not alive (e.g., a ball, a book, a house, a sun).
  • If you find ready-made videos that use real photographs or sketches that are accepted as permissible by reliable scholars, you may use them, but avoid creating new prohibited images.

Important Note:
If you create AI-generated content that contains cartoon animals with human-like expressions or animated human characters, this is clearly within the prohibition. You would be helping others in sin if you distribute such content. Allah says:

“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and transgression.”
(Qur’an 5:2)

4. Summary of Ruling by Main Salafi Scholars

| Scholar | Ruling on Creating Images of Living Beings | |---------|--------------------------------------------| | Ibn Baz | Haram, except for necessity (e.g., ID photos, educational diagrams with no alternative). | | Ibn ‘Uthaymeen | Haram; photography permitted as it is not “creation”; AI generation is like drawing – haram. | | Al-Albani | Haram; allows only what is necessary for identification or essential education. | | Salih al-Fawzan | Haram; digital drawing and AI images fall under the same prohibition. |

All agree that creating (taswir) – by any method – of animate beings is forbidden. Using existing permissible images (e.g., real photos) is allowed if the content itself is not promoting sin.

5. Practical Advice for Your Work

Since you work with baby and English learning, you have abundant halal alternatives:

• Use real photos (e.g., a photo of a cat, dog, bird) – this is considered permissible by many contemporary scholars.
• Use pictures of inanimate objects (fruits, vehicles, furniture, letters, numbers).
• Avoid creating any new cartoon character, AI-generated human/animal face, or animated figure.
• If you must teach animal names, show only the name in text with a real photo (take care of copyright) or a simple outline without eyes/nose.

Remember: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; and if he cannot, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith.”
(Sahih Muslim, 49)

You have the opportunity to produce halal educational content that avoids the sin of image-making. This will be a means of great reward, insha’Allah.

Conclusion

Creating videos, cartoons, images, or animations of living beings (humans, animals, fictional characters) using AI or any other method is haram according to the overwhelming majority of Salafi scholars. This includes your intended work for baby and English learning.

However, you can continue your work by:

• Using real photographs (not AI-generated) of living beings.
• Using only inanimate objects.
• Using simple shapes or text to teach.
• Avoiding any newly created images that imitate Allah’s creation.

If you fear that changing your content will affect your business, consult a local scholar of Ahl al-Hadith for a fatwa specific to your situation. But the default ruling is clear: stay away from what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited.

May Allah grant you sincerity and lawful provision.

“Say: ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.’”
(Qur’an 6:162)