Q: Is it permissible to collect photos for the purpose of remembrance (keepsakes), or not?
A: It is not permissible for any Muslim—male or female—to collect photos for the purpose of remembrance, meaning images of beings with souls, whether human or otherwise. Rather, such images must be destroyed. This is based on the authentic narration that the Prophet said to ‘Ali :
“Do not leave any image without defacing it, and do not leave any elevated grave without leveling it.”
It is also authentically reported that the Prophet prohibited keeping images in the house. When he entered the Ka‘bah on the day of the Conquest (of Makkah), he saw images on its walls, so he asked for water and a cloth, then wiped them off.
As for images of inanimate objects—like mountains, trees, and similar things—there is no harm in them.
