Q: What is the ruling on statues placed in homes purely for decoration and not for worship?
A: It is not permissible to hang images or display taxidermied animals in homes, offices, or sitting rooms. This is based on the generality of the authentic hadiths from the Messenger of Allah that prohibit the hanging of images and the erection of statues in homes and elsewhere. Such practices can be a means that leads to associating partners with Allah (shirk), involve imitating the creation of Allah, and resemble the actions of the enemies of Allah. Moreover, displaying taxidermied animals is a waste of money and a form of imitation of the enemies of Allah, which may open the door to displaying sculpted statues.
Islamic law, in its perfection, came with the principle of blocking the means that lead to shirk or sin. Indeed, shirk arose among the people of Noah due to images of five righteous men from their time being drawn and displayed in their gatherings, as Allah explained in His Clear Book:
"And they said, 'Do not abandon your gods. Do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth and Ya'uq and Nasr.' And they led many astray..." [Surah Nuh: 23-24].
Thus, it is necessary to avoid resembling those who committed this evil act that led to shirk.
