Taking photographs of traffic accidents in which people appear
Question: 1747
We work in the Traffic Accident Department.
Sometimes we need to take photographs of some traffic accidents in order to protect the
rights of our brother citizens [i.e., establish who is at fault so that no one is unjustly
treated, etc.]. Sometimes people who happen to be at the scene appear in the pictures.
What is the ruling on this?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.
There is nothing wrong with this kind of work,
because it is taking pictures that serve a purpose, indeed they are necessary. There is
nothing wrong if pictures taken at the scene of the accident include people who are not
involved. But if the pictures are taken by someone using his own camera, in order to keep
the pictures for himself, then this is not allowed. It is haraam not in and of itself, but
because of the purpose, which is to keep the pictures for himself with no need to do so.
The reason why you are taking the pictures, on the other hand, is for a legitimate and
necessary purpose.
Source:
Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 198
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