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Fatwa CenterThe ruling on trading in items that bear images
Question
Please clarify the Sharee‘ah ruling on buying and selling gold pieces that have images on them.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alyhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
The images that are found on gold pieces are one of two types:
First, the images are full, being inscribed or simply drawn, and thus are included in the general prohibition of images. The permissible images are those that have been mutilated. However, the images which are inscribed on gold are far from this and are closer to being respected. Forbidden as well are the images that indicate glorifying the disbelievers, such as the images of their leaders and rites.
Second, the images are not full, thereby showing a cut head or neck, a removed stomach, or any other organ without which a person cannot live. In this regard, Imaam Ibn Qudaamah 
said, “An image that has been reduced to having its chest or stomach removed, or has had its head separated from the body, with which a creature would not stay alive, is not included in the prohibition, because it does not remain after such a removal. This is like chopping the neck (of a living creature).” [Al-Mughni]
Consequently, it is permissible to trade in the images that have been indicated as allowable, and vice versa, as explained above.
Allaah Knows best.
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