Question:

Ustaz, I have a hobby of collecting robot action figures where some of it is similar to the form of a human being and my hobby influenced my son who also loves to collect action figures but he collects Ultraman and Kamen Riders. I hope you can explain the ruling of collecting action figures.

Answer:

I would like to suggest for everyone to choose a hobby which could bring us closer to Allah SWT. For example, volunteer activities in helping or aiding others in charity and education for the poor and needy, cleaning public bathrooms or restrooms in mosques and buying and reading beneficial books or other types of reading materials.

It isn’t an issue to own small toys as long as they aren’t revered, idolized or lead to wastage. This is based on a hadith from A’isyah radhiyallahu ‘anha:

كُنْتُ أَلْعَبُ بِالْبَنَاتِ عِنْدَ النَّبِىِّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – وَكَانَ لِى صَوَاحِبُ يَلْعَبْنَ مَعِى ، فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – إِذَا دَخَلَ يَتَقَمَّعْنَ مِنْهُ ، فَيُسَرِّبُهُنَّ إِلَىَّ فَيَلْعَبْنَ مَعِى

“I was playing with dolls in the Prophet’s house and I had companions who played with me; but when God’s Messenger entered, they would withdraw from him. He would then send them to me and they would play with me.” [1]

Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani commented: “Scholars used this hadith as evidence for the permissibility of dolls and toys for girls. This hadith is the exemption for the generality of the prohibition of making something similar to the creation of Allah. This permissibility is emphasized by al-Qadu ‘Iyadh and he said this is the opinion of the majority of scholars.” [2]

An Arabic proverb states:

من شب على شئ شاب عليه

“Whoever is used to do something during his youth, surely, it is something that he’ll be used to do in his elderly days.”

Some salafussoleh once said:

التوفيق خير قائد، وحسن الخلق خير قرين، والعقل خير صاحب، والأدب خير ميراث

“The best leader is the guidance from Allah, the best companion is of good character, the best friend is reason and the best treasure is manners.”

Wallahua’lam.

[1] Hadis Riwayat al-Bukhari, no. 6130

[2] Fath al-Bari fi Syarh Sahih al-Bukhari, 10/527).