Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
According to eminent scholars, souvenirs with 3D designs are not considered haram (forbidden). The prohibition on image-making is for objects intended for worship, and these small items are not used for that purpose.
Responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
According to the rulings of eminent scholars, such souvenirs or dolls do not fall in the category of forbidden images. Image-making was forbidden because they were used solely for worship. Making statues without such intention is allowed; that is why we read in the Quran that the Prophet Sulayman used to hire people to make statues for him.
Therefore, in many Muslim countries, statues have been set up to commemorate the scientists and scholars or great leaders. Their sole purpose is to cherish their memory without any association of shirk.
👉 Learn more about Islamic rulings on statues and more:
- Are Statues for Training Purposes Allowed?
- Are Statues Haram in Islam?
- Is Erecting Statues to Commemorate People Allowed?
- Why Was Prophet Solomon Allowed to Have Statues?
- Can You Pray in a Room with Pictures or Statues?
- Can I Work or Eat in a Restaurant with Statues?
- Do Angels Enter a House with Picture?
Almighty Allah knows best.