Praise be to Allah.
Can you wear clothes with images?
It is not permissible to wear clothes on which there are images of animals or people , because of the report narrated by Al-Bukhari (3226) and Muslim (2106) from Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The angels do not enter any house in which there is an image.” (Matalib Uli An-Nuha, 1/353)
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on wearing clothes on which there are images of animals or people. He replied: It is not permissible for a person to wear clothes on which there is an image of an animal or a person, and it is not permissible to wear Ghutrahs or other headgear on which there is an image of a person or an animal, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The angels do not enter any house in which there is an image.”
Hence, we do not think that anyone should keep pictures for memories , as they say, and whoever has any pictures for memories should destroy them, whether he put them on the wall or in an album etc, because keeping them deprives the people of the house of the angels’ entering upon them. And Allah knows best. End quote
He (may Allah have mercy on him) was also asked about the ruling on children wearing clothes on which there are images of animate beings.
He replied:
The scholars said that it is prohibited to dress a child in what it is prohibited for adults to wear. Whatever has an image on it, it is prohibited for adults to wear it, so it is also prohibited for children to wear it. This is the answer. What the Muslims should do is to boycott these clothes and shoes, so that the evildoers will have no means of reaching us in this matter. If they are boycotted they will never find a way of bringing them into this land, because when they are boycotted there will be no point in bringing them here. (End quote from Majmu` Fatawa Ash-Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin, 12/333)
Is the payer offered in clothes with images valid?
Prayer offered in a garment that has images of people or animals on it is valid, but there is some sin involved.
The Scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: Is it permissible to pray in a garment on which there is an image of a person or images of animals? Is it permissible to enter the toilet in a garment on which there is the name of Allah?
They replied:
It is not permissible to pray in clothes on which there are images of animate beings , whether people, birds, camels, cattle, sheep, or other animate beings, and it is not permissible for a Muslim to wear them when he is not praying either.
The prayer of one who prays wearing clothes on which there are images is valid, but he is sinning if he knows the Shar`i ruling. It is not permissible to write the name of Allah on clothing, and it is disliked to enter the toilet wearing it, because that is showing disrespect to His name, may He be Exalted. (End quote from Fatawa Al-Lajnah Al-Da’imah, 6/179)
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on the prayer of one who prays in a garment on which are embroidered or printed images of animate beings .
He replied:
If he is unaware, there is no sin on him, but if he knew (the ruling) then his prayer is valid but there is some sin involved, according to the more correct of the two scholarly rulings. Some scholars said that his prayer is invalid, because he has prayed in a garment that is prohibited for him. (End quote from Majmu` Fatawa Ash-Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin, 12/360)
Based on this, you have to remove the image of the tiger or crocodile from your clothes , or distort the image by removing the head or covering it with some colour or thread that will hide it. If you pray with the image still on your clothes, your prayer is valid but there is some sin.
And Allah knows best.
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