Removing a sculpture of an eagle over a building entrance

(Part No. 1; Page No. 312) Removing a sculpture of an eagle over a building entrance Fatwa no. 16174 Praise be to Allah Alone and peace and blessings be upon the Last Prophet. To commence:The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' reviewed the request for Fatwa submitted to His Eminence, the Grand Mufty by Director of Religious Affairs Department in the Armed Forces. The letter was referred to the Committee by the Secretariat-General of the Council of Senior Scholars under no. 4758, on 9/9/1413 A.H. The question reads as follows:Attached to the request is a clip of the Visitor's Guide to King Khalid Air Base that carries a picture of a stone in the shape of an eagle formed by erosion. The stone that carries this image was brought to the Base and fixed to the building as it appears in the picture for the purpose of pondering on the Creation of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Would you please issue a Fatwa in this regard?

After the Committee studied the question, the answer is that it is obligatory to remove this sculpture because it takes the form of a bird. Fixing images of animate objects, sculptures or other images, is not permissible. This may lead to major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam). (Part No. 1; Page No. 313) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.