Sheikh `AbdelKhaliqHassan Ash-Shareef, an Egypt-based renowned scholar and da`iyah, says: “Praying in front of a picture is considered shirk if it is worshiped, otherwise it is reprehensible because the principle is that the Muslim must pray in humbleness as Allah the Almighty says: “Successful indeed are the believers. Who are humble in their prayers” (Al-Mu’minun 23: 1-2) If a person prays in front of a picture, he will definitely look at it and it will distract it in his prayer. For this very ruling, many scholars ruled that it is reprehensible to decorate mosques with calligraphy. This is all generally speaking, because ruling may differ according to the content and position of the image.”