Short answer
For women, modeling as the industry practises it is haram in the mainstream Hanafi view, because its purpose is to display her beauty to strangers. For men it is not allowed when it shows the awrah, promotes haram products or involves immodest settings. Hanafi scholars also differ on photographing people, which adds caution.
A woman may not display her adornment and beauty to non-mahram men, so fashion, beauty and commercial modeling for women is impermissible. Male modeling is impermissible when it shows the awrah (navel to knee) or promotes haram; otherwise it falls under the Hanafi disagreement over images of living beings, and many Deobandi muftis advise against it.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Modeling sells a product by drawing attention to the person wearing or holding it. For women that runs straight into the Quran's command not to "expose their adornment" except to close family (24:31) and to draw their outer garments over themselves (33:59). The Prophet ﷺ described among the people of the Fire women who are clothed yet naked. Fashion shows, swimwear, beauty campaigns and influencer posing for strangers all fall here.
Some ask about modest fashion modeling, where the model wears full hijab. Many Hanafi muftis still discourage it, because the purpose of the work is to attract looks to a woman's face and figure. A product shot without the person, or showing clothes on a mannequin or a flat lay, avoids the issue.
For men:
- Underwear, swimwear and shirtless shoots expose the awrah and are haram.
- Advertising alcohol, gambling, interest-based finance or immodest brands is helping sin.
- Shoots with free mixing and immodest co-models are a problem in themselves.
There is also the question of images. Hanafi scholars agree that drawing or sculpting living beings for display is forbidden; they differ on modern photographs and digital images, and many Deobandi muftis advise against professional photography of people. See Is taking pictures haram?
If you are already modeling, ask a mufti how to treat your past income and look for work that uses the same skills, such as styling, photography of products, or design. See Which jobs are haram?
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:31
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
A woman may not display her beauty to strangers, which is the core of modeling.
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:30
قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.
Men too must guard modesty, in what they show and look at.
Sahih Muslim 2128
Sahih... صنفان من أهل النار لم أرهما ...
"Two types of the people of the Fire I have not seen."
Among them he named women who are clothed yet naked, who draw attention to themselves.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha, section on looking and touching. The limits of what a woman may show to non-mahram men and the male awrah.
- Takmilat Fath al-Mulhim (Mufti Taqi Usmani), Kitab al-Libas wa al-Zina, discussion of pictures. The Hanafi discussion of images and photography of living beings.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.