In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
For ages many people have liked to decorate their bodies with a variety of paintings and this tradition has evolved to become commonly called a tattoo.
Tattooing is often viewed in the west as a harmless form of body art that is an aesthetic procedure which is a normal part of growing up for most adolescents. Recently tattooing has begun appearing in Arab and Muslim societies as well.
Amal Al-Sibai wrote in the Saudi Gazette: “Apparently, it is extremely difficult but not impossible to find a place to get a tattoo done here in the Kingdom. It is not so rare and unusual anymore to get a tattoo, maybe not in Saudi Arabia, but in other Arab countries. The most popular type of tattoo among some young Arab women is to get a permanent eyebrow tattoo to obtain the perfect eyebrow line without having to fret over bushy eyebrow hair,” said one young lady in Jeddah who preferred to withhold her name”. (SaudiGazette.com)
The wise person would look into why Rasulullah, Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, explicitly rejected tattooing.
Tattooing in which the skin is pierced with a needle and colored by dye that is injected into the face and other parts of the body with colored pigment, whether it causes pain or not, is Haram in Islam, because it involves changing the creation of Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. The majority of Muslim scholars consider permanent tattoos to be haram based on the hadith of Rasulullah, Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.
“It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Rasulullah, Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: cursed is the one who does tattoos, and the one who has a tattoo done.”
In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him said:
“May Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, curse the women who do tattoos and those for whom tattoos are done, those who pluck their eyebrows and those who file their teeth for the purpose of beautification and alter the creation of Allaah.” (Al-Bukhaari, Al-Libaas, 5587; Muslim, Al-Libaas, 5538).
The prominent Muslim scholar, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, in his well-known book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, states:
“Islam denounces excesses in beautifying oneself when it alters the physical features that Allah created him with. The Glorious Qur’an considers such alterations as inspired by Satan, who “…will command them (his devotees) to change what Allah has created…” (An-Nisa’: 119)
Tattooing is one of those excesses. Rasulullah, Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, is reported to have cursed the tattooer and the tattooed. (Reported by Muslim).
Muslim scholars have mentioned various possibilities and arguments:
– Tattooing is considered “mutilating” the body, changing Allah’s creation.
– It inflicts unnecessary pain, and introduces the possibility of infection.
– It covers the natural body, and is therefore a form of “deception.”
-Non-believers often adorn themselves this way, so it is “imitating the kuffar.”
– The presence of a permanent tattoo does not invalidate one’s wudhu, as the tattoo is under the skin and does not prevent water from reaching the skin.
– Non-permanent tattoos (i.e. henna stains, stick-on tattoos, etc.) are universally permitted by all scholars in Islam, provided they do not contain inappropriate images.
Most scholars would say that it is permissible for women to wear jewelry (thus it’s acceptable for women to pierce the ears). Elective procedures are allowed when done for medical benefit (braces, rhinoplasty, etc.). And as long as it’s not permanent, one may beautify the body (tanning, colored contacts, etc.) but damaging the body permanently for a vain reason is considered haram.
What about the people who have done this tattoo before converting to Islam or for people who regret having gotten a tattoo?.
Some scholars have said, based on the verse of Al-Qur’an that reads:
“Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”. [Al-Furqaan 25:70]
It was narrated that ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas said:
When Allah put Islam in my heart, I went to the Prophet, Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and said: “Give me your right hand so that I may give you my oath of allegiance.” So he held out his hand, but I held my hand back. He said, “What is the matter, O ‘Amr?” I said, “I want to make a condition.” He said, “What is your condition?” I said, “That I be forgiven.” He said, “Do you not know that Islam wipes out whatever came before it, and that hijrah (migration for the sake of Allah) wipes out whatever came before it, and that Hajj wipes out whatever came before it?” (Narrated by Muslim, 121).
This hadith indicates that whoever becomes Muslim is forgiven for all the bad deeds that he may have done before he became a Muslim.
Tattooing is haram, but if a person repents from it, Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, will accept his repentance. In Shaa Allah.
All goodness and truth comes from Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, and if there is an error it is coming from myself. Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala know the Best.
