vMu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear brother asak

I would like to know if the following are permitted.

1. Smoothening of wrinkles from the face by using lasers etc

2. removal of unwanted fat from the body by using liposuction or by surgery which may result in the shifting of the naval.

3.Hair transplant in which a follicle from my head will be taken and transplanted to the bald area and will be allowed to grow naturally.

jazzakallah 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Is artificial surgery permitted

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 82 Surah Infitaar verses 6-8:

6 O man! What has seduced thee from thy Lord, Most Beneficent?

7 Him Who created thee. Fashioned thee in due proportion, and gave thee a just bias;

8 In whatever Form He Wills, does He put thee together.

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, almost all the scholars in Islam are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that there is no harm if the modern advancements in medical knowledge and surgery is used to repair people who have damaged their body parts or have had an accident, etc. But to change or alter one’s body parts for no valid reason, but only as an adornment or beautification by plastic surgery, etc. is absolutely against the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Allah Subhanah fashioned and created His creation in whatever form He Willed and Pleased; and as those who have submitted their will to the Will of their Lord in Islam, it does not behove a believer, who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, to deface the fair nature bestowed for us by our Lord Most Merciful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verses 118-121:

118 Allah did curse him (the Shaitaan) but he said: "I will take of Thy servants a portion marked off.

119 "I will mislead them and I will create in them false desires; I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and to deface the (fair) nature created by Allah." Whoever forsaking Allah takes Satan for a friend, hath of a surety suffered a loss that is manifest.

120 Satan makes them promises and creates in them false desires; but Satan's promises are nothing but deception.

121 They (his dupes) will have their dwelling in hell, and from it they will find no way of escape.

In light of the above principles and guidance of the Holy Quran, it would not be permissible for one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to change or alter any part of his bestowed form by nature through plastic surgery, etc. without an absolutely valid reason.

Q-1: Smoothening of wrinkles from the face by using lasers etc

If one’s wrinkles are due to the passage of time and nature, then their smoothening would be a form of altering the fair nature created by the Lord Most High; and thus not permissible in Islam.

Q-2: removal of unwanted fat from the body by using liposuction or by surgery which may result in the shifting of the naval.
If the additional fat one has accumulated through one’s lifestyle is harming one’s health, there is absolutely no harm in removing the unwanted fat by using technology or surgery, etc. If the navel shifts as a result of such necessary surgery, there is no harm.

But if that accumulated fat does not have an adverse effect on one’s health, but the person is obsessed to remove his/her fat in certain places only so that they may look attractive and presentable, then such removal would not be in accordance with the guidance of Islam.

Q-3: Hair transplant in which a follicle from my head will be taken and transplanted to the bald area and will be allowed to grow naturally.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.817 Narrated by Aisha

An Ansari girl was married and she became sick and all her hair fell out. Intending to provide her with false hair, they asked the Prophet (saws) who said, "Allah has cursed the lady who artificially lengthens (her or someone else's) hair, and also the one who gets her hair lengthened."

The wearing of a wig is absolutely impermissible in Islam; but if modern technology and medicine has discovered a system (transplant, etc.) whereby one’s hair can be re-grown naturally, there is absolutely no harm.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan