Mu' 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:

Is make-up prohibited in Islam?

(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 make up lawful

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 none 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 24 Surah An-Noor verse 31:

And O Prophet, enjoin the believing women to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts and not to display their ‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment, etc.) except that which is displayed of itself , and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not to display their ‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment, etc.) except before their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons and the sons of their husbands, their brothers, their brothers sons, their sisters’ sons, their female associates, and those in their possession and male attendants incapable of sexual desire, and those boys who have not yet attained knowledge of sexual matters. Also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden ornaments should be displayed.

There is absolutely no restriction or prohibition in Shariah regarding the type or amount of make-up a believing woman may wish to apply or indulge herself in. The believing woman is at absolute liberty in Islam to adorn and beautify herself to her heart’s desire……provided she does not display and absolutely covers her ‘zeenah’ or beauty when in the presence of non-mehram men.

But if she applies and displays her adornments of beauty and make-up when in the presence of her husband, father, brothers, uncles, etc. or other womenfolk or children….there is absolutely no harm and no restriction.

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