Fatwa ID: 06837

Answered by: Alimah Jannatun Nessa

Question:

Salam, My question is are tattoos haram? If so, why?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Tattoos are haram because they are considered a form of permanent body modification, which is seen as altering the natural state of the body that Allah has created.

In addition, people wear tattoos for aesthetic purposes, which requires going through a painful procedure that is regarded as self-harm in Islam.

In times of ignorance, women would beat themselves excessively to mourn the death of their husbands. This practice of self-abuse is something that the Prophet SAW strongly condemned. 

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا زُبَيْدٌ الْيَامِيُّ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَطَمَ الْخُدُودَ، وَشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ، وَدَعَا بِدَعْوَى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated by `Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He who slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes and follows the ways and traditions of the Days of Ignorance is not one of us.” [Sahih al-Bukhari,1294]

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Jannatun Nessa

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham