Fatwa ID: 08890
Answered by Alimah Humairah Badshah
Question:
I just have some questions regarding this question that was answered.
Due to my condition described in the question where I’ve been very specific with the problem I have, would surgery to correct this be allowed as I’m not sure from the answer given.
The answer you gave was:
However, if there is a genuine need due to something being abnormal or deformed, then there is scope for permissibility. – My abnormality is an extra nipple on one side where there’s one on top of the other so it looks like a double nipple and on the other side the nipple does not appear to be round in shape but looks like it’s split into several nipples.
Not only this, I may have a condition called gynecomastia which is overproduction of glandular tissue due to an imbalance of hormones. What this does is, it gives the appearance of female looking breasts in most males or looks swollen and puffy especially around the areola and nipple area of the chest. It looks like there’s a bulge underneath the areola or like I said female breasts in most males. No matter how much exercise or dieting you do, this won’t go away and would need surgery to remove the gland and give the chest a masculine look.
In my case it is causing my nipple and areola to become hard and increase in height. What I mean by this is that literally the areola rises in height and protrudes forward as well as the nipple becoming hard as well. This happens in cold weather, touching the area when showering etc. No matter what I do, the areola and nipple are constantly swelling up and down. After speaking to a surgeon and another clinic over the phone, they have both said it sounds like I have excess gland tissue that’s causing this. They would look to remove the gland underneath the areola and then also remove the extra nipple.
If the surgery is being done purely for the purpose of beautification, then this will not be permissible, as it involves mutilating one’s body and changing one God-given feature. – I don’t believe my condition to be normal as I have an extra nipple and excess gland tissue that causes my areola to increase in height and cause my areola and nipple to become hard. The clinic wouldn’t look to remove the nipple without removing the gland underneath as that’s the underlying problem.
I did call one time which was after I sent in this online question and I was told by the sheikh that surgery would be allowed for both the nipple and removal of the gland. I mentioned as well that the surgeon/clinic wouldn’t look to do one without the other so wouldn’t look to remove the nipple without removing the gland but would need to remove the gland as that’s the underlying issue.
It would not be entirely for beautification as what I have isn’t normal and I would like it to make it normal. I went to my GP several times and to the same doctor and they said the only option is to go for private surgery as the NHS doesn’t fund this. I don’t believe that many men are born with extra nipples or have excess glandular tissue that’s always causing what I’ve described above.
I do apologise for asking this question a few times but the above answer has confused me a little and I’m aware of the severity of changing one’s appearance when nothing is wrong is completely impermissible. Please understand this is something that causes me a great deal of distress and embarrassment and something I find hard to talk about.
Given my circumstances with the condition I have, would surgery to correct this be allowed. That’s all I would like to know.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
It is permissible to surgically remove birth defects and other deformities and abnormalities of the body so long as the surgery is not likely to cause death. This applies even if the defect is not causing physical pain. For example, it is permissible to cut off an extra sixth finger from one’s hand.
From this we can see that it is permissible to remove one’s extra nipple and excess glandular tissue. Given that only way to remove the excess nipple and excess glandular tissue is to remove the entire gland, then since the gland is defective (due to gynecomastia) and it is causing you significant harm and distress, it would be permissible to have the whole gland removed.
References:
إذَا أَرَادَ الرَّجُلُ أَنْ يَقْطَعَ إصْبَعًا زَائِدَةً أَوْ شَيْئًا آخَرَ قَالَ نُصَيْرٌ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – إنْ كَانَ الْغَالِبُ عَلَى مَنْ قَطَعَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ الْهَلَاكَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَفْعَلُ وَإِنْ كَانَ الْغَالِبُ هُوَ النَّجَاةُ فَهُوَ فِي سَعَةٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ أَوْ امْرَأَةٌ قَطَعَ الْإِصْبَعَ الزَّائِدَةِ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَا يَضْمَنُ وَلَهُمَا وِلَايَةُ الْمُعَالَجَةِ وَهُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ وَلَوْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ غَيْرُ الْأَبِ وَالْأُمِّ فَهَلَكَ كَانَ ضَامِنًا وَالْأَبُ وَالْأُمُّ إنَّمَا يَمْلِكَانِ ذَلِكَ إذَا كَانَ لَا يَخَافُ التَّعَدِّيَ وَالْوَهْنَ فِي الْيَدِ كَذَا فِي الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ
مَنْ لَهُ سِلْعَةٌ زَائِدَةٌ يُرِيدُ قَطْعَهَا إنْ كَانَ الْغَالِبُ الْهَلَاكَ فَلَا يَفْعَلُ وَإِلَّا فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ كَذَا فِي خِزَانَةِ الْمُفْتِينَ
وَلَا بَأْسَ بِشَقِّ الْمَثَانَةِ إذَا كَانَتْ فِيهَا حَصَاةٌ وَفِي الْكَيْسَانِيَّاتِ فِي الْجِرَاحَاتِ الْمَخُوفَةِ وَالْقُرُوحِ الْعَظِيمَةِ وَالْحَصَاةِ الْوَاقِعَةِ فِي الْمَثَانَةِ وَنَحْوِهَا إنْ قِيلَ قَدْ يَنْجُو وَقَدْ يَمُوتُ أَوْ يَنْجُو وَلَا يَمُوتُ يُعَالَجُ وَإِنْ قِيلَ لَا يَنْجُو أَصْلًا لَا يُدَاوَى بَلْ يُتْرَكُ كَذَا فِي الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.5 p.360
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Humairah Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham