Tattoos: The Unseen Realities
Tattoos: The Unseen Realities
Narrated Abu Huraira: “A woman who used to practice tattooing was brought to Umar. Umar got up and said, ‘I beseech you by Allah, which of you heard the Prophet saying something about tattooing?’ I got up and said, ‘O chief of the Believers! I heard something’. He said, ‘What did you hear?’ I said, ‘I heard the Prophet (addressing the ladies), saying, ‘Do not practice tattooing and do not get yourselves tattooed.’”(Bukhari)
In another narration, ‘Alqama related: “Abdullah (Prophet Muhammad) cursed those women who practiced tattooing and those who removed hair from there faces and those who created spaces between their teeth artificially to look beautiful; such ladies [have] changed what Allah has created.” (Bukhari)
The English word tattoo comes from the Tahitian: tatu”, ( وشم, weshm in Arabic) which means “to mark something.” Tattooing the body involves injecting permanent inks and dyes under the skin in order to produce colorful designs, words, pictures etc. Tattooing has a long history in primate civilization and has been used for reasons as diverse as marking criminals and slaves, Identifying members of secret clans and societies and indicating one’s social and marital status or membership in a specific tribe or family.
Tattooing has played a role in religious ceremonies, whereby the body is marked with the pictures of deities and other symbols of religious significance. According to some beliefs, certain markings and pictures are supposed to ward off evil spirits and give the tattooed individual special powers.
Some cultures view tattooing as a means of beautification (i.e., music, fashion, and sports) In the West, Tattooing has often been associated with gangs, juvenile delinquency, rebellious behavior, and (currently) Homosexual pride. It’s not uncommon for people to get a tattoo while under the influence – only to regret it later. For example, one might impulsively decided to imprint his body with the name of someone who does not become their spouse. Imam FurQan Muhammad (full time Daiee & Residential Imam of Masjid Al-Muminun Atlanta, GA) says” Tattoos are a permanent reminder of how one temporarily felt”. Despite its growing popularity in some circles, there is still a stigma attached to tattoos that makes many people cover them up while at work, religious gatherings(esp. Church, Synagogues & Mosques) and amongst family and friends. It is no coincidence that tattoo parlors are often located in most undesirable parts of town, many have gone underground.
What does Islam say about this practice?
Muslims scholars agree that it is not allowed for Muslims (male or female) to tattoo their bodies, because it is a form of mutilation and permanently disfigures the body, changing what Allah(SWT) created.
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, explains: “According to the teachings of Islam, our body-including all of our physical faculties is a trust from Allah and we are required to protect and preserve it according to the best of our ability. Consequently, we are not allowed to alter or tamper with out physical faculties unnecessarily; we are only permitted to interfere with them in order to correct a natural deformity or repair or remedy an ailment. Any other form of interference or tampering with our body is akin to altering Allah’s creation which has been condemned in the Qur’an.”
Tattooing is an unpleasant procedure involving the use of needles that causes unnecessary pain and harm to the body and violates the trust that we have been given by our Lord and Creator.
Now lets look at the significance of tattoos in various cultures, as Believers we can clearly see how many groups have used them for purposes that are in direct contradiction with Al-Kitab (The Book) and Sunnah (ways & actions) of our Beloved Prophet (PBUH). Surely, this is a violation of Islamic principles, such as making a class distinctions or attributing false powers and meanings to these markings in a religious or spiritual context. In blind imitation, some people tattoo their body with these mysterious symbols that they find there favorite singer, rapper or sports figure displaying not knowing these may be emblems of polytheism or devil-worship. A married Muslim couple unlettered in the Arabic language tattooed their back with Arabic characters as wedding gifts. Although they had no knowledge of Arabic at that time, they now realize that their tattoos contained offensive Arabic slogans. Allah yasamahum (May Allah have Mercy on them)
The Muslim is not one to adopt fashions and fads that have no tangible benefits. Cautioning against such behavior, the Prophet (PBUH) said “Whoever imitates the people of a nation is one of them.” (Abu Dawud)
What are the Unseen realities you say?
Mainly disobedience to Allah(SWT) and His Messenger(PBUH) it is important to realize that there are serious dangers associated with tattooing, the likes of which is the potential for spreading infectious disease such as hepatitis, tuberculosis and AIDS through unsafe practices, such as the tattooist reusing needles on his/her clients, or failing to dispose of needles that have fallen on the ground or come into contact with another unclean surface, and reusing the same ink for multiple clients-also know as “double dipping.” Because he/she is working with a client’s blood, the tattoo artist himself is at risk for becoming diseased. In the early 1960’s an outbreak of hepatitis caused mass hysteria in New York and tattooing became illegal in that state for a period of time. Until this day, some one wishing to donate blood in the United States must wait a period of one year after obtaining a tattoo before he/she is allowed to do so. As amazing as it may seem in this age of modern medicine, knowledge and enlightenment, there are many tattoo artists who do not sterilize their equipment properly and who also work in unsanitary conditions, mostly due to laziness and/or the desire to save money on equipment and ink.
Other unseen realities surrounding tattoos have to do with the fifty plus inks and dyes that are used in the procedure, none of which are approved for injection under the skin by the Federal Food and drug Administration of the United States. According to the FDA, some of the pigments are not suitable for any kind of skin contact at all and are in fact industrial grade colors that are better fit for printers’ ink or automobile paint. Some people experience severe allergic reactions to these dyes, which are difficult to remove and may contain resin, acrylic, PORK, glycol, which are toxic in high concentrations. A number of people undergo swelling, scarring and the formation of fleshy tumors after getting tattoos. Others report a terrible itchy or burning sensation. Dermatologists are now warning of skin cancer occurring in tattooing. In his fatwa on tattooing and body piercing(which can be more hazardous than tattooing), Sheikh Ahmad Kutty reminds us that, “In Islam, all such acts that entails possible health hazards are considered totally forbidden even if they contain some imagined or presumed benefits; such presumed benefits are considered as being outweighed by the hazards.” In his [Kutty] words, “No Muslims, who is conscious of his Deen, should ever contemplate such activities.”
Are there ways to remove tattoos?
The main options in tattoo removal include laser treatments (which lighten but do not necessarily remove tattoos), dermabrasion (sanding the tattoo away, sometimes with the help of a salt solution), scarification (removing the tattoo with acid and creating a scar in its place), surgical removal (cutting away the tattoo and stitching together the resulting wound), and camouflaging (replacing a colored tattoo with a skin-colored one to conceal the original image). Each procedure is prone to its own complications and can also be expensive and painful, but some people find relief in finally removing what they consider to be a blemish on both their skin and faith. Allah ‘Alim (Allah Knows best)
~Brother Rasheim ibn Abdul al-Amin can be contacted at rasheimabdulalamin@gmail.com
Join The Muslim Social Network | YOU R A CREATOR!
This is an excellent article. May Allah reward you for giving the Believers clear guidance in terms of what has become a popular personal adornment.
I would like to note that Muslim women are permitted to remove hair from their face if it is considered masculine (above the lip or on the chin). The general rule among all scholars is that the eyebrows are not to be plucked. However, a woman is permitted to remove hair specificially from the area below the eyebrows if a woman has unnatural facial hair. Some scholars have even said that if a woman feels embarassed if she has a uni-brow it is permissible to remove the hair in the middle. I have researched this extensively and can provide clear evidence if anyone is interested.
Once again, thank you for an important reminder to maintain our own traditions (the Sunnah) with regard to a timely matter that concerns us all.