Halal and haram are two terms mentioned in the Quran that demote lawful and unlawful practice. Halal denotes permissible or lawful activities or practices, while haram indicates non-permissible activities.
So does Islam allow tattoos? Are tattoos halal or haram in Islam?
Permanent tattoos are forbidden in the Islamic religion. It is considered haram because it means changing the creation of Allah.
Read further and understand the reason why tattoos are considered haram in Islam.
Here’s Why Tattoos are Haram in Islam:
Permanent tattoos are strictly prohibited among orthodox Muslims. They consider it haram because they believe it is changing the creation of Allah.
There is no particular verse in the Quran that mentions the prohibition of tattoos. But according to Hadith (oral traditions), Allah should curse those who make tattoos and those who get tattoos done on their bodies.
The sole idea behind this is that Allah has created us human beings and any alterations to God’s creation are a sin. Muslims believe that the physical body is the creation of Allah, and you must return it after death as it is.
Even though there are no other specific reasons mentioned for the prohibition of tattoos in the Quran, different scholars interpret the reasons in different ways.
According to Shafi’i schools, the three main reasons for considering tattoos Haram are-
Considered A Filth
Earlier tattoos were made by pricking a needle in the skin until the skin bleeds, then powder dye is sprinkled on it, leaving a permanent mark.
The mark that remains on the skin has a trace of blood, and Allah does not accept prayers with such a mark because blood is considered filth.
However, the modern tattoo is not inked in the same way; no powder dye is mixed with the blood, and the mark does not remain on the outer part of the skin.
It Causes Unnecessary Pain
The repeated piercing of skin through one or multiple needles is not required, and it may also inflict chances of infection. According to the Quran, Allah forbids any activity that causes self-harm or self-destruction, and tattoos are a form of self-harm.
Changing Allah’s Creation
As stated earlier, getting a tattoo is a way of altering the body that Allah has created. Getting a tattoo is also not necessary.
Here is an excerpt in Hadith, narrated by Abdullah and collected by Jami at-Tirmidhi talks about why tattoo is haram.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبِيدَةُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَعَنَ الْوَاشِمَاتِ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَاتِ وَالْمُتَنَمِّصَاتِ مُبْتَغِيَاتٍ لِلْحُسْنِ مُغَيِّرَاتٍ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ شُعْبَةُ وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الأَئِمَّةِ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ .
Translation:
“that the Prophet (ﷺ) cursed the women who practice tattooing and those who seek to be tattooed, the women who remove hair from their faces seeking beautification by changing the creation of Allah.”
Final Words
Muslims living in different parts of the globe don’t share similar views about getting tattoos. Some Muslims make tattoos of religious symbols like the moon, star, or verses from the Quran.
Also, differences of opinion lie about the matter between Shia and Sunni Muslims, whether tattoos are haram or not. But as we can see, prophets and scholars do not support getting tattoos because they believe it’s an act against Allah’s order.
