Is Plastic Surgery Haram in Islam? Depending on the Cause!

Being a Muslim isn’t confined to praying, fasting, and performing the five pillars of Islam. Islamic law closely regulates every aspect of a Muslim’s life, so before doing anything major in your life, you should first wonder if it’s permissible in your religion.

Here’s one common question that’s on its way to turning into a controversy: is plastic surgery haram in Islam?

Plastic surgery is originally a reconstructive type of surgery that aims at repairing a defect resulting from birth or an accident. However, the term ‘plastic surgery’ is now being thrown around for any cosmetic or beautification surgery, like breast enlargement or lip implants. 

Since the slight difference in meaning can be the verdict in whether the surgery is haram, we’ll explore the matter in detail in this article:

Is Plastic Surgery Haram in Islam?

In Islam, the permissibility of plastic surgery depends solely on the intention behind the procedure and the outcomes you want to achieve from it.

According to Islamic rulings, plastic surgery is only considered halal if it serves a Shariah-acceptable benefit. This includes situations where the surgery is performed to restore an impaired function, repair a defect, or return a body part to its original form as created by Allah.

The decision to undergo such procedures should be carefully evaluated to ensure the benefits outweigh any potential harm. Of course, this assessment shouldn’t be done by the patient. It must be made by competent medical professionals who can provide an objective evaluation of the risks and advantages involved.

On the other hand, Islam prohibits plastic surgeries that are solely for cosmetic reasons without any underlying medical necessity. Such procedures are intended to change a person’s natural appearance, so they don’t align with Islamic principles. 

Examples of these impermissible surgeries include altering the shape of the face, nose, lips, eyes, or cheeks purely for the sake of achieving a particular look.

When Is Plastic Surgery Allowed in Islam?

In Islam, plastic surgery is permissible under specific conditions that align with Shariah principles. These surgeries must aim to achieve one of the following purposes:

• Restoration of the Original Form: This involves returning body parts to their original state.
• Restoration of Normal Functions: This involves helping the body perform its natural functions effectively.
• Rectification of Congenital Defects: Corrective procedures for birth defects, such as a cleft lip, extra fingers or teeth, or misaligned teeth or fingers, especially when these defects cause significant distress.
• Rectification of Acquired Defects: Surgeries needed due to burns, accidents, or illnesses, including skin transplants or grafts, breast reconstruction after mastectomy, or hair transplants.

Several key conditions must be met for the surgery to be considered permissible:

• Specialized Physician: The surgery must be conducted by a qualified and specialized medical professional.
• Patient Consent: The patient must provide explicit consent for the surgery.
• Informed Consent: The physician must fully inform the patient about the potential risks and complications associated with the surgery.
• Least Harmful Option: There should be no alternative treatment available that is less harmful than this surgery.
• Compliance with Shariah: The surgery must not violate Shariah laws. This includes ensuring that the surgery doesn’t involve unnecessary exposure of private parts or situations where a man and woman are alone together without necessity.

Related: Is Botox haram in Islam?

The Difference Between Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery

Though plastic and cosmetic surgery are often used as interchangeable terms, they’re two different practices. 

While exploring the permissibility of either in Islam, it’s important to know how to distinguish them in order to make an informed decision and follow the correct ruling. And it can be tricky to know the difference since most cosmetic surgeries are performed by plastic surgeons.

Cosmetic surgeries are solely meant to improve your appearance or aesthetic appeal. They can be performed in any area of the body, depending on the result you want to achieve.

These surgeries don’t treat anything; they’re meant for areas that are already functioning properly. Examples of cosmetic surgeries include breast enhancement and body contouring.

On the other hand, plastic surgery aims at reconstructing bodily or facial defects. It’s a reconstructive surgery rather than a cosmetic one, and whether it’s permissible or not depends on the reason it’s being done.

Examples of plastic surgeries include breast reconstruction, scar revision surgery, and burn repair surgery.

Though the nature of plastic surgeries should make them permissible in Islam, most people mistakenly call cosmetic surgeries plastic surgeries. So, you should still make sure of their permissibility before going through one.

Related: Is vanilla extract haram?

Are Cosmetic Surgeries Haram in Islam?

In Islam, some cosmetic surgeries are considered haram because they change the creation of Allah purely for the sake of enhancing beauty. 

These procedures, such as breast enlargement or reduction and face-lifts aimed at reversing the signs of ageing, are generally not excusable because they don’t address a genuine medical need or necessity. 

Instead, they are viewed as attempts to change and tamper with Allah’s creation out of vanity.

Islam encourages you to accept your natural form and beauty as created by Allah. So, these forms of surgeries are impermissible because they promote focusing on the body rather than the soul.

Some scholars argue that the reason many women want to go through cosmetic surgeries is because of the materialistic values influenced by Western civilization.

They attribute the rising popularity of these surgeries to standards set by the media, which push naturally beautiful women to subject themselves to pain and change the nature of their bodies.

One more reason cosmetic surgeries aren’t allowed in Isla is because Islam prohibits any form of mutilation of the body. In case a surgery fails and results in harm to the patient, it can be a form of self-mutilation, rendering it haram.

Lastly, performing cosmetic surgeries with ill intentions is strictly forbidden in Islam. This includes procedures intended to deceive others, such as face-lifts to appear younger for misleading a marriage candidate or surgeries to change appearance to evade law enforcement.

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Examples of Allowed Cosmetic Surgeries in Islam

Islamic scholars stress that each cosmetic surgery should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering its motivations that may change from one patient to another. 

While many modern plastic surgeries are done solely for beautification purposes, there are instances where the motivations extend beyond mere beautification. 

These cases can sometimes be classified under hajiyyat (necessities) or even dharuriyyat (essentials)—categories that can make some otherwise unlawful procedures permissible.

For example, breast augmentation is generally prohibited if it involves changing breasts that are of normal size, as such a procedure is considered unnecessary. However, it may be deemed permissible in situations where the breasts were removed due to breast cancer or a similar condition.

The key factor in these rulings is the presence of a substantial reason beyond aesthetic purposes.

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The Final Verdict: Is Plastic Surgery Haram?

In summary, while Islam allows plastic surgery for essential medical purposes, it strictly forbids surgeries aimed solely at changing your natural appearance for cosmetic reasons. 

The main reason for this ruling is to ensure that any medical intervention does not cause more harm than good, maintaining a balance between necessity and the preservation of the human’s natural form.