When is it permissible to change Allaah's creation?

ANSWER by Shaykh Muhammad 'Umar Baazmool, instructor at Umm Al-Quraa University in Makkah

The guidelines that help us understand what is included in the prohibition of changing Allaah's creation are the legislative texts of the Religion (i.e. the Qur'aan and the Sunnah). So every action related to the physical attributes of the human being that has been prohibited by a legislative text is an act of changing the creation of Allaah. And everything that has been approved of in the Sharee'ah is not to be considered changing the creation of Allaah.

Verily the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saw that one of the Companions was wearing a very long garment that actually hung below his ankles. So he (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) prohibited him from wearing such a garment that hangs below the ankles. He replied, "O Messenger of Allaah! I am only concealing an unsightly curve in my leg by wearing this garment!"

So the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said to him, "All of Allaah's Creation is beautiful!" [2]

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) prohibited this companion from allowing his garment to hang below his ankles, even to cover something that he saw as an imperfection in his appearance, this curve in his leg.

So based on this, we say that if anyone has been created with any kind of imperfection in his appearance, then the principle is that all of Allaah's creation is beautiful, and the Muslim should be pleased with what Allaah has given him.

This is so long as the imperfection has not reached the level of harming the person. Here, we apply the Sharee'ah's principle, "There is no harm, and no reciprocating harm." [3]

As for the question about straightening the teeth, then the principle is that all of Allaah's Creation is beautiful, and that one does not change the appearance that Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, has created him with, so long as no harm is caused by remaining this way. If he is in pain or suffering, then we say, "There is no harm, and no reciprocating harm," thus you have the right to remove what is causing you harm. In this case, you may alter or correct that which is causing you harm. Aside from this, we say that things must remain the way they are, as all of Allaah's Creation is beautiful.

An example of changing one's appearance that is found in an authentic text is what we read about one of the companions who had his nose cut off in one of the battles before Islaam. So he had a nose made of gold put on his face in place of his original nose, and the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) approved of that. [4]

Another example of altering the appearance in an acceptable way is what some of the Salaf used to do, they would fasten their teeth together with thin strings of gold. And similar to this is what we have in our modern time, when a tooth breaks or falls out, it can be replaced with a tooth made of gold. And with recent advancements in dentistry, they are now making teeth from ceramic so that it has the exact color and make-up of a real tooth. This is not considered changing the Creation of Allaah, in shaa' Allaah, since no specific prohibition has been reported about it.

Therefore, the criteria used to determine whether an alteration in one's appearance is prohibited or not is if it violates a legislative text. So if there is no contradiction to Allaah's Legislation, may He be glorified and exalted, then this is not considered the prohibited changing of Allaah's Creation.

For example, powders and make-up that the women use on their faces to make their appearances more pleasing, this is not something that changes the creation of Allaah in its origin. But if she intends to deceive someone who wants to marry her, or to pretend to be someone else, then that is prohibited, as it is from the prohibited changing of the creation of Allaah.

So then our guideline in understanding the issue is that the appearance is not to be changed in a way that contradicts Allaah's Legislation, whether the contradiction is found in the action itself [5] or in something else that results from the action [6], and Allaah knows best.

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FOOTNOTES

[1] From an authentic hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhaaree (#5931) and others on the authority of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him).

[2] From an authentic hadeeth collected by Ahmad in his Musnad (#19472, 32/221-222), it has been authenticated by Al-Albaanee in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (#1441).

[3] From an authentic hadeeth reported by a number of companions, see a detailed discussion of its numerous routes in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (#250).

[4] He was 'Arfajah ibn As'ad (may Allaah be pleased with him) and this narration is authentic, see Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood (#4232, 2/552).

[5] ie. like making a space between one's teeth for beauty

[6] ie. like deception