Effects Of Cosmetic Surgery In Islam Essay

Is Cosmetic Surgery Allowed in Islam?

Introduction

Being exposed to the ever alluring representation of “A Perfect Body” in media through the picture of celebrities and actors, we inevitably grow more careful about our own body and try to compare ourselves with that unrealistic image that is made real for us. And the only remedy we find to get closer to that so-called norm, is to change our appearances with the help of cosmetic surgeries. Some people find a perfect correspondence between their physical features and inner confidence and instead of working on their inner abilities to elevate their character, try to make a better look. But there may be cases in which one is forced to undergo this kind of surgery out of necessity. What is Islam’s view with regard to this matter on the whole? Are we allowed to have cosmetic surgeries or not? What are the conditions?

In what follows we will try to find the answers to these questions.

beauty, cosmetics surgery, Islam, Muslims

Islam’s View on Beauty

Having said all of the above, the idea of beautifying yourself through cosmetic surgery remains unresolved. According to the most Islamic jurists, having this kind of surgery is not forbidden (Haram) in itself, provided that it is done for the purpose of medical treatment such as removing a burn mark or curing a deformed part of the body [3].

However, undergoing cosmetics surgery just for the sake of beauty and without any purpose of medical treatment is only allowed if it is done by a doctor of the same gender, since it is not out of necessity. This is due to the fact that in Islam patients can refer to a doctor of the opposite gender, only when no same gender doctor is available or his proficiency is lower than a doctor of the opposite gender[3]. To have a better view with regard to “Islamic Etiquette of Looking” as well as the matter of Mahrams, you can refer to the related articles.