Cosmetic Surgery?

[-Serenity-]

Assalamu Calaykum wa raxmatullah wa barakaatuh Nomads.

 

First of all..is it me or are there too many Cosmetic Surgery shows on television?

 

I dont really know whats the stance in Islam on Cosmetic Surgery. I feel everyone is ready to jump the gun and condemn it as 'Xaraam' without trying to understand the complexities of the context under which it may/maynot be carried out. Can it be justified under certain conditions? I'll list a few scenerios that I think, its essential and equates to necessary.

 

Scenario 1: Obesity. Say someone is obese and finds everyday situations difficult. Instead of insisting on exercise and diet which may not work or work over an extended period of time, liposuction can be done and the person would still need to exercise and diet but atleast they have a head start, so isnt this for the HEALTH of the person concerned and justified albeit liposuction being considered Cosmetic surgery.

 

Scenario 2: Under Developed Breasts. Some young girls have breasts that are a little to severely under developed. This has profound psychological impact on them and leeds to severely low self esteem. Solution: Breast Implants. An argument I heard against this is that Islam prohibits the insertion of foreign particles into the body ( :confused: ), we have pace-makers, loops, etc inserted in other medical procedures... ? So obviously, I dont think that line of thought holds water.

 

Scenario 3: Excess Skin. Sometimes alot of skin tends to hang about as a result of loosing weight swiftly or after child birth. This excess skin can only be got rid of by surgery. Obviously, this has psychological effect again.

 

There are so many other procedures like nose-reconstruction, skin-grafting, all types of implants - buttocks,tighs, etc. So my question is...are these procedures approved in Islam under pressing ciscumstances?

[Nur]

Athena sis

 

 

It s interesting that you posted this topic as I was planning to post this topic from a different prespective than yours, from the prespective of our search for happiness and thus persuing it.

 

As for medical reasons, I have no problem with it at all. As for the cosmetic reasons and surgery, I once saw an advertisement billboard in London in which a sad but fine looking lady was depicted. The sign read:

 

Depressed?

 

Consider a boob job.

 

I said,

 

No No No ....Please stop, u don't need a boob job, you need a to make Dhiker of Allah SWT, tasbeex, and tahleel, you need to get close to your maker, don't befriend Satan.

 

 

Now, let us step back and see, the drivers for the depression of this woman, the drivers for the service provider, the manufacturer, the singles entertainment business, the music industry, the night life industry, the alcohol industry, the fashion industry, the perfect shape which include 36 size boobs. It is all materialistic drivers, not humane at all.

 

Clearly, here we have a case of female exploitation, first the fashion industry sets the acceptable physical looks, they advertise it on posters, so any woman who does not measure up is left in the dust bin, men make women work for peanuts while they do the same work like men, and then, the fashion indsustry and cosmetic surgery business asks these poor women to pay the little they earn to pay for making them look acceptable to fasionable standards with implants the size of NBA basket balls, so she can turn few eyeballs in local pubs by her protruding boobs.

 

The industry of plastic surgery is born out of the starkest model of female exploitation, by looking at women like a pleasure object, and as long as she has her youthful looks in tact, nice legs, straemlined coca cola shape curves, colored hairs, rose red oil dripping lipstics, then, she is good for a corporate secretary, so when she is conferring with her boss, she has to impress his eyeballs with her basketballs.

 

Happiness starts and ends within, anyone who has to depend on exterior looks to feel happy has no Intel Inside, and if one fo these women stand close to you, you can hear the Indian Ocean, there is nothing, they have a vacuum that needs to be filled, but not with passing fads, they are in, for a long painful trip in life, and a terrible surprise in the next. For change, women should look up for their happiness, up to the heavens, beyound the blue membrane that hovers over our heads, that is where our salvation and happiness lies, look up to Allah SWT, who has honored women as the close companion of men.

 

Lastly, for this suggestion to come from a woman, it shows that we are not doing a good job in educating our people about issues of the hour. Tampering with our bodies for cosmetic purpose is haraam by the Quraan and Sunnah and consensus of the scholars, Allah SWT relates in the Quraan about Satan's promise to mislead mankind in which Satan's stubbornly defies Allah SWT and threatens: " I shall order them ( Humans), and they shall obey me by altering the original creation fo Allah ( altering the body looks by body piercing and similar techniques)"

 

The prophet SAWS in a Hadeeth reported by Aisha , RAA, compiled by Al Nassa'ee, had cursed those who perform these cosmetic surgeries and body piercing" The Messneger of Allah had cursed the tattoo making, body piercing artist, and their customer, the artificial hair weaver and their customer, the Naamisah ( shaving of the eyelids, xaajibs of the eyes and then painting them with color like punks) and their customers"

 

Do not Follow Satan, Follow Allah SWT.

 

 

Nur

 

2004 e-Nuri Qalbigeyga Syndicate.

We attack Problems, Not Prople

[Baashi]

Wa caleykuma Salaam Athena,

 

As Bro Nur stated medicine and medical procedures that alleviate pain and suffering are permitted in Islam.

 

I don't know about scenario #2 and #3. Flat chest chicks get depressed cuz boobs r not big enough...is that a medical condition or as u put it, it is a "self-esteem" question. I think it is the later.

 

Social norms and peer pressure should not make women alter their features. That will make them sexual objects ready for explotation as Bro Nur eloquently explained.

 

Senario #3 can be rectified by weight lifting.

 

My taano.

[-Serenity-]

Thank U Nur and Baashi for taking the time to reply.

 

I assure you brother Nur that this topic wasn’t about me but inspired by the countless hours I spend in front of the TV watching the Health Channel, from ‘Cosmetic Surgery: Before and After’ to ‘Operation’ and the recent ‘Extreme Make-Overs’ on Living TV. I sit there in awe all the time thinking why people go to such lengths when they look perfectly normal to me. However, there is a case here and there where I think, its less about media hype/stereotypes and more about just looking NORMAL. Of course one would argue that the entire concept of ‘normal’ is subjective. If we put ‘normal’ on a scale, there are some things that just tip it a little.

Nur, breast implants just to enhance your looks is wrong-agreed.As Baashi put it

Social norms and peer pressure should not make women alter their features. That will make them sexual objects ready for explotation as Bro Nur eloquently explained

However, I was referring to when the breasts are under developed. I don’t want to get graphic but you’d have to see to believe its a serious issue for some.

Senario #3 can be rectified by weight lifting.

As far as I've read, no amount of working out and lifting will make the skin regain its elasticity.

 

As Bro Nur stated medicine and medical procedures that alleviate pain and suffering are permitted in Islam.

Pain is not only physical but emotional and psychological. So to elleviate these? :confused:

 

My question was, is it acceptable under pressing circumstances?. I'd appreciate more input

[dixon_fahma1]

Athena dear this is the 21st century. If it makes you happy and benefits you psychologically (and can afford it) just go for it. But check out al the pros and cons of the procedure.

[Viking]

Nur,

Nice seeing you again bro. How are things going with Nurtel?

 

I have met some breast-cancer patients who have had implants (more like prosthesis in their case) after a mastectomy. They do that to try and "look normal", just as they did before the operation. Is that considered cosmetic or medicinal?

[Nur]

Viking Bro.

 

 

What a pleasant surprise!

 

Nice to c u 2 here bro. Welcome, Alhamdulilah I found this Nomad site on the web. I pretty much feel at home here, I hope u also like it.

 

Anyway, any surgery that puts a patient back to normal, no matter how deviate they were when they opted for such a deformation, is permitted in my opinion, and it is thus a medical in nature. This category includes kids who are born with a physical deformation like a split upper lip or any other type.

 

 

Dixon Fahma1

 

Since this is the 21 century, you sure can break Islamic rules, but with a price tag, this program is called (SODom) SIN ON DEMAND, you select the sin you think you can get away with, that no one can catch you and punish you for, and then, you do it, who cares about what a crazy wadaad says anyway?

 

After all this is the age of freedoms, we came a long way as a species, in California men are allowed same sex marriages, it is their bodies, their business right? and so are women, does this remind you of another time in history?( this is the same time cycle as 6000 years ago, in the townships of Soddom of Gomorrah when heterosexuals were thrown out of town) and before this century is over the progress of human freedoms will cover freedoms of nudity in public places, by next century and if you object, someone will say, " Wake up, this is the 22 century" and by then we are back at the Roman time, the more things change, the more they stay the same!

 

 

Nur

[-Serenity-]

Originally posted by Nur:

Anyway, any surgery that puts a patient back to normal, no matter how deviate they were when they opted for such a deformation, is permitted in my opinion, and it is thus a medical in nature. This category includes kids who are born with a physical deformation like a split upper lip or any other type.

Thanks Nur, that cleared things a little for me. I was just wondering if its completely objectionable or permitted under certain circumstances.

 

Athena dear this is the 21st century. If it makes you happy and benefits you psychologically (and can afford it) just go for it. But check out al the pros and cons of the procedure

Sis, to me thats a very 'blonde girl' attitude. True happiness is accepting yourself for who you are and accepting all the blessings Allah has bestowed upon us. I was referring to cosmetic surgery to make people feel 'normal'. Not to change from an 'A' cup to a 'D' for the heck of it or as u so eloquently put it, to make you happy (or on lookers!).

 

I hope no1 has misunderstood my intention for posting this topic. From what I gather, its like piercing... u can do ur ears but its not ur eyebrows n upper lip + tongue ..that imitating the gaalos and unIslamic.

[Blessed]

Salaams Athena...I was sort of thinking about this topic. I think it's really sad... the cosmetics industry are capitalising on the very same psychological distress that they help cause ala beauty magazines and their shrewd selection of those women that represent us in the media.

 

As far as the Islamic prohibition goes -

 

Narrated Asma:

 

(the daughter of Abu' Bakr) A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "I married my daughter to someone, but she became sick and all her hair fell out, and (because of that) her husband does not like her. May I let her use false hair?" On that the Prophet cursed such a lady as artificially lengthening (her or someone else's) hair or got her hair lengthened artificially.

and

Narrated 'Alqama:

 

'Abdullah cursed those women who practiced tattooing and those who removed hair from their faces and those who created spaces between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, such ladies as changed what Allah has created. Um Ya'qub said, "What is that?" 'Abdullah said, "Why should I not curse those who were cursed by Allah's Apostle and are referred to in Allah's Book?" She said to him "By Allah, I have read the whole Qur'an but I have not found such a thing. 'Abdullah said, "By Allah, if you had read it (carefully) you would have found it. (Allah says:) 'And what the Apostle gives you take it and what he forbids you abstain (from it).' (59.7)

BOTH from Saheeh Bukhari

 

Quraan

 

Allâh cursed him. And he [shaitân (Satan)] said: "I will take an appointed portion of your slaves; Verily, I will mislead them, and surely, I will arouse in them false desires; and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allâh." And whoever takes Shaitân (Satan) as a Walî (protector or helper) instead of Allâh, has surely suffered a manifest loss. (An-Nisa 4:118-119)

[-Serenity-]

^^ Ameenah..that was very informative. However, you'de just confirmed my main concern.

Accoring to the hadith, you quoted

Narrated Asma:

(the daughter of Abu' Bakr) A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "I married my daughter to someone, but she became sick and all her hair fell out, and (because of that) her husband does not like her. May I let her use false hair?" On that the Prophet cursed such a lady as artificially lengthening (her or someone else's) hair or got her hair lengthened artificially

This clearly prohibits any kind of cosmetic sugery or means to change your appearance even if illness befalls you. Also wouldnt this be contrary to the example agreed by Nur and Viking (although they were prudent enough to note it as opinion) about the implant being acceptable after a woman undergoes a mastectomy.

 

:confused:

[Muslim_Queen]

So avoid cosmetic surgery if you are "lacking".just remember no matter how much religion you are quoting your man will prefer a beauty(all other things being equal)and he will get a look before comitting himself.You cannot control that.If you are a beauty you will probably be OK.It is no accident that the better looking woman seems to attract the better and/or more successful.For example if you are reasonably well built (attractive to the opposite sex) but have a big Arabic/juish nose why not have it fixed if it MAY enhance your chances.Men like to show off a good looking one and hide the ugly duckling.

 

The trouble is that you take religion too seriously and let it dictate how you eat, what you can do in the bedroom,when you can go to the market etc. The hijab is the least of your problems.

[Muslim_Queen]

NUR, really who the hell cares about gays? you do what you prefer.I prefer a blonde guy who looks clean,has a great body and can please me.I do the same for him and we have a GREAT time.Don't knock it unless you have tried it.

[Sophist]

I would just have to agree with the clear Ahaadith which our sister Ameenah had presented. I think the issue is one that is quite pressing to some; none the less desires had been created by other human beings. It is worrisome that some of us are becoming prey to the Advitising industry—I have some “friends” who work in the industry and it is astonishing the morale of these people who set the trend; most of them are indeed amoral.

 

We should not conform the conventions created by other men. These are wants not needs. The desire is created. Which leads me to Athena point; What crosponds illness? Sixty years ago in Western Europe psychological problems were not legally recognised as illness; when the likes of Freud and his crones surfaced the judges indeed bitter swalled this psycological bullshit.! More importantly, if one becomes in love with drinking fine French wine and listens to Bach or perhaps Van Beethoven and without indulging these pleasures one becomes ill psycoloically! Shall we then grant these pleasures to be legal under Islamic Law? Perhaps you might argue listening classical music isn’t prohibited, but that is another topic altogether. Anyhow Athena! why the need! you don't seem to lack any Esthetic........ :rolleyes:

 

 

Athena! why spend all these precious time infornt of the Telly! perhaps you should ask whether it is Islamiclly sound to do such a thing!

 

Muslim Queen: I am not even going to respond to you! It is not worth it.

 

Thus Spake I

[-Serenity-]

Sophist, r u following me around maalmahan? For the last friggin time - this is not about me. I'm 'normal' except for a chipped tooth (which is getting fixed next week - mind u!).

And thanks for the compliment

 

BTW, for you to rebuff psychological illness as bullsh!t is just laughable. Good one!

[Sophist]

laughable How So my sister?