Source: Excerpt from the book "Ahkām wa Masā’il Kitāb-o-Sunnat ki Roshni Main" by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
What is the ruling in Islam regarding tattooing or injecting indigo dye (neel) into the body?
Please answer in light of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
During the Age of Ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), numerous corrupt customs were prevalent, and people had strayed far from the true religion and its laws. Among those customs was tattooing, which has persisted even in modern times.
Tattooing (Arabic: وشم) was a practice in which:
"Women would pierce the back of their hands or wrists with a needle until blood would come out, then fill the pierced area with kohl or dye, turning it green or blue. Similarly, they would create marks on their faces resembling moles with kohl or ink."
—[Sharḥ al-Sunnah (12/104), Ghareeb al-Ḥadīth by Ibn al-Jawzī (2/469), al-Nihāyah by Ibn al-Athīr (5/189), Lisān al-ʿArab (15/311), etc.]
This ritual of embedding dye into the skin—sometimes forming patterns, circles, flowers, or names—was a widely practiced custom among men and women alike. Today, this custom is still found in various forms, such as:
✔ Tattooed names or symbols on arms or foreheads by truck drivers, athletes, or others.
✔ Modern cosmetic or decorative tattooing.
Once performed, tattoos become permanent, and removing them requires surgical excision or chemical burns, which is painful and dangerous.
Islam categorically forbids tattooing and considers it a major sin (kabīrah). Numerous authentic ḥadīths declare this practice as accursed (malʿūn):
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما reported:
"لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةَ، وَالْوَاشِمَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ"
“Allah has cursed the one who joins hair and the one who gets it joined, and the one who tattoos and the one who gets tattooed.”
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed ten people: the one who consumes usury, the one who gives it, its scribe, its witnesses, the one who performs ḥilālah, the one for whom ḥilālah is done, the one who withholds zakāh, the one who tattoos, and the one who gets tattooed."
"النَّهْيُ عَنِ الْوَشْمِ"
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade tattooing.”
“Allah has cursed women who tattoo and those who get tattooed, those who pluck facial hair, and those who make gaps between their teeth for beauty, altering the creation of Allah…”
A woman named Umm Yaʿqūb came to verify this and was told:
"Whatever the Messenger ﷺ forbids, you must avoid, as Allah says: ﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا﴾ ‘Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.’”
"لَعَنَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُوَصَّلَةَ، وَالْوَاشِمَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ"
“The Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who joins hair and the one who gets it joined, the one who tattoos and the one who gets tattooed.”
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade tattooing and being tattooed, hair-extensions and facial hair removal.”
✔ Imām al-ʿIrāqī said:
“Tattooing involves piercing the skin to cause bleeding and filling it with dye or powder until the area turns green. This is ḥarām.”
✔ Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-Makkī listed it among major sins (kabā’ir):
“The 81st major sin is tattooing and seeking it.”
✔ Ibn Hajar al-ʿAsqalānī wrote:
“Tattooing is forbidden due to the explicit curse. The area becomes impure (najis) due to blood and should be removed if possible, unless harm is feared. Repentance is enough to remove the sin. This applies to both men and women.”
Some narrations indicate exceptions when such markings are made due to illness or medical treatment, as seen in the wording:
"إِلَّا مِنْ دَاءٍ" — “Except due to illness”
Similarly, Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
"وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ دَاءٍ"
“And the woman who gets tattooed without a medical reason.”
Thus, if a woman undergoes treatment and tattoo-like marks remain unintentionally, there is no blame.
✘ Tattooing—whether for beauty, names, symbols, or decoration—is:
✔ If the tattoo was done in the past, and cannot be removed without harm, then repentance is sufficient.
✔ Men and women are equally prohibited from this practice.
❖ Question:
What is the ruling in Islam regarding tattooing or injecting indigo dye (neel) into the body?
Please answer in light of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer:
During the Age of Ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), numerous corrupt customs were prevalent, and people had strayed far from the true religion and its laws. Among those customs was tattooing, which has persisted even in modern times.
Tattooing (Arabic: وشم) was a practice in which:
"Women would pierce the back of their hands or wrists with a needle until blood would come out, then fill the pierced area with kohl or dye, turning it green or blue. Similarly, they would create marks on their faces resembling moles with kohl or ink."
—[Sharḥ al-Sunnah (12/104), Ghareeb al-Ḥadīth by Ibn al-Jawzī (2/469), al-Nihāyah by Ibn al-Athīr (5/189), Lisān al-ʿArab (15/311), etc.]
This ritual of embedding dye into the skin—sometimes forming patterns, circles, flowers, or names—was a widely practiced custom among men and women alike. Today, this custom is still found in various forms, such as:
✔ Tattooed names or symbols on arms or foreheads by truck drivers, athletes, or others.
✔ Modern cosmetic or decorative tattooing.
Once performed, tattoos become permanent, and removing them requires surgical excision or chemical burns, which is painful and dangerous.
❖ Clear Prohibition in Islam:
Islam categorically forbids tattooing and considers it a major sin (kabīrah). Numerous authentic ḥadīths declare this practice as accursed (malʿūn):
1. Curse on Those Who Tattoo and Get Tattooed
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما reported:
"لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةَ، وَالْوَاشِمَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ"
“Allah has cursed the one who joins hair and the one who gets it joined, and the one who tattoos and the one who gets tattooed.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5947, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2124
2. Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه said:
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed ten people: the one who consumes usury, the one who gives it, its scribe, its witnesses, the one who performs ḥilālah, the one for whom ḥilālah is done, the one who withholds zakāh, the one who tattoos, and the one who gets tattooed."
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 1/83, Musnad Abū Yaʿlā: 516, Musnad al-Bazzār: 819
3. Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"النَّهْيُ عَنِ الْوَشْمِ"
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade tattooing.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5944, 5945
4. Sayyidunā Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said:
“Allah has cursed women who tattoo and those who get tattooed, those who pluck facial hair, and those who make gaps between their teeth for beauty, altering the creation of Allah…”
A woman named Umm Yaʿqūb came to verify this and was told:
"Whatever the Messenger ﷺ forbids, you must avoid, as Allah says: ﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا﴾ ‘Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.’”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4886, Musnad Aḥmad: 1/434
5. Sayyidunā Abū Umāmah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"لَعَنَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُوَصَّلَةَ، وَالْوَاشِمَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ"
“The Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who joins hair and the one who gets it joined, the one who tattoos and the one who gets tattooed.”
Reference: Muʿjam al-Ṭabarānī al-Kabīr: 7773, Majmaʿ al-Zawā’id: 8/187
6. Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade tattooing and being tattooed, hair-extensions and facial hair removal.”
Reference: Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 5104
❖ Ruling According to Scholars:
✔ Imām al-ʿIrāqī said:
“Tattooing involves piercing the skin to cause bleeding and filling it with dye or powder until the area turns green. This is ḥarām.”
Reference: Ṭarḥ al-Tathrīb: 8/204
✔ Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-Makkī listed it among major sins (kabā’ir):
“The 81st major sin is tattooing and seeking it.”
Reference: al-Zawājir: 1/304
✔ Ibn Hajar al-ʿAsqalānī wrote:
“Tattooing is forbidden due to the explicit curse. The area becomes impure (najis) due to blood and should be removed if possible, unless harm is feared. Repentance is enough to remove the sin. This applies to both men and women.”
Reference: Fatḥ al-Bārī: 10/372
❖ Exceptions in Case of Medical Need:
Some narrations indicate exceptions when such markings are made due to illness or medical treatment, as seen in the wording:
"إِلَّا مِنْ دَاءٍ" — “Except due to illness”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 7/58 – Graded Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī
Similarly, Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
"وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ دَاءٍ"
“And the woman who gets tattooed without a medical reason.”
Reference: Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 4170, graded Ḥasan Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī
Thus, if a woman undergoes treatment and tattoo-like marks remain unintentionally, there is no blame.
Summary & Ruling:
✘ Tattooing—whether for beauty, names, symbols, or decoration—is:
- Explicitly ḥarām
- A major sin
- Cursed by the Prophet ﷺ
✔ If the tattoo was done in the past, and cannot be removed without harm, then repentance is sufficient.
✔ Men and women are equally prohibited from this practice.
