Ruling on tattooists to conceal defects caused by illness
Question

                I have had amputations from nine of my fingers because of septicaemia. On my right hand the amputation has reached the first knuckle and on my left hand it has reached the second knuckle. The doctor has advised me to get tattoos on the amputated fingers so that the amputated part will look like a fingernail, and the fingers will appear longer. Is it permissible to do that?
Praise be to Allah.
	It was narrated that Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with 
	him) said: May Allah curse the women who do tattoos and those who have 
	tattoos done, those who pluck their facial hair, and those who file their 
	teeth for the purpose of beautification, changing the creation of Allah, may 
	He be exalted. Why should I not curse those whom the Prophet (blessings and 
	peace of Allah be upon him) cursed? Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5931). 

	What is meant by those who file their teeth is those who do 
	that in order to create gaps between them so that they will appear younger.

	 The fact that it says “for the purpose of beautification” 
	indicates that what is prohibited is to do that with the aim of looking more 
	beautiful. From this it may be understood that whoever does these things for 
	medical purposes or to conceal a defect, that is permissible and there is 
	nothing wrong with it. 

	An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

	 With regard to the words “those who file their teeth for the 
	purpose of beautification”, what is meant is that they do that with the aim 
	of looking more beautiful, which indicates that what is prohibited is that 
	which is done for the purpose of beautification. But if it is needed for 
	medical reasons, or to treat a defect in the teeth and the like, then there 
	is nothing wrong with it. And Allah knows best. 

	End quote from Sharh Saheeh Muslim (14/107) 

	As-Sindi mentioned in his commentary on Sunan an-Nasaa’i 
	that the words “for the purpose of beautification” may be understood as 
	referring to the filing of the teeth only, or the phrase may be understood 
	as referring to all the things mentioned in the hadith, so it includes 
	tattooing and plucking the facial hair. 

	Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Adam al-Ethiopi said: 

	In my view the second interpretation is more likely to be 
	correct. And Allah knows best. End quote from Dhakheerat al-‘Uqba 
	(38/131). 

	This is also indicated by the report narrated by Abu Dawood 
	(4170) from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: The woman who does hair extensions and 
	the woman for whom that is done, the woman who plucks facial hair and the 
	woman for whom that is done, the woman who does tattoos and the woman for 
	whom that is done when there is no disease (that would justify doing that) 
	are cursed. Narrated by Abu Dawood (4170); its isnaad was classed as hasan 
	by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari (10/376); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani 
	in Saheeh Abi Dawood (4170). 

	The words “when there is no disease (that would justify doing 
	that)” come after mention of tattooing, therefore al-Qaari said: This refers 
	to tattooing. Al-Mazhar said: If a woman needs tattooing for medical 
	purposes, it is permissible, even if some trace of it remains. 

	End quote from ‘Awn al-Ma‘bood Sharh ‘ala Sunan Abi Dawood 
	(11/228). 

	Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

	We must understand the difference between that which is done 
	for the purpose of adornment and beautification, and that which is done to 
	remove a defect. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave 
	permission to the Sahaabi whose nose had been cut off to wear a (prosthetic) 
	nose made of gold to correct the defect resulting from the cutting off of 
	his nose. “And he cursed the woman who files teeh and the woman for whom 
	that is done”, which refers to a woman who files her teeth so that there 
	will be gaps between them and the like. But if it so happens that the teeth 
	are not properly aligned, in a manner that spoils the appearance of the 
	teeth, then there is nothing wrong with taking measures to straighten them. 

	End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb (22/2) 

	Based on that, if the tattoo is for medical purposes or to 
	conceal a defect that is bothering the individual – as in your case – then 
	it is permissible, and is not prohibited. 

	The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas 
	were asked: 

	I am a young woman suffering from vitiligo which has deformed 
	many areas on my body. I used to use some kinds of make-up and creams to 
	conceal the visible areas, because I could not bear people looking at me, 
	because I am very sensitive about this matter and because of what it caused 
	me of intense psychological distress that affected my social life to the 
	extent that I became very withdrawn, even from my family, especially now 
	that I have grown up and reached the age of twenty-two years. Now I have 
	heard some news that has given me back some hope, which is that there is a 
	kind of make-up that conceals the effects of vitiligo in areas that are 
	visible, and it will remain for a long time, as long as several years, then 
	it fades after that and can be reapplied. My question is: is this make-up 
	prohibited and regarded as being like tattooing? Especially since it is said 
	that it is essential to use special equipment to apply it to the skin. May 
	Allah reward you with good. 

	They replied: 

	This procedure comes under the heading of cosmetic 
	treatments… What appears to be the case is that this procedure comes under 
	the heading of permissible cosmetic treatment, because it is not done for 
	the purpose of making oneself appear more beautiful. Rather it is done to 
	restore normal appearance, and it is not a kind of tattooing, because 
	tattooing is not done to remove a defect; rather it is done for the purpose 
	of beautification. The fact that the procedure is done with special 
	equipment does not affect the ruling, so long as that does not cause harm or 
	involve anything else that is haraam. And Allah knows best. End quote. 


	http://goo.gl/SpU2J1 

	Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was 
	asked:

	I am a young man, twenty years old, and about to get married. 
	But what is impacting my life is that on my face I have many dark spots or 
	moles, but some of them attract attention, as some people make fun of me, 
	especially children who laugh at me, so how about the adults? For this 
	reason I am quite withdrawn and introspective. Recently I decided to remove 
	two of them – is there anything wrong with doing that? What if I have them 
	removed surgically?

	He replied:

	Changing the creation of Allah, may He be glorified and 
	exalted, is of two types: one type that is done for the purpose of 
	beautification, and one type that is done for the purpose of removing a 
	defect. As for that which is done for the purpose of beautification, such as 
	plucking facial hair, tattooing and filing the teeth: plucking facial hair 
	means removing hair from the face, tattooing means injecting coloured dyes, 
	black or green and so on, under the skin, in a decorative pattern, as we see 
	on the hands and faces of some people, and filing the teeth means filing 
	them to create gaps between them or make them appear smaller and the like, 
	for the purpose of beautification.

	The apparent meaning of the texts indicates – in fact the 
	texts clearly state – that this is prohibited; indeed it is a major sin, 
	because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed the 
	one who does these things.

	The second type is that which is done for the purpose of 
	removing bothersome things and defects. There is nothing wrong with this; 
	rather the Sunnah indicates that in some cases it may be required, as in the 
	hadith about the Sunnahs of the fitrah, such as clipping the nails, trimming 
	the moustache and circumcision. In fact these are done for the purpose of 
	removing bothersome things that are off-putting to sound human nature. Islam 
	teaches us to do these things by way of removing bothersome things and 
	defects. In fact I would say that there is another type which may be 
	permissible if a person is faced with bothersome things and he wants to 
	remove them, as this questioner mentioned about these spots or moles. There 
	is nothing wrong with removing them, even by surgical means, if it is most 
	likely that this procedure is safe. Hence Islam enjoins us to treat sickness 
	and the like in Islamically acceptable ways, and undoubtedly these physical 
	defects are a kind of illness or sickness. Moreover, even if they are not a 
	kind of sickness that affects the body and saps its strength, they are a 
	psychological sickness because people suffer a great deal because of them, 
	as the brother who asked this question mentioned. Based on that, we say: 
	there is nothing wrong with having a surgical procedure to remove these 
	things, on condition that it is thought most likely to be safe and that it 
	is thought most likely that he will benefit from this procedure.

	End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb.