Permanent or temporary lip coloring is like prohibited tattooing

17-9-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissible in Islam to permanently or temporary(1year)color very dark lips. Which give me a rather sick worn out look. And I don't look fresh.I have tries many Remedies but in vain. Please help me out

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Coloring the lips permanently or temporarily for one year is effectively the same as tattooing, which is prohibited in Islam. This is because the color of the lips or face does not stay or become fixed except through tattooing, which is defined as inserting something of color into/under the skin. Tattooing is a prohibited act and a grave sin. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Allaah has cursed the woman who tattoos and the one who gets tattooed, and the woman who plucks hair from eyebrows and the one who has that done to her, and the women who create spaces between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, thus changing the features created by Allaah.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Shaykh Al-Munajjid, may Allaah preserve him, quoted the answer of Shaykh Abdullaah ibn Jibreen to the following question: “Recently there has appeared a new way of applying Kohl and outlining the lips by using a temporary tattoo which lasts for six months or a year, instead of using regular Kohl and lip liner pencils. What is the ruling on that?”

He replied: “That is impermissible because it is effectively tattooing, and the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cursed the woman that tattoos and the one that gets tattooed. This outlining of the lips and eyes remains for a year or half a year, then it is renewed when it fades and remains for a similar length of time, so it is similar to tattooing, which is prohibited.

In essence, Kohl is a remedy for the eyes, and its color is black or grey; it is applied to the lashes and eyelids when there is a disorder in the eye, or in order to protect the eye from disease, and it may be for beauty and adornment for women, as a permissible kind of adornment. As for outlining the lips with a temporary tattoo, I hold it to be impermissible, and women should refrain from doubtful matters. Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.” [End quote from a Fatwa signed by him]

Please, refer to the following Fataawa for further information: 85613, 89503, 84503 and 84562.

Allaah Knows best.