Do Tattoos Affect Wudu?

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Do tattoos affect wudu? Well, yes, they do. Muslims pray after they are ritually clean, without bodily impurities or uncleanliness. To achieve this, ritual ablutions known as wudu are required to be pure before each formal prayer.

Islamic scholars generally agree with people getting temporary tattoos like stick-on tattoos or henna stains as long as they don’t have offensive images.

Keep reading to learn more about the relationship between tattoos and praying in Islam.

Why Are Tattoos Haram?

Although the Sahih Bukhari does not explain the restriction, academics have provided several hypotheses and arguments:

  • Getting a tattoo is regarded as mutilating the body and altering Allah’s creation.
  • Getting a tattoo involves unnecessary discomfort and raises the risk of infection.
  • Since tattoos conceal the natural body, they are considered a “deception.”

Additionally, non-believers frequently adorn themselves in this fashion; getting a tattoo is a means of mimicking them (non-believers).

Other Body Alterations Are Permitted

Others, though, wonder how far these claims can go. According to the above justifications, any cosmetic procedures would be prohibited by Hadith. 

Is having your ears pierced modifying God’s creation? Do you get your teeth straightened with braces? Do you dye your hair? Do you use colored contact lenses? Get a rhinoplasty? Utilize a whitening cream or get a tan?

Most Islamic scholars would agree that women can pierce their ears and that it is okay for them to wear jewelry. 

When performed for medical reasons, elective operations are acceptable (like getting braces and having rhinoplasty). 

You can also make your body more attractive by tanning or using colored contacts, for example, as long as it’s temporary. However, it is forbidden to harm the body for vain reasons permanently.

Other Considerations 

Once you have embraced Islam and converted, you are pardoned of all your previous transgressions. As a result, you are not compelled to get rid of any tattoos you had before converting to Islam.

Is It Permitted to Remove Tattoos in Islam?

It is acceptable to get tattoos removed. Allah forgives every sin, including getting a tattoo. They don’t need to say the prayers again since Allah is all-knowing.

Tattooing is not permissible. Ibn Umar said, “The Prophet cursed the tattooer and the one getting tattooed.”

But this also applies when obtaining a tattoo. When one learns from one’s past fault after the fact:

  • To be pardoned, one must confess their sins.
  • To do so without too much difficulty or discomfort, remove the tattoo, especially if it contains forbidden images because that is a sign of non-Islamic behavior. 
  • The tattoo may be left if you can’t do anything else, but you should cover it to the greatest extent possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can your Salah be accepted if you have a tattoo?

Yes, your pilgrimage and prayer are valid. You must keep in mind that true repentance removes all traces of sin. The tattoo’s impact is still visible on the person’s body, but no more action is necessary because the offender has shown remorse.

Can you repent for tattoos?

Yes, once they have acknowledged that they have sinned and repented of their sins, they should repent and certainly will be forgiven.

Is it forbidden to have a tattoo in Islam?

Yes, because tattooing modifies God’s natural creation and causes unneeded suffering, most Sunni Muslims deem it sinful. In Islam, tattoos are considered filthy and are therefore forbidden.

How are tattoos removed in Islam?

Although ulemas have different views on whether it is necessary to remove a tattoo once one has admitted guilt, tattoos are considered haram or banned in Islam.

According to one school of thought, tattoo ink prevents people from properly purifying themselves with water before praying each day, rendering their prayers unclean in the eyes of God.

Does the Quran forbid tattoos?

The Qur’an declares tattoos to be unlawful. The ‘Chapter of Women’ (Surah An-Nisa), verses 118–121, contains the chapter in the Qur’an that forbids tattoos. The verse’s main point is that one of Satan’s (Shaytan’s) strategies for tricking us is to “change the creation of Allah.”

What is the Quran’s view of tattoos? 

In the ruling, Sheik Ali Gomma ruled that permanent tattoos that have been inked are acceptable per Islamic law if certain requirements are met. For example, a tattoo must be a form of female beautification and decoration, and its drawing or removal should never spill blood or cause any agony.

Are temporary tattoos prohibited in Islam?

Although using temporary tattooing is not precisely encouraged, as long as the ornamentation is transitory and harmless, there isn’t any direct conflict with Sharia, the body of recorded Islamic law, or with the Hadith.

Tattoos and temporary dyes are sometimes grouped with cosmetics such as eyeliner and blush.

Final Thoughts

Do tattoos affect wudu? With all your doubts cleared by this post, you now have the answers you’ve been seeking. 

Also, if you were wondering, “Why are tattoos haram and not piercings?” Now you know why.

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Michael Blau

Michael Blau

I have been tattooing for over 15 years and have my studio in Brooklyn. While I'll tattoo just about anything on anyone, my specialty is religious tattoos.
I am originally from Williamsburg, a neighborhood in Brooklyn known for its large Jewish population. This has given me a lot of experience and understanding when it comes to tattoos and religion.

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