Tattoos Taboo for a Muslim?

Faithful-Jinn

I'm 19 and I have many tattoos. I reverted when I was 18 and I already had tattoos before I reverted but since then I've done even more &

Now I want to finish the tattoos I've started but since I read the hadith recently and looked more closely into the Qur'an I've learned that tattoos are definitely a sin.

Problem is I still want them regardless I've changed so much since reverting I feel like it's not a big deal if I just finish my tattoos I'm so on the fence about it I don't want to burn for simply wanting tattoos the worst part is my tattoos are all spiritual/religious in nature though I understand that the tattoos are for me and my own obsession with body modification and that is why they are wrong.

I'm on the fence since I'm already tattooed on my right arm to my elbow, my right side of my chest, and even onto my neck so if I get more it really doesn't feel like a big deal. Plus my tattoos will be covered by clothes anyway I've begun to take care to cover all my tattoos anytime I leave the house so most people won't even be seeing them in the first place.

It comes down to just how major a sin is a tattoo anyway. I mean I stopped wearing earrings and wearing sleeveless shirts and pretty much wear long sleeves all the time now so what's the big deal if I get some discreet tattoos for my own enjoyment?

CavemanDoctor

I'm 19 and I have many tattoos. I reverted when I was 18 and I already had tattoos before I reverted but since then I've done even more &

Now I want to finish the tattoos I've started but since I read the hadith recently and looked more closely into the Qur'an I've learned that tattoos are definitely a sin.

Problem is I still want them regardless I've changed so much since reverting I feel like it's not a big deal if I just finish my tattoos I'm so on the fence about it I don't want to burn for simply wanting tattoos the worst part is my tattoos are all spiritual/religious in nature though I understand that the tattoos are for me and my own obsession with body modification and that is why they are wrong.

I'm on the fence since I'm already tattooed on my right arm to my elbow, my right side of my chest, and even onto my neck so if I get more it really doesn't feel like a big deal. Plus my tattoos will be covered by clothes anyway I've begun to take care to cover all my tattoos anytime I leave the house so most people won't even be seeing them in the first place.

It comes down to just how major a sin is a tattoo anyway. I mean I stopped wearing earrings and wearing sleeveless shirts and pretty much wear long sleeves all the time now so what's the big deal if I get some discreet tattoos for my own enjoyment?

Is it a sin? Is it a big deal? Where in the quran does it explicitly state that?

welcome to the forum by the way.

Shinobitora

Faithful-Jinn
I guess it all depends on whether or not you consider the hadith authoritative. If you don't, tattoos are okay. If you do, then they're taboo. Personally, I do not follow the hadith at all and since the Quran does not mention tattoos, how can it be a sin? I've got 2 tattoos myself and I got both of them AFTER I converted, in a highly reputable tattoo shop near where I used to live. My favorite one is the one that winds around my left forearm, which says "Allah is too big and open for my deen to be small and closed." Its a great reminder and its very pretty to boot. Its also a quote from one of my favorite books, The Taqwacores. ^_^

harris

Salaam bros n sistas,

I'd like to quote the following suras from the Holy Quraan

(4119) "I will mislead them, I will entice them, I will command them to marking the ears of livestock, and I will command them to distort the creation of GOD." Anyone who accepts the devil as a lord, instead of GOD, has incurred a profound loss.

(587) "O ye who believe! Forbid not the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, nor transgress (or commit excess); verily, Allah loves not the transgressors."

Is tattooing one of those excesses? Tattooing permanently disfigures the face and other parts of the body with colored pigment and repulsive designs. People of certain pagan religious sects tattoo pictures of their deities or religious rituals on their hands and chests. Also the pain and agony that the person experiences from the needles piercing skin add to these images really makes one wonder if it is worth it.

http//media.ebaumsworld.com/picture/DBW99/PAIN.png

In conclusion, is it forbidden to torture people with electricity? The answer is no. But then we should know better. elektro

peace to all.

Faithful-Jinn

The strange thing is I read a few surahs of the Qur'an last night while contemplating getting more tattoos and it's like God didn't want me to get them. I've had these tattoos planned for a long time all my ink is spiritual in nature even the ones from before I was Muslim. The thing the Qur'an does say is to avoid excesses in beautifying oneself though the fact that I make sure to cover all my tattoos makes me inclined to think I am not breaking that rule.

What kept jumping out at me last night were verses of God saying he made us in a goodly shape or goodly form and those who ignore his messages will burn. I do not want to burn simply for being too arrogant not to inject ink into my skin. I get the message that body modification for the purpose of looking good might be a sin which is why I haven't been wearing earrings the past couple weeks.

I have my chest and my right arm done I was going to do a larger sleeve on my left arm but I'm fearful of whether or not it's a sin...

I'll post some of the pics of the tattoos I do have though just so you guys can peep them

http//i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/DeEvolution/mytattoos001.jpg
though i'll have to go over the arabic in black i found out from a friend that the tattoo artist messed up on 1 or 2 of the letters d'oh! it's supposed to say faithfulness above all. i like the idea of it being even more vague and general without a quote too though

http//i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/DeEvolution/mytattoos003.jpg
here's one side of my arm... my first tattoo before I even reverted to Islam it's a phoenix it's hard to see in the pic but the phoenix is lifting a cross in one talon, and a broken tombstone in the other. a metaphor for my spiritual rebirth

http//i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/DeEvolution/mytattoos-1.jpg
the other side of my arm the same phoenix being dragged down by an evil hand if u look carefully it represents my spiritual state before I found God

plan on getting some more heavy stuff on my chest and my left arm I'm scared mainly to how other Muslims will react, how to explain to my kids, how my potential wife will view them, and if i'm exceeding the measure by injecting all this ink into my skin.

(4119) "I will mislead them, I will entice them, I will command them to marking the ears of livestock, and I will command them to distort the creation of GOD."
To be honest I'm not sure if I believe this verse is talking about our physical form. If you compare this verse to 3030 both the verses are talking about the religion of Islam itself when it talks about the devil causing us to distort or change Allah's creation or the nature of Allah's creation. This is what it says in my translation of the Qur'an so I don't believe that verse should be substantive evidence that tattoos are haram. I believe the words used in arabic for changing God's creation are the same in both of these verses and speaks about our the natural and universal law of Islam or submission throughout nature and the universe. All animals, every tree, the sun, the moon, the stars, the ocean, the angels, are constantly in a state of Islam or submission to God. This is a fact of nature every single atom in the universe, the seen and the unseen, all of God's creation from the tiniest subatomic article is in a state of submission to God in one way or the other.

Only humans have the choice to willingly do so which makes us so great and special. I'll show you the verse to compare so you can get my point.

"Therefore, you shall devote yourself to the religion of strict monotheism. Such is the natural instinct placed into the people by GOD. Such creation of GOD will never change. This is the perfect religion, but most people do not know."

See when it says changing our nature or changing the creation of God it cannot be talking about our physical features because here it says the creation of God will never change. This goes back to the fact that Islam is the natural religion of man and those who don't believe in the Unity and Oneness of God are going against nature. Man's natural religion embedded inside of us is Islam which is why the devil tries to change that nature and make us doubt God as the Absolute Ruler, the One God.

oh and thank you for welcoming me to the forum peace salam

Leyna

See when it says changing our nature or changing the creation of God it cannot be talking about our physical features

I think it does because in the same verse cutting animals' ears off is being mentioned.

Whether you believe tattoos are haram or not depends on your personal interpretation of that verse and imho you should go with what feels right for you.

But in any case I can't imagine that you will burn in hell for getting a tattoo.

Welcome, btw. I like your avatar. peace

Faithful-Jinn

I'm still on the fence. I really want these tattoos but it might be the devil trying to lead me astray. And people be careful about if you say a tattoo is okay or not I'm still not sure if they're a sin or not and if you tell another muslim it's not a sin when it really is you have just committed a sin yourself by attributing a lie to God.

I know if I do decide to get these tattoos only I will live with them. Only I will face the judgment not only from God but from other people it's just so hard since I've already done so much work I'm afraid to take the final step and finish my thoughts. I know if they are a sin God will punish me and I will regret them as tattoos are for life. The thing is when you get a tattoo that represents a deep belief it is very difficult to truly regret I'm not even sure if I truly regret the tattoos I have now. As I think more and read the Qur'an more to look for evidence against tattoos everything is pointing me toward the idea that tattoos are indeed a sin.

I am guilty of changing my body
I am guilty of excessively beautifying myself
I am guilty of being prideful (proud of my ink whether I show it or not)

Yet my want for the tattoos does not go away! The hadith about tattoos makes perfect sense when you look at the message of the Qur'an what I'm MOST afraid of is I might lead other young muslims astray if someone sees my ink they may think it's alright for them to get ink I must think about the example I'm setting for others... God so much to think about for what I used to think was so trivial!!

JSS

Faithful-Jinn

It seems that your attraction to the tattoos is as a form of beautification of self, for your own pleasure and possibly to attract the eye of others. Maybe a good exercise would be to try to tattoo your soul with beautiful acts. It might bring you even greater pleasure. Possibly by volunteering or helping others, somehow. The primary message of the Qur'an is one God without partners or forms of idolatry. Tattooing strikes me as a form of idolatry of the body, whereas the Qur'an is guidance to help you realize that it is your soul that you should try to beautify, rather than your body.

san

"...whereas the Qur'an is guidance to help you realize that it is your soul that you should try to beautify, rather than your body."

Rather than? How about "together with".

afridi220

The earth is also God creation look what you are doing to it. '(

Faithful-Jinn

I may have transgressed and those pics don't even include every single one of my tattoos brickwall I already somewhat regret some of my ink though only because other people do look down on people with tattoos and now I know it's with reason.

I can see how they are sinful even though I don't like it it's not my place to question God. I don't think I'll continue tattooing my arms and my chest like I planned because as the Qur'an says

.. But you may dislike something which is good for you, and you may like something which is bad for you. GOD knows while you do not know.

peace

FAR