Can I get a tattoo as a Muslim?

The short answer

Permanent tattoos are forbidden: the Prophet ﷺ cursed both the person who tattoos and the person who gets tattooed. Temporary adornment such as henna is a different matter and is allowed. If you already have a tattoo, sincere repentance is what matters, and scholars explain that your prayers are valid.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Explanation

The texts on tattooing are clear and come through several Companions. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah has cursed the woman who tattoos and the woman who gets herself tattooed 1. Another narration says simply that he prohibited tattooing 2, and scholars apply the ruling to men and women alike.

Why? Ibn Mas'ud linked tattooing to changing "the features created by Allah" and quoted the Quran to show that the Prophet's prohibition is binding 3. The Quran reports Satan's vow to command people to "change the creation of Allah" 4. A tattoo permanently alters the body that Allah shaped, usually for appearance alone.

This does not mean Islam is against beauty. Henna, which colours hair and skin temporarily without piercing it, is praised in the Sunnah: the Prophet ﷺ said the best things for changing grey hair are henna and katam 5, and many Muslim women use it on their hands. Scholars explain that the prohibition is about marking the skin permanently by injecting colour under it.

What if you already have one? If you got it before Islam, "Islam wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)" 6. If you got it as a Muslim, turn to Allah in repentance; He forgives all sins for those who return to Him 7. Scholars explain that your wudu and prayer are valid, because the ink is under the skin and does not block water.

Should you remove it? Scholars say that if it can be removed without harm or great hardship, that is better; if removal would cause real harm, you do not have to, and your repentance is enough. If someone is pressuring you to get one, remember that the curse is on both the tattooist and the one tattooed, so the kindest thing you can do for yourself is walk away.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5937
    Sahih Bukhari

    Allah has cursed the one who tattoos and the one who gets tattooed.

    Narrated Ibn `Umar:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah has cursed such a lady as lengthens (her or someone else's) hair artificially or gets it lengthened, and also a lady who tattoos (herself or someone else) or gets herself tattooed

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةَ، وَالْوَاشِمَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ نَافِعٌ الْوَشْمُ فِي اللِّثَةِ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5740
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ prohibited tattooing.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The effect of an evil eye is a fact." And he prohibited tattooing

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ هَمَّامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَنَهَى عَنِ الْوَشْمِ‏.‏

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5931
    Sahih Bukhari

    Ibn Mas'ud links tattooing to changing Allah's creation and says the Prophet's prohibition is in Allah's Book.

    Narrated `Abdullah:Allah has cursed those women who practise tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those who remove their face hairs, and those who create a space between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, and such women as change the features created by Allah. Why then should I not curse those whom the Prophet (ﷺ) has cursed? And that is in Allah's Book. i.e. His Saying: 'And what the Apostle gives you take it and what he forbids you abstain (from it)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاشِمَاتِ، وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَاتِ، وَالْمُتَنَمِّصَاتِ وَالْمُتَفَلِّجَاتِ لِلْحُسْنِ، الْمُغَيِّرَاتِ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، مَالِي لاَ أَلْعَنُ مَنْ لَعَنَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ ‏{‏وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ‏}‏‏.‏

  4. 4
    Quran An-Nisaa · 4:119

    Satan vowed to command people to change the creation of Allah.

    وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمۡ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمۡ وَلَأٓمُرَنَّهُمۡ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ ءَاذَانَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ وَلَأٓمُرَنَّهُمۡ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلۡقَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ وَلِيࣰّ ا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ خَسِرَ خُسۡرَانࣰ ا مُّبِينࣰ ا ۝١١٩

    And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah." And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss

  5. 5
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 4205
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    The best things for changing grey hair are henna and katam.

    Narrated AbuDharr: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The best things with which grey hair are changed are henna and katam

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَسْوَدِ الدِّيلِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ أَحْسَنَ مَا غُيِّرَ بِهِ هَذَا الشَّيْبُ الْحِنَّاءُ وَالْكَتَمُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 121
    Sahih Muslim

    Islam wipes out the misdeeds that came before it.

    It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Shamasa Mahri that he said:We went to Amr b. al-As and he was about to die. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: Did the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him not give you tidings of this? Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) not give you tidings of this? He (the narrator) said: He turned his face (towards the audience) and said: The best thing which we can count upon is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Verily I have passed through three phases. (The first one) in which I found myself averse to none else more than I was averse to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and there was no other desire stronger in me than the one that I should overpower him and kill him. Had I died in this state, I would have been definitely one of the denizens of Fire. When Allah instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I came to the Apostle (ﷺ) and said: Stretch out your right hand so that may pledge my allegiance to you. He stretched out his right hand, I withdrew my hand, He (the Holy Prophet) said: What has happened to you, O 'Amr? replied: I intend to lay down some condition. He asked: What condition do you intend to put forward? I said: should be granted pardon. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Are you not aware of the fact that Islam wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)? Verily migration wipes out all the previous (misdeeds), and verily the pilgrimage wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds. And then no one as or dear to me than the Messenger of Allah and none was more sublime in my eyes than he, Never could I, pluck courage to catch a full glimpse of his face due to its splendour. So if I am asked to describe his features, I cannot do that for I have not eyed him fully. Had I died in this state had every reason to hope that I would have bee among the dwellers of Paradise. Then we were responsible for certain things (in the light of which) I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, let neither female mourner nor fire accompany me. When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth, then stand around it for the time within which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy and (in your company) ascertain what answer I can give to the messengers (angels) of Allah

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ، وَأَبُو مَعْنٍ الرَّقَاشِيُّ وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ أَبِي عَاصِمٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى - حَدَّثَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ، - يَعْنِي أَبَا عَاصِمٍ - قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا حَيْوَةُ بْنُ شُرَيْحٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شَمَاسَةَ الْمَهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَضَرْنَا عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ وَهُوَ فِي سِيَاقَةِ الْمَوْتِ ‏.‏ فَبَكَى طَوِيلاً وَحَوَّلَ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى الْجِدَارِ فَجَعَلَ ابْنُهُ يَقُولُ يَا أَبَتَاهُ أَمَا بَشَّرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَذَا أَمَا بَشَّرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِكَذَا قَالَ فَأَقْبَلَ بِوَجْهِهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ مَا نُعِدُّ شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ عَلَى أَطْبَاقٍ ثَلاَثٍ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنِي وَمَا أَحَدٌ أَشَدَّ بُغْضًا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنِّي وَلاَ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ أَنْ أَكُونَ قَدِ اسْتَمْكَنْتُ مِنْهُ فَقَتَلْتُهُ فَلَوْ مُتُّ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَالِ لَكُنْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَلَمَّا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الإِسْلاَمَ فِي قَلْبِي أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ ابْسُطْ يَمِينَكَ فَلأُبَايِعْكَ ‏.‏ فَبَسَطَ يَمِينَهُ - قَالَ - فَقَبَضْتُ يَدِي ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَا لَكَ يَا عَمْرُو ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَشْتَرِطَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ تَشْتَرِطُ بِمَاذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ أَنْ يُغْفَرَ لِي ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الإِسْلاَمَ يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهُ وَأَنَّ الْهِجْرَةَ تَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهَا وَأَنَّ الْحَجَّ يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَمَا كَانَ أَحَدٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلاَ أَجَلَّ فِي عَيْنِي مِنْهُ وَمَا كُنْتُ أُطِيقُ أَنْ أَمْلأَ عَيْنَىَّ مِنْهُ إِجْلاَلاً لَهُ وَلَوْ سُئِلْتُ أَنْ أَصِفَهُ مَا أَطَقْتُ لأَنِّي لَمْ أَكُنْ أَمْلأُ عَيْنَىَّ مِنْهُ وَلَوْ مُتُّ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَالِ لَرَجَوْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ثُمَّ وَلِينَا أَشْيَاءَ مَا أَدْرِي مَا حَالِي فِيهَا فَإِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَلاَ تَصْحَبْنِي نَائِحَةٌ وَلاَ نَارٌ فَإِذَا دَفَنْتُمُونِي فَشُنُّوا عَلَىَّ التُّرَابَ شَنًّا ثُمَّ أَقِيمُوا حَوْلَ قَبْرِي قَدْرَ مَا تُنْحَرُ جَزُورٌ وَيُقْسَمُ لَحْمُهَا حَتَّى أَسْتَأْنِسَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْظُرَ مَاذَا أُرَاجِعُ بِهِ رُسُلَ رَبِّي ‏.‏

  7. 7
    Quran Az-Zumar · 39:53

    Do not despair of Allah's mercy; He forgives all sins.

    ۞قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ۝٥٣

    Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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