Is Liposuction Haram in Islam?

Today’s world of medicine is capable of doing things that used to be considered impossible. From heart transplants to complex brain surgeries, it’s making life easier and safer for everyone.

However, when it comes to cosmetic surgeries such as liposuction, things get a little complicated. In Islam, liposuction surgery is allowed in some cases, and not permissible for the rest. 

Undergoing essential surgery that involves liposuction is considered halal according to Islamic scholars. On the other hand, Islamic scholars consider liposuction done for the purposes of beautification is not considered permissible.

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty is a surgical procedure that involves removing fat from different areas of the body especially hips, thighs, buttocks, and belly. The goal of this cosmetic surgery is to improve the shape of the body part.

Liposuction surgery can be further divided into two categories: essential surgery and surgery for beautification. 

When is Liposuction Halal in Islam?

Essential surgeries are performed in order to remove faults that resulted from an accident, sickness, or burn, or congenital defects that a person is born with such as a fused digit. Essential cosmetic surgeries are generally accepted and considered permissible in Islam and there’s evidence in Sunnah that supports it as discussed in the fatwa (source). 

According to this Islamic scholar (source), the removal of fat is allowed solely for therapeutic purposes, for instance, when there’s so much fat that it endangers the life of a Muslim (source). On top of that, it should also satisfy the following two conditions:

1. There were no safe and cheaper ways of losing weight naturally such as via exercise or diet. 
   
2. Credible doctors approved the procedure to be safe and with a particularly high chance of success.

Learn more about when all types of plastic surgery are considered halal or not.

When is Liposuction Haram in Islam?

Islamic scholars consider liposuction surgery that is performed for the purpose of beautification as haram (source). They believe that liposuction is haram for the following 2 reasons:

1. It’s forbidden to undergo surgical procedures for beautification as they’re supposed to alter Allah’s creation.
   
2. During such surgeries, one often has to disclose the Awrah (body parts that must be covered). In Islam, it’s forbidden to voluntarily disclose one’s Awrah except between spouses.

Islamic scholars reference this verse in the Quran to support their argument:

and I will lead them astray and I will tempt them with false hopes and give them my order so they shall slit the ears of cattle and I will give them my order so they shall alter the creation of Allah. And whoever takes Satan as a friend instead of Allah has incurred an obvious loss.

Surah Al-Nisa, verse 119 [Maarif-ul-Quran] (source)

Fatwas about Liposuction Surgery

So what have we learned so far? Islamic scholars believe that liposuction is permissible if done as part of an essential surgery but its not considered permissible if done for beautification purposes.

Here are some sources of Fatwa that prove this summary.

In several fatwas including the Islamicweb fatwa team (source), Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid (source), and others have stated that in several fatwas.

In one of his fatwas, Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid says about cosmetic surgery:

Those which are unnecessary and are not done to remove a fault but rather to increase beauty. This is haraam and is not permissible, because the Messenger of Allah (S) cursed women who pluck eyebrows, those who have their eyebrows plucked, those who fix hair extensions, those who have hair extensions done, those who do tattoos and those  who have tattoos done, because that is done as an enhancement and is not done to remove faults.

Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid (source)

Speaking of altering your hair, learn more about whether dying your hair is considered haram or not.

Another fatwa states:

We have previously explained several times on our site that some kinds of cosmetic surgery are permissible, namely that which is done to treat a fault, remove a deformity and so on, and some kinds are haraam and are not allowed, namely that which is done solely for the purpose of beautification.

Islam QA (source)

Undergoing cosmetic surgeries for the purposes of beautification alters Allah’s creation and is therefore considered Haram. In any case, it’s best to discuss your individual case with a reliable Islamic scholar before taking the next steps.