Question- According to the hadeeth " Allah has curses the mutafallijaat (the women who put spaces between her teeth for beauty), those who change the creation of Allah?" [1} we have been prohibited for changing Allah's Creation. What exactly are the limits of this prohibition, since we have actions from the sunnah like clipping the mustache , removing armpit hair , circumcision, etc. So then what is the changing of the Creation that is permissible? and what is the changing that has been prohibited? And from which type is dental work, like repearing broken or chipped teeth or straightening crooked teeth to have a better appearance?
Answer- The guidelines that help us understand what is included in the prohibition of changings Allah's Creation are the legislative text of the Religion (i.e the Quran and the Sunnah) So every action related to the physicall attributes of the human being that has being prohibited by a legislative text is an act of changing the creation of Allah.And everything that has been approved of in the Sharee,ah is not been considered changing the Creation of Allah.
Verily the Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) saw that one of the Companions was wearing a very long garment that actually hung below his ankles. So he (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) prohibited him from wearing sucha a garment that hangs below the ankles. He replied " Oh Messenger of Allah! I am only concealing an unsightly curve in my leg by wearing this garment! So the Messenger (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said to him: All of Allah's Creation is beautiful [2]
The Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) prohibited this Companion from allowing his garment to hang below his ankles , even to cover something that he saw as an imperfection in his appearance , this curve in his leg.
So based oon this we say that if anyone has been created with any imperfection in his appearance, then the principle is that all of Allah's creation is beautiful , and the Muslim should be pleased with what Allah has given him.
This is so long as the imperfection has not reached the level of harming the person. Here, we appy the sharee'a's principle: " There is no harm , and no reciprocating harm" [3]
As for the question about straightening the teeth , then the principle is that all of Allah's creation is beautiful, and that one does not change the appearance that Allah , the Glorified and Exalted, has created with him, so long as no harm is caused by remaining this way . If he is in pain or suffering, then we say , "There is no harm and no reciprocating harm" Thus you have the right to remove what is causing you harm. Aside from this, we say that things must remain the way they are as all of Allah's Creation is beautiful.
An example of changing one's appearance that is found in authentic text is what we read about one of the Companions who had his nose cutt off iin one of the battles before Islam. So he had a nose made of gold put on his face place on his original nose, and the Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) approved of that [4]
Another exmple of altering the appearance in an aceptable way is what some of the Salaf used to do, they would fasten their teeth with thin strings of gold. And similar to this is what we have in our modern time when a tooth breals or falls out it can be replaced with a tooth made of gold.And with recent advancements in dentistry they are now making teeth from ceramic so that it has the excat color and make-up of a real tooth. This is not considered changing the Creation of Allah , insha ' Allah , since no specific prohibition has been reported about it.
Therefore ,the criteria used to determinate whether an alteration in one's appearance is prohibited or not is if it violates a legislative text. So if there is not contradiction, to Allah's legislation , may He be glorified and exalted ,then this is not considered the prohibited changing of Allah's Creation.
For example powders and make-up that the women use on their faces to make their appearances more plessing , this is not something that changes the creation of Allah in its origin. But if she intends to deceive someone who wants to marry her , or to pretend to be someone else , then that is prohibited , and it is from the prohibited changing of the creation of Allah.
So then our guideline in understanding the issue is that the appearance is not to be changed in a way that contradicts Allah's Legislation whether the contradiction is found in the action itself [5] or in something else that results from the action.[6] and Allah knowes best.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] From an authentic hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhaaree (#5931) and others on the authority of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (Radia Allahu anhu).
[2] From an authentic hadeeth collected by Ahmad in his Musnad (#19472, 32/221-222), it has been authenticated by Al-Albaanee in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (#1441).
[3] From an authentic hadeeth reported by a number of companions, see a detailed discussion of its numerous routes in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (#250).
[4] He was 'Arfajah ibn As'ad (Radia Allahu anhu) and this narration is authentic, see Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood (#4232, 2/552).
[5] ie. like making a space between one's teeth for beauty.
[6] ie. like deception.
SOURCE: Shaikh Mohammed 'Umar Baazmol , casetter number AAMB001, dated 1423/6/25.
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