Is otoplasty surgery permissible in order to normalize protruding ears?
Question
Is it possible if you can advise whether otoplasty is permissible or not? I know that it is not allowed to beautify a person. However I don’t want it for the purpose of beautifying; I just want my ears to look normal to everyone else’s, as my ears appear to be prominent.
I am considering otoplasty, which is a small operation that pins the ears back, but not too much. It doesn’t reduce the size of the ears or reshapes them; it just puts them back so they don’t stick out as much. However one of my ears sticks out more than the other one, so I just want them to look equal on both sides. Everyone in my family shares the same opinion. Can you please advise before I consider proceeding?
Answer
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
It will be permissible for you to undergo the otoplasty surgery in order to bring your ears to the normal position.
And Allāh knows best.
Ml. Faizal Riza
Melbourne, Australia
Concurred by:
Muftī Abrar Mirza
Chicago, IL (USA)
Under the Supervision of Muftī Ebrahim Desai (South Africa)
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
في الخانية: وفي الفتاوى: إذا أراد الرجل أن يقطع إصبعا زائدة أو شيئا آخر قال أبو نصر رحمه الله تعالى: إن كان الغالب على من قطع مثل ذلك الهلاك فإنه لا يفعل لأنه تعريض النفس للهلاك وإن كان الغالب هو النجاة فهو في سعة من ذلك
( فتاوى قاضيخان: 3/313 ، دار الكتب العلمية )
( وكذا في الفتاوى الهندية: 5/440 ، دار الكتب العلمية )
- Answered by
- Ml. Faizal Riza
- Checked by
- Muftī Abrar Mirza
- Approved by
- Muftī Ebrahim Desai
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