Fatwa #1913815 January 2011United Kingdom
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.
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 )
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)
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