Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
Is it permissible to get breast reduction surgery for a woman who suffers from back pains due to having large breasts?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah.
If there is a genuine medical condition diagnosed by medical experts wherein a woman has pains due to large breasts, then it would be permissible for her to have a breast reduction surgery. – (See: Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindīyyah, Page 440, Volume 5, Dār Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmīyyah) [1]
It is worthy to note that in general circumstances, where there is no pressing necessity, such as disfigurement due to a fatal vehicle accident, severe disability and or medical condition, it is generally islamicaly prohibited to have surgery or cosmetic procedures simply for beautification or embellishment, due to the islamic prohibition of tampering with the natural God given body.
The body is a trust given to us by the Almighty, and we can only use and treat it according to His instructions and guidelines. The devil will do his best to swerve us away from God’s directives as described by the relevant Qur’ānic verse below;
“He (the Devil) said, “Surely I will take an appointed share from Your slaves, and I will lead them astray, and I will tempt them with false hopes, and I will command them, whereby they shall slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them, whereby they shall alter the natural creation of God.” “Whoever takes the Satan for a friend, instead of God, incurs an obvious loss.” – (Qur’ān 4:119). [2] Only Allāh knows best
[1] لَا بَأْسَ بِقَطْعِ الْعُضْوِ إنْ وَقَعَتْ فِيهِ الْآكِلَةُ لِئَلَّا تَسْرِيَ كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِيَّةِ
لَا بَأْسَ بِقَطْعِ الْيَدِ مِنْ الْآكِلَةِ وَشَقِّ الْبَطْنِ لِمَا فِيهِ كَذَا فِي الْمُلْتَقَطِ.
إذَا أَرَادَ الرَّجُلُ أَنْ يَقْطَعَ إصْبَعًا زَائِدَةً أَوْ شَيْئًا آخَرَ قَالَ نُصَيْرٌ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – إنْ كَانَ الْغَالِبُ عَلَى مَنْ قَطَعَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ الْهَلَاكَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَفْعَلُ وَإِنْ كَانَ الْغَالِبُ هُوَ النَّجَاةُ فَهُوَ فِي سَعَةٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ – الفتوى الهندية
[2] وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الْأَنْعَامِ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ الشَّيْطَانَ وَلِيًّا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًا مُّبِينًا – النساء ١١٩