Women’s Adornment and Plastic Surgery: A Critical Analysis of Ja‘farī Jurisprudence and Contemporary Juristic Ijtihādāt

خواتین کی آرائش و زیبائش اور پلاسٹک سرجری: فقہ جعفریہ اور معاصر فقہاء کے اجتہادات کا تنقیدی جائزہ

Abstract

This article offers a critical and analytical examination of women’s adornment practices and the contemporary rise of cosmetic and plastic surgery, situating the debate within the jurisprudential frameworks of the four Sunni schools of law, the Jaʿfari school, and the positions of modern jurists. The rapid transformation of aesthetic standards in the modern world has not only reshaped social expectations but has also raised complex legal-ethical questions in Islamic jurisprudence. These questions include: To what extent are cosmetic modifications permissible? How should Islamic law distinguish between treatment, necessity, removal of defects, and mere beautification? And does plastic surgery constitute an unlawful alteration of God’s creation, or can it be considered a legitimate form of medical treatment? Drawing upon classical principles such as taghyīr khalq Allāh (altering creation), tashabbuh (imitation), ḍarar (harm), ḥājah (need), and ʿurf (social custom), the study maps out the diverse legal reasoning employed by past and present jurists. It critically compares the interpretive methodologies of the four Sunni madhāhib and the Jaʿfari school, highlighting both areas of convergence such as permissibility in cases of genuine deformity and points of divergence, particularly concerning purely beautifying procedures. Ultimately, the analysis reveals that while Islamic jurisprudence maintains a clear commitment to preserving human dignity and preventing harm, it also provides flexible interpretive avenues that accommodate medical necessity, corrective procedures, and culturally informed notions of adornment.