Does the Islamic faith allow for various cosmetic surgeries, such as nose jobs, breast implants or liposuction? Apparently so, according to this New York Daily News item: Cosmetic surgery booms in Saudi Arabia; clerics consider the intersection of beauty and religion:
Saudi Arabia is witnessing a boom in demand for cosmetic surgeries and procedures by the country’s women, according to the Associated Press.
In a country where lifestyle is largely dictated by religion, Saudi Arabia has seen a growing interest in the past few years in cosmetic procedures – once thought of as indulgences of the Western world.
In fact, the country’s cosmetic practices are causing clerics to contend with new questions about the intersection of beauty and faith: Does the Islamic faith allow for various cosmetic surgeries, such as nose jobs, breast implants or liposuction?
Sheik Mohammed al-Nujaimi, a Saudi cleric, uses guidelines that were reached in a meeting between plastic surgeons and clergymen three years ago to determine which procedures religion allows.
"I get calls from many, many women asking about cosmetic procedures," al-Nujaimi told the Associated Press. "The presentations we got from the doctors made me better equipped to give them guidance."
The meeting between the clerics and surgeons three years ago attempted to reconcile whether certain cosmetic procedures are in conflict with the Islamic belief that God’s creation should not be tampered with.
The outcome was that procedures intended to reverse damage or disfigurement from an accident, or procedures that enhance or fix features that cause a person grief, are considered acceptable. Procedures or surgeries that would change a "perfect nose" to more resemble the shape of a celebrity’s nose, are generally frowned upon.
Previously rare in Saudi Arabia, there are now about 35 plastic surgery centers in the capital city of Riyadh.
