Ruling on sex-reassignment (gender-change) surgery

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

     What do Ulama of Islam say about the following: Many people around the world including Pakistan due to their sexual desire get their gender changed i.e. they undergo surgery trying to change the gender from male to female and vice versa. And currently, a rise is being seen in this trend. Please guide me about what the Islamic viewpoint is regarding the gender change.

(Dr. Tabish, Faisalabad)

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

    The Creator of the universe is (اَحْسَنُ الْخٰلِقِیْنَ) i.e. the best Creator. Both the human genders are created on the sound Nature (فطرت سلیمہ) by the Lord. There are countless points of wisdom behind His creation and a human can never sense them entirely. The best gender in the favor of a particular human is the one which Allah Almighty has created that person with. Altering what Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has created brings nothing but devastation; and by committing this heinous act of gender-change, humanity will be deprived of this natural and instinctive bounty. Its further consequences appear in form of the decline in social values, devastation of the society and the annihilation of human dignity and respect. Besides, the situation will worsen in future. The countries, where gender-change trend is on a rise, have witnessed a decline both in birth rate and the number of youths; and, it will put the future of humanity’s survival at great risk. A poet has said:

وقت کرتا ہے پرورش برسوں

حادثہ ایک دم نہیں ہوتا

    Translation: A catastrophe befalls out of nowhere. There is always a series of occurrences behind it.

    The Shari’ah-perspective regarding gender-change is as follows:

It is strictly impermissible and Haraam for a man/woman to change the gender through surgery; this is an accursed and Satanic act. It involves many other Haraam acts as well. The detail is given below:

    1.(تغییر لخلق اللہ) i.e. manipulating a change contrary to Shari’ah in what has been created by Allah Almighty: Making this sort of change in what has been created by Allah Almighty is Haraam. It is mentioned in the holy Quran that Satan, after being cursed, declared in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ that he would incite humans to make changes in what was created by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Hence, changing one’s gender through surgery renders support to the (abovementioned) Satanic claim and it is also like acting upon his command.

    The holy Quran says:

وَّ لَاُضِلَّنَّہُمۡ وَ لَاُمَنِّیَنَّہُمۡ وَ لَاٰمُرَنَّہُمۡ فَلَیُبَتِّکُنَّ اٰذَانَ الۡاَنۡعَامِ وَ لَاٰمُرَنَّہُمۡ فَلَیُغَیِّرُنَّ خَلۡقَ اللہِ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَّخِذِ الشَّیۡطٰنَ وَلِیًّا مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللہِ فَقَدۡ خَسِرَ  خُسۡرَانًا مُّبِیۡنًا  ﴿۱۱۹﴾ؕ

    Translation: 'I swear I will definitely lead them astray, and I will certainly arouse (sinful) desires in them, and I will definitely order them that they will pierce the ears of animals (this is a ritual of idol worshippers), and I will definitely order them that they will change the creation of Allah.' And whoever chooses the Devil for a friend instead of Allah, he has indeed suffered a manifest loss. (Al-Quran, Surah Al-Nisa, part 5, verse # 119)

Allah Almighty also says:

فِطۡرَتَ اللہِ  الَّتِیۡ فَطَرَ  النَّاسَ عَلَیۡہَا ؕ لَا تَبۡدِیۡلَ  لِخَلۡقِ اللہِ ؕ

    Translation: (that is) the established nature by Allah upon which He has created people. Do not change what Allah has created. (Al-Quran, Surah Al-Room, part 21, verse # 30)

    The verse has been explained in the following manner in the book Tafseer Siraat-ul-Jinan: Translation: (لَا تَبۡدِیۡلَ لِخَلۡقِ اللّٰہِ^ط) i.e. “Do not change what Allah has created”… the second meaning of this part of the verse is: do not make changes to the perfect patterns of creation with which Allah Almighty has created you. (Tafseer Siraat-ul-Jinan, vol. 07, page # 443, Maktaba-tul-Madinah, Karachi)

    A Hadith is mentioned in Sahih Muslim regarding making changes to what has been created by Allah Almighty.

لعن الله الواشمات و المستوشمات و النامصات و المتنمصات و المتفلجات للحسن المغيرات خلق الله تعالى

    Translation: Allah Almighty has cursed the women who tattoo and the women who have themselves tattooed, and the women who pluck hair from the faces and those who have others pluck hair from the faces and the women who space between their teeth for beauty and those who change what Allah Almighty has created. (Sahih Muslim, vol. 02, page # 205, Karachi)

    Regarding the aforementioned Hadith, Imam Muhammad Bin Ahmed Al-Qurtubi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has said:

قال أبو جعفر الطبري: في حديث ابن مسعود دليل على أنه لا يجوز تغيير شي من خلقها الذي خلقها الله عليه بزيادة أو نقصان

     Translation: Abu Ja’far Tibri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has said that the narration from Ibn-e-Mas’ood is proof that it is impermissible to make any change in form of adding or removing something in and from what Allah Almighty has created us with. (Tafseer Qurtubi, vol. 05, page # 393, Cairo)

A Hadith mentions the ruling regarding disfiguring (مثلہ). It says:

عن النبی صلى الله عليه و سلم انه نهى عن النهبۃ و المثلة

    Translation: The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has forbidden from robbing someone of his belongings and from disfiguring (a face, etc.). (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 02, page # 829, Karachi)

   It has been mentioned in the book Al-Binaya Sharah Al-Hidayah regarding Muslah (disfiguring):

والمثلة ۔۔ما يتمثل منه فی تبديل خلقه وبتغير هيئته سواء كان بقطع عضو او تسويد وجه وتغيره۔۔۔قلت:المثلة:۔۔۔اذا قطعت اطرافه وشوهت به ومثلت بالعبد اذا جدعت انفه او اذنه او مذاكيره او شيئاً من اطرافه

    Translation: And ‘Muslah’ means to disfigure the natural form, to change the shape, whether by severing someone’s limb or blackening someone’s face and causing a change to it. I also add that this word is used (with a slight change in the pronunciation) while referring to somebody whose limbs are amputated, or somebody whose face is disfigured and when “مثلت بالعبد” is said, it means: I have committed the Muslah of a slave i.e. I have severed the nose or ear or private part or some other limb from his body.(Al-Binaya Sharah Al-Hidayah, vol. 01, page # 527, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

    2.The resemblance to the opposite gender: Islamic Shari’ah has forbidden both genders (men and women) from resembling each other. Such men who adopt women’s looks have been cursed and such women who adopt men’s looks have been cursed as well. Both men and women are prohibited to wear those clothes which give them a look of the opposite gender. When one gender is not allowed to adopt a look of the other gender, then how can men and women be allowed to completely change the gender (into the opposite one)? Indeed, it is thousand times more contemptible, dirtier and worse than the act of taking the resemblance.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ has reported a Hadith regarding women wearing men’s clothes. He has said:

لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم الرجل يلبس لبسۃ المرأۃ،و المرأۃ تلبس لبسۃ الرجل

    Translation: The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has cursed a man who wears women’s clothes and has cursed a woman who wears men’s clothes. (Abu Dawood, vol. 02, page # 212, Lahore)

    A Hadith has been mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawood regarding a woman wearing men’s shoes.

قيل لعائشۃ رضی الله عنها ان امرأۃ تلبس النعل، فقالت لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم الرجلۃ من النساء

     Translation: Sayyidatuna Aaishah رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا was reported about a woman who put on men’s shoes. She said, “Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has cursed the woman who adopts men’s look.” (Abu Dawood, vol. 02, page # 212, Lahore)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ narrated that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had said:

أربعة يصبحون في غضب الله ويمسون في سخط الله۔۔۔قيل: من هم يا رسول الله؟ قال: المتشبهون من الرجال بالنساء، والمتشبهات من النساء بالرجال

     Translation: ‘Four kinds of people remain in the displeasure and the wrath of Allah Almighty every morning and evening?’ He was asked, “Who are they?” He replied, “(Among them are) those men who adopt women’s look and those women who adopt men’s look.” (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 07, page # 278, India)

    Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Abbas رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا was reported to have said in multiple books including Sahih Bukhari, Jami’ Tirmizi, Sunan Abu Dawood and Ibn-e-Majah that:

لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساء و المتشبهات من النساء بالرجال

    Translation: The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has cursed the men who adopt the resemblance to women and has cursed the women who adopt the resemblance to men. (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 02, page # 874, Karachi)

    ‘Allamah Badr-ud-Deen A'iny رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه explained the abovementioned Hadith from Bukhari in his book Umda-tul-Qaari:

تشبه الرجال بالنساء فی اللباس و الزينۃ التی تختص بالنساء مثل لبس المقانع و القلائد و المخانق و الاسورۃ و الخلاخل و القرط و نحو ذلك مما ليس للرجال لبسه، و تشبه النساء بالرجال مثل لبس النعال الرقاق و المشی بها فی محافل الرجال و لبس الارديۃ و الطيالسۃ و العمائم و نحو ذلك مما ليس لهن استعماله،و كذلك لا يحل للرجال التشبه بهن فی الافعال التی هی مخصوصۃ بهن كالانخناث فی الاجسام و التأنيث فی الكلام و المشی

    Translation: It is Haraam and prohibited for men to adopt the resemblance to women by wearing women’s clothes and ornaments e.g. a ladies’ shawl, a necklace, a neckband, gold bangles, anklets, earrings, bracelets and the things alike which men do not wear. And it is also Haraam and prohibited for women to adopt the resemblance to men by putting on thin shoes of men and walking with them in men’s gatherings and by wearing men’s shawls, turbans, and by wearing such things which women do not use. Moreover, men are not allowed to adopt those actions which are exclusive to women e.g. womanly movements, womanly style of walking and talking. (Umda-tul-Qaari, vol. 22, page # 41, Karachi)

    It is written in the book Radd-ul-Muhtar regarding men’s and women’s resemblance to the other gender.

العلۃ المؤثرۃ فی اثمها التشبه بالرجال فانه لا يجوز كالتشبه بالنساء

     Translation: The reason effective in deeming a woman sinful is her resemblance to men. And like men’s resembling women is not permissible, women’s resembling men is not permissible either. (Radd-ul-Muhtar, vol. 09, page # 671, Quetta)

     3.Severing the organs: In the gender-change surgery, a vein and an organ are removed. That vein and organ are part of the human reproduction system and by removing them, one is no longer able to reproduce. And it is just like castration and indeed, that is Haraam.

    It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari:

عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه، قال: كنا نغزو مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ليس لنا نساء، فقلنا: يا رسول الله، ألا نستخصي؟ فنهانا عن ذلك

     Translation: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Mas’ood رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ that he said: We would participate in wars along with the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and we would not have our wives with us. Once, we asked him for permission to castrate ourselves. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم forbade us to do so. (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 02, page # 759, Karachi)

    It is mentioned as an explanation to another Hadith similar in its essence to the aforementioned one in the books Fayz-ul-Qadeer and Fath-ul-Bari:

واللفظ للثانی“وقوله فنهانا عن ذلك هو نهي تحريم بلا خلاف في بني آدم لما تقدم وفيه أيضا من المفاسد تعذيب النفس والتشويه مع إدخال الضرر الذي قد يفضي إلى الهلاك وفيه إبطال معنى الرجولية وتغيير خلق الله وكفر النعمة لأن خلق الشخص رجلا من النعم العظيمة فإذا أزال ذلك فقد تشبه بالمرأة

    Translation: In the saying of the companion “The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم forbade us to do so (i.e. castration)”, is such prohibition which proves the human’s castration Haram with no difference of opinion. And, it also brings about other evils like inflicting pain upon oneself and disfiguring. There is also such sort of self-infliction which may lead to death. And it also involves other evils like termination of manhood, altering what has been created by Allah Almighty and ungratefulness for the bounty.

    Having been created as a man is one of the bounties bestowed by Allah Almighty and when somebody removes his manhood, he resembles a woman. (Fath-ul-Bari, vol. 09, page # 119, Beirut)

    There is a Hadith regarding the castration of a human:

عن سعد بن مسعود أن عثمان بن مظعون أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: ائذن لنا بالاختصاء، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ليس منا من خصى، ولا اختصى

    Translation: It is narrated by Sayyiduna Saad Bin Mas’ood رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ that Sayyiduna Usman bin Maz’oon رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ went to the court of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and said, “Would you allow us to castrate ourselves?”  The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Whoever gets castrated or castrates others is not one of us.” (Az-Zuhd Wal-Raqaiq Li-Ibn Al-Mubarak, vol. 01, page # 290, Beirut)

    It is written in Sharah Nawavi of Sahih Muslim:

فإن الاختصاء في الآدمي حرام صغيرا كان أو كبيرا

    Translation: It is Haraam to castrate a man whether he is an adult or non-adult. (Sharah Al-Nawavi Lil-Muslim, Kitab-un-Nikah, vol. 09, page # 117, Beirut)

    It is in the book Durr-e-Mukhtar:

وأما خصاء الآدمي فحرام

    Translation: Castration is Haraam for a human. (Durr-e-Mukhtar, vol. 09, page # 640, Quetta)

    4. Unveiling and obscenity: In sex-reassigning surgeries, a man or a woman has to reveal their Sitr (body parts veiled obligatorily) to other people without any valid Shar’i reason; and, the other person i.e. the surgeon has to look at their private parts and touch them without any valid Shar’i reason. And this act is Haram; as, it is openly against the beauty of Islam, the modesty, an inspirational part of human nature and instinct. It is impermissible and Haraam to touch or look at the private parts without any Shari’ah-necessitated need, as it is mandatory for a man to cover the entire area from the navel to the lower ends of the knees, and not doing so without any Shari’ah-justified reason is Haraam.

    Allah Almighty says about women in the holy Quran:

وَ لَا یُبۡدِیۡنَ  زِیۡنَتَہُنَّ  اِلَّا مَا ظَہَرَ  مِنۡہَا

    Translation: And not to reveal their adornment except what is apparent itself. (Al-Quran, Surah Al-Noor, part 18, verse # 31)

    A Hadith has been narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ in Jami’ Tirmizi:

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: المرأة عورة

    Translation: A woman is a being to be covered entirely. (Jami’-al-Tirmizi, vol. 01, page # 351, Lahore)

    It is mentioned in Hidayah about a man looking at a non-Mahram woman:

ولا يجوز أن ينظر الرجل إلى الأجنبية إلا وجهها وكفيها لقوله تعالى )وَ لَا یُبۡدِیۡنَ  زِیۡنَتَہُنَّ  اِلَّا مَا ظَہَرَ  مِنۡہَا(

    Translation: It is not allowed for a man to look at any body part of a non-Mahram woman except for her face and palms. And this ruling is because of the following command of Allah Almighty: And not to reveal their adornment except what is apparent itself. (Al-Hidayah, vol. 04, page # 417, Beirut)

    It is mentioned in Sahih Muslim regarding the matter of looking at the Sitr (private parts) of others:

أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: لا ينظر الرجل إلى عورة الرجل، ولا المرأة إلى عورة المرأة

    Translation: The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “A man must not look at the Sitr (private parts) of a man; a woman must not look at the Sitr (body parts veiled obligatorily) of a woman.” (Sahih Muslim, vol. 01, page # 266, Beirut)

    A Hadith has been reported in the book Shu’ab-ul-Iman and Al-Sunan Al-Kubra Lil-Bayhaqi:

عن الحسن قال: بلغني أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: لعن الله الناظر والمنظور إليه

    Translation: Sayyiduna Hasan رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ narrated: I received (this piece of) news that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Allah’s curse is upon the one who does unlawful gazing and the one who causes others to do so.” (Al-Sunan Al-Kubra Lil-Bayhaqi, vol. 07, page # 159, Beirut)

    It is mentioned in the book Bahar-e-Shari’at about opening the Sitr (body parts veiled obligatorily) in front of others: It is compulsory for everyone to cover the Sitr (body parts veiled obligatorily) in every condition, whether one is in Salah or not, whether one is alone or in a gathering, even opening it while one is alone is not allowed unless there is a valid reason. And it is declared unanimously by the entire jurist community that keeping the Sitr covered both in public and during Salah is Farz (mandatory). (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 01, page # 479, Maktaba-tul-Madinah, Karachi)

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم