Ruling on facial peeling

Question

Praise be to Allah.

Facial peeling is a kind of cosmetic surgery that is done by
some people with the aim of looking younger, i.e., to remove signs of
aging.

This kind of surgery is not essential, and the patient will
not suffer any hardship if he or she does not do it. Rather the aim is to
change the creation of Allaah and to play about with it according to
people’s whims and desires. Thus it is haraam and it is not permissible to
do it, for the following reasons:

1 – Allaah tells us that Iblees (may Allaah curse him) said:

“and indeed I will order them to change the nature created
by Allaah”

[al-Nisa’ 4:119]

This verse indicates that changing the creation of Allaah is
one of the haraam things that the Shaytaan tempts the sinners among the sons
of Adam to do.

2 – Al-Bukhaari (5931) and Muslim (2125) narrated that
‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “May Allaah
curse the women who do tattoos and those who have them done, those who have
their eyebrows plucked, and those who file their teeth for the purpose of
beautification and change the creation of Allaah.” Then ‘Abd-Allaah said:
“Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed.” See question no.
21119

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) cursed those who do these things and he gave the reason for
that as being that they change the creation of Allaah. He made a connection
between changing the creation of Allaah and seeking to beautify oneself.
These two factors are both to be found in the case of facial peeling,
because it is changing the creation of Allaah with the intention of making
oneself more beautiful, so it is to be regarded as being included in this
stern warning – i.e., the curse of Allaah – so it is not permissible to do
that.

Some people make excuses
and try to come up with a reason to make such operations permissible – that
the person suffers psychologically and cannot achieve his aims and goals in
this world because his beauty is imperfect. The way to deal with such
fanciful notions is to instill faith in people’s hearts and teach them to
accept whatever share of physical beauty Allaah has decreed for them.
Outward appearance is not the means to achieve noble aims and goals. Rather
they may be achieved by the help of Allaah, then by following His laws and
having a good attitude and decent manners.

See Ahkaam al-Jaraahah al-Tibbiyyah by Shaykh Dr. Muhammad al-Mukhtaar al-Shanqeeti, p. 191-198.