Is It Permissible to Practice Techniques Like Mewing for Aesthetic Purposes?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Is it permissible in Islam to practice techniques like mewing, hard mewing, or thumb pulling to enhance appearance rather than for health purposes? Similarly, is bodybuilding allowed if the goal is aesthetics rather than health?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

It is impermissible to practice the techniques of mewing and thumb pulling to enhance one’s appearance. There are other physical and spiritual ways to improve one’s appearance, like physical exercise, healthy eating, remembrance of Allah, and good works.

It is essential to understand that a person is defined more by their soul than their body. When someone engages in regular physical exercise, maintains a healthy diet, worships Allah to the best of their ability, performs acts of remembrance, and increases their good deeds, they will naturally develop a radiant and healthy physical appearance and a beautiful and vibrant inner soul.

Supplication When Looking into the Mirror

Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “

اَللَّهُمَّ كَمَا أَحْسَنْتَ خَلْقِي, فَحَسِّنْ خُلُقِي

O Allah You have made my creation perfect, so make my moral characteristics also be the best.”

[Ibn Hibban, Musnad Ahmad]

Supplication of the Prophet

One of the supplications of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was:

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا، وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا، وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا، وَفَوْقِي نُورًا، وَتَحْتِي نُورًا، وَأَمَامِي نُورًا، وَخَلْفِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ لِي نُورًا

Allahumma ij‘al fi qalbi nuran wa fi basari nuran, wa fi sam‘i nuran, wa‘an yamini nuran, wa‘an yasari nuran, wa fawqi nuran, wa tahti nuran, wa amami nuran, wa khalfi nuran, waj‘al li nuran.

O Allah, place light in my heart, and on my tongue light, and in my ears light and in my sight light, and above me light, and below me light, and to my right light, and my left light, and before me light and behind me light. Place in my soul light. 

Kurayb (a sub-narrator) said, “I have forgotten seven other words, (which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) mentioned in this invocation). I met a man from the offspring of ‘Abbas, and he narrated those seven things to me, mentioning, ‘(Let there be light in) my nerves, my flesh, my blood, my hair, and my body,’ and he also mentioned two other things.”

[Bukhari]

Ablution is Radiance on the Day of Judgment

Abu Hurayra reported: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Verily, my nation will be called on the Day of Resurrection as brightly radiant from the traces of ablution. Whoever among you can extend his radiance, let him do so.”

[Bukhari; Muslim]

Allah Brightens the Face of the One who Narrates from the Prophet

Zayd Ibn Thabit reported: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears a tradition from us and he memorizes it until he can convey it to others. Perhaps he will convey it to one who understands better than him, and perhaps one who conveys knowledge does not understand it himself.”

[Abu Dawud]

Bodybuilding

One should set an intention for good health and aesthetics, not just one or the other. For guidance, see this detailed article.

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. In sha Allah, you will receive guidance and direction.

Related

• Are There Any Supplications to Brighten One’s Face?
• The Strong Believer Article Five – Healthy Bodies, Minds, …
• Gym Archives
• Dua when looking in the mirror
• The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained – YouTube
• The Book Of Wisdoms [Kitab al-Hikam with Ikmal al-Shiyam] – White Thread Press

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersAcademy (seekers.flywheelstaging.com), like from the Islamic Studies Curriculum (seekers.flywheelstaging.com) or Youth Islamic Studies Curriculum (seekers.flywheelstaging.com), building your way up doing each course?

I pray this helps with your question.

Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.