48/25. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 5106 — Do Not Tattoo or Be Tattooed
Women Who Have Tattoos Done, and Mention of the Differences Reported from 'Abdullah bin Murrah And Ash-Sha'bi About This
Hadith About Tattoos: Do Not Do Tattoos or Have Them Done
Sunan an-Nasai : 5106
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 5106
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ أُتِيَ عُمَرُ بِامْرَأَةٍ تَشِمُ فَقَالَ أَنْشُدُكُمْ بِاللَّهِ هَلْ سَمِعَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَقُمْتُ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنَا سَمِعْتُهُ . قَالَ فَمَا سَمِعْتَهُ قُلْتُ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ " لاَ تَشِمْنَ وَلاَ تَسْتَوْشِمْنَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
A woman who did tattoos was brought to 'Umar and he said: 'I adjure you by Allah, did any one among you hear (anything from) the Messenger of Allah [SAW]?' Abu Hurairah said: "I stood up and said: 'O Commander of the Believers! I heard him (say something).' He said: 'What did you hear?' I said: 'I heard him say: Do not do tattoos and do not have tattoos done.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 5106In-book reference : Book 48, Hadith 67English translation : Vol. 6, Book 48, Hadith 5109
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 5106
This hadith about tattoos gives a direct wording from Abu Hurairah. A woman who did tattoos was brought to Umar, and Umar asked the people if anyone had heard anything from the Messenger of Allah. Abu Hurairah stood and said that he had heard him. When Umar asked what he heard, Abu Hurairah replied: “Do not do tattoos and do not have tattoos done.” The message is short and clear. The hadith mentions both sides of the act: the person who applies the tattoo and the person who asks for or receives it. For anyone searching “tattoo hadith in Islam,” this narration is one of the plainest wordings in the provided batch.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet’s wording forbids doing tattoos.
- The Prophet’s wording also forbids having tattoos done.
- Umar asked for direct knowledge from the Messenger of Allah before acting.
- Abu Hurairah reported the wording in a clear and simple way.
