Regarding beauty: some young children are born with, for example, an extra finger on one of their hands, which may not be a finger but a piece of flesh, and sometimes it is

The Shaykh : It is a joke, but it reflects reality. Yes, this is my opinion on the issue.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. Also, regarding beauty: some young children are born with, for example, an extra finger on one of their hands, which may not be a finger but a piece of flesh, and sometimes it is a complete finger. Is it permissible to remove it, or is this considered altering Allah's creation for the sake of beauty?

The Shaykh : The issue is addressed in light of the previous rule. If the removal is for the sake of beauty, the answer is known. If the removal is not for that, but rather because it harms the person, whether from a health perspective, a practical perspective, or any other aspect, the important thing is that the removal is not for the sake of beauty. Thus, we derive this benefit from this hadith: if the alteration is not for beauty, suppose a person is born with a body that is flat on one side, and an operation is performed so that he can see; this is not for beauty, but for need and necessity. So, by analogy, if the extra finger hinders the work of the person who has it, it is cut off and there is no harm. However, if it is for the sake of adornment and beautification, it is not permissible.