Is It Permissible to Arrange Face Painting for the Children during Eid Festivities?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

Is It Permissible to Arrange Face Painting for the Children during Eid Festivities?

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for wanting to make Eid a special and memorable time for the children.

Permissible

I asked Shaykh Mohammad Badhib, and he said that it is permissible to offer face painting for children, as long as the face paint washes off afterward because this makes the children happy and contributes to the fun and merriment of the occasion. There is no objection to it because of this, as fun and enjoyment are essential for a child’s psyche and can help steer them away from anxiety and depression.

Impermissible

In terms of what is not permissible to draw on the body and face, Shaykh Mohammad Badhib mentioned some of those as well:

-permanent tattoos because it is tampering with the creation of Allah

-semi-permanent stickers that block water and can’t be removed before one must make wudu (ablution)

-using face or body paint to humiliate or disfigure the face, causing people to laugh at the child. This is impermissible because it is harmful to the psyche of a child.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, Tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.