Allah has cursed the woman who tattoo and the women who have themselves tattooed, the women who add false hair (according to the version of Muhammad b. Isa) and the women who pluck hairs from their faces (according to the version on 'Uthman). The agreed version then goes: The women who spaces between their teeth for beauty, changing what Allah has created. When a woman of Banu Asad called Umm Ya'qub, who read the Qur'an (according to the version of 'Uthman) heard it, she came to him (according to the agreed version) and said: I have heard that you have cursed the women who tattoo, those have themselves tattooed, those who add false hair (according to the version of Muhammad), those pluck hairs from their faces, and those who make spaces between their teeth (according to the agreed version), for changing what Allah has created (according to the version of 'Uthman). He said: Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had cursed and those who were mentioned in Allah's Book ? She said: I have read it from cover to cover and have not found in it. He said: I swear by Allah, if you read it, you would have found it. He then read: What the Apostle has brought you accept, and what he has forbidden refrain from it. She said: I find some of these thing in you wife. He said: Enter (the house) and see. She said: I then entered (the house) and came out. He asked: What did you see ? She said: I did not see (anything). He said: Had it been so, she would have not have been with us. This is according to the version of 'Uthman.
Hadith Commentary: Prohibition of Artificial Alterations
This narration from Sunan Abi Dawud 4169 addresses significant rulings concerning women's adornment and the preservation of natural creation. The Prophet's curse upon those who engage in tattooing, hair extensions, facial hair plucking, and tooth spacing demonstrates the gravity of altering Allah's creation for mere beautification.
Scholarly Analysis of Prohibited Acts
Tattooing (al-washimah) involves permanently marking the skin, which scholars consider a violation of the body's sanctity and an imitation of disbelieving cultures.
Hair extensions (al-mustawsilah) create deception about one's natural appearance and resemble the practice of pre-Islamic ignorance (jahiliyyah).
Facial hair plucking (al-namisah) removes what Allah has created and imitates the opposite gender, which is strictly forbidden in Islamic law.
Tooth spacing (al-mutafallijat) artificially creates gaps between teeth purely for cosmetic purposes, altering divine creation without necessity.
Legal Methodology & Response to Objection
The companion's response to Umm Ya'qub establishes the fundamental principle that the Prophet's prohibitions carry the same weight as Quranic injunctions. His citation of "What the Apostle has brought you accept, and what he has forbidden refrain from" demonstrates the inseparable connection between Quranic revelation and Prophetic guidance.
The practical demonstration involving inspection of his household shows the companions' commitment to implementing these rulings without exception, reinforcing the authenticity and universality of these prohibitions.