Turkey issues fatwa urging Muslims to repent over tattoos that can't be erased

A new fatwa issued by Turkey's top religious body urges Muslims, who have tattoos, to repent if they are unable to erase them, a report said.

The Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) observed in the fatwa that although tattoos do not violate the rules of Islamic ablution yet they were banned by the Prophet Muhammad, reported Hurriyet Daily News.

The organisation said that Islam bans making images on the skin by injecting paint under the skin. It quoted the prophet as saying that Allah has cursed the people who change their shape created by God, such as a woman who tattoos on someone else or has a tattoo done, those who remove hair from their face or eyebrows or those who get their teeth removed or make them thinner.

A government decree that sought to make changes in the regulations on the dress code in public schools published on September 27, 2014, in the Official Gazette prohibited make-up, tattoos and piercings for students.

The new regulation asked students to be present in schools with their faces visible. It instructed them to not use scarves, berets, hats, bags or similar items that feature political symbols, pictures or writings. It forbade them from dyeing their hair, having tattoos, piercings done on their skin or wearing make-up, moustaches or beards.

The regulation came after President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an admonished an 18-year-old Galatasaray youth player over his tattoos in July 2014.