Question:
In Sura An-Nisa verses 118 and 119, Satan speaks after being expelled for misguiding Adam(Alahis Salam) . He declares that he will mislead human beings. He says he will inspire them with false hopes, command them to cut the ears of cattle, and command them to change the creation of Allahﷻ.
Earlier, we used this verse as part of the reasoning about altering Allahﷻ ’s creation. Now the question arises: was this verse specifically revealed about ear piercing or nose piercing?
Answer:
The answer is no. There is no hadith stating that this verse was revealed specifically about ear or nose piercing. When the meaning of a verse is already clear, we do not necessarily need a special narration explaining its exact context.
Scholars have interpreted this verse in several ways. Some companions and early scholars explained that the verse refers to practices like castrating animals—removing the male ability of livestock—which changes the form Allahﷻ created. Others said it refers to branding animals with heated metal to mark ownership, which also alters their natural appearance.
Some scholars interpreted it more broadly as altering the religion of Allahﷻ , meaning corrupting the divine guidance. Still others, such as Ibn Mas‘ud, connected it to practices done for beauty, such as tattooing or altering the body for cosmetic reasons.
Because scholars gave different interpretations, we understand that the verse was not revealed about a single specific action. Rather, it speaks generally about altering Allahﷻ ’s creation under the influence of Satan. From that general principle, scholars derive rulings about certain practices.
So, the verse does not directly mention ear piercing. But the general idea—that people may change Allahﷻ ’s creation for unnecessary reasons—is what scholars use when discussing such matters.