Short answer
Yes. A permanent tattoo is under the skin, so water still reaches the skin and your wudu, ghusl and prayer are valid. In the Hanafi school you do not have to remove it, especially if removal would harm you, but you should repent if you got it as a Muslim. Shafi'is require removal when it can be done without real harm.
The ink of a healed tattoo is not a barrier to water, so wudu and ghusl are valid. Removing it is not required when removal would cause harm or great pain; washing the area is enough.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- The tattooed spot is treated as impure and must be removed if this can be done without real harm; if removal would harm, it is excused.
Explanation
Wudu and ghusl only require water to reach the outer skin. A healed tattoo sits beneath the skin, so nothing stands between the water and your body. This is why the Hanafi scholars, including Ibn Abidin, say washing the place is enough. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear, and He did not make removing ink a condition of prayer.
A new tattoo. While a fresh tattoo is healing it may be covered with ointment, film or a dressing. Wash the area if you can. If washing would harm it, wipe over the dressing with a wet hand instead (masah over a bandage), and wash normally once it has healed.
Stick-ons and henna. Temporary tattoo stickers and transfer designs sit on top of the skin as a layer, so peel them off before wudu or ghusl. Henna leaves only a stain once the paste is washed off, so it does not affect purity.
New Muslims. You do not need to remove a tattoo to become Muslim, to pray or to be buried as a Muslim. Islam wipes out what came before it. If you want laser removal later, that is your choice; it is not an obligation in the Hanafi school. See the new Muslim guide and how to make wudu.
A Muslim who got one. The tattoo was a sin, so repent sincerely. Your prayers since then are valid. For the ruling itself, see why tattoos are haram.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Maaida 5:6
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٦﴾
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
Wudu requires washing the skin, which water still reaches over a tattoo.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:286
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
No one is required to do what harms them, such as painful removal.
Sahih Muslim 121
Sahih... أما علمت أن الإسلام يهدم ما كان قبله ...
"Do you not know that Islam wipes out what came before it?"
A convert's tattoo from before Islam is forgiven.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Taharah, discussion of tattoos. Washing the tattooed place purifies it and removal is not required.
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on wiping over dressings. Wiping over a bandage when washing would harm.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on removing impurity. The Shafi'i requirement to remove a tattoo when possible.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.