Short answer
Ear piercing for earrings is allowed for women and girls, and many Hanafi scholars allow nose piercing where it is a women's custom. Piercings in the tongue, lip, eyebrow, navel or other body parts are not allowed, since they change Allah's creation for display or imitate fashions outside the women's customary adornment. Men should not have piercings.
Piercing the ears of women and girls for jewellery is permitted, as it was done in the Prophet's time. Nose piercing is permitted where it is customary adornment for women. Other piercings are not permitted: they harm the body without a recognised need and fall under changing Allah's creation and imitating sinful fashions.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
On Eid the Prophet ﷺ told the women to give charity, even from their jewellery, and the women began throwing their earrings into Bilal's cloth. He saw women wearing earrings and did not object, which is why the scholars allow ear piercing for women and girls. See ear piercing for girls.
The Prophet ﷺ also cursed women who change Allah's creation for beauty, such as by tattooing, plucking eyebrows and filing teeth. Satan's promise in the Quran includes making people change the creation of Allah. The scholars use these texts to set the limit: piercing that has always been part of women's ordinary adornment is allowed; cutting or piercing the body in other ways for display is not.
In practice:
- Earlobes: allowed.
- Several ear piercings: many Hanafi muftis allow a few for earrings where this is normal for women. Rows of piercings tied to a subculture are best avoided.
- Nose: see nose piercings.
- Navel, tongue, lip, eyebrow and others: not allowed. A navel piercing is also on a part of the body that should never be shown.
- Wudu and ghusl: water must reach the holes; move the earring if it is tight.
For tattoos, see why tattoos are haram.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:119
وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَءَامُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ ءَاذَانَ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ وَلَءَامُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنَ وَلِيًّۭا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًۭا مُّبِينًۭا ﴿١١٩﴾
And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah." And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss.
Changing Allah's creation for display is from Satan's call.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5931
Sahih... المغيرات خلق الله ...
"Those who change the creation of Allah."
Part of the hadith cursing those who alter their bodies for beauty.
Sahih al-Bukhari 964
Sahih... فجعلن يلقين تلقي المرأة خرصها وسخابها ...
"They began throwing in their charity, each woman casting her earring and her necklace."
Women wore earrings in the Prophet's presence and he did not object.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, chapter on adornment. There is no harm in piercing the ears of women and girls.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha. Discusses ear and nose piercing as women's customary adornment.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. 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.