Cairo, Egypt - Any woman who uses bleaching creams in order to lighten her skin is committing a sin forbidden in Islam, according to a new Fatwa (religious decree) issued by the Mufti of Egypt, Dr Ali Gomaa.
Gomaa explained that the use of these creams which are widely used in Arab countries is considered making changes to what God created.
He supported his opinion by a verse from the Quran which talks about the Devil's temptation to humans to make them change the form of what God has created.
The Fatwa was published Thursday in the Egyptian official daily newspaper al-Gomhuriya in response to a question that one of the readers sent to the newspaper's religion page.
On the other hand, Gomaa approved of liposuction and stomach stapling for overweight women if there was a medical necessity.