The spread of Botox lip and facial injections in society in Tajikistan is under fire from the country’s Grand Mufti, Saidmukarram Abdulkodirzoda.

The Islamic jurist also takes aim at tattoos in excerpts of a speech posted earlier this week on the YouTube channel of the Islamic Centre of Tajikistan.

Abdulqadirzoda told Tajik daily Asia-Plus that he also spoke on the topic during Friday prayer on October 17 at the country's central mosque.

Botox lip and facial injections are "haram", or forbidden and proscribed by Islamic law, said Abdulqadirzoda.

"Following the example of strangers," girls "are cutting their lips with injections" and do not think about the consequences before doing so, he added.

"It's something new that doesn't have a name yet. Cultural scholars and linguists need to give it a name," he added.

Abdulqadirzoda also stated that "there is accountability for these inappropriate actions [in the afterlife], and the sin is the same for both injecting oneself [with Botox] and passing it on to others".

Criticising those who have the shape of their nose or face changed, the mufti remarked that "this body is a trust, and this does not mean that every person has the right to control their body, cut off their ears or change the shape of their nose, except in medical cases, which is a different matter".

A person should be satisfied with the body they have, no matter what its shape, said Abdulqadirzoda, saying: "Parents didn't have pens and paper to write down and draw what height, nose, ears and eyes you would have, or the future person didn't choose what their shape and appearance would be... You were created in the best possible way, now improve your morals."

The mufti is also known for his criticism of the use of “sorcerers”, “witchcraft” and fortune tellers in Tajikistan, saying that "those who go to sorcerers become infidels and their marriages become invalid".

In cosmetic applications, a Botox procedure involves the injecting of botulinum toxin, often for the reduction of facial wrinkles, especially in the uppermost third of the face. The injection of botulinum toxin into the muscles under facial wrinkles causes the relaxation of those muscles, resulting in the smoothing of the overlying skin.

In a Botox “lip flip” procedure, Botox is injected into parts of the upper lip to make it look fuller or “poutier” without adding any volume to the lip.