Is It Permissible For Women To Cut Their Hair?

[bintAboubakar]

Q. Is it necessary for a muslim woman to grow her hair? Can she have her hair cut to beautify herself for her husband? She wears hijaab and niqaab infront of all ghair mahram.

 

A. Bismillah Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)

 

 

Yes, It is necessary for women to grow their hair long, as this is beauty for women. It is Haraam to cut, trim the hair to beautify herself for the husband or even ordered by him.

 

"And do not cooperate in sinfulness and transgression. Have fear of Allah, for Allah is Stern in retribution." (5:2)

 

Please also refer to: http://qa.muftisays.com/index.php?viewpage=viewQA&question=33

 

http://www.muftisays.com/qa.php?viewpage=viewQA&question=710

 

And Only Allah Ta'ala Knows Best.

 

--------------------------------------

Moulana Qamruz Zaman

London, UK

 

Source : http://www.muftisays.com/qa/question/2120/cutting-of-hair.html

[ummtaalib]

 

Question

I want to know why it is prohibited for women to cut hair. I have long hairs and Iam a working women, and I find greate dificulty in managing such long hairs between various works of home and out side. I decided to cut short them but in your website I read that it is prohibited, so Iam hesited do the same, but I want to know why it is prohibeted. I  will be very greate full for your replay.

 

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

 

Allah Ta’ala has created human beings in the best of forms. In Surah At-Teen verse 4, Allah Ta’ala states: Indeed we have created human beings in the best stature. In reference to Faydhul Qadeer (vol, 6, pg 312) with the reference of Tabraani, Ibn Amr ibn Aas (Radiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forbade free women from cutting their hair up till their shoulders.

 

1)      Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) states: Allah Ta’ala has cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate and resemble men. (Bukhari) (Mishkat pg 38). It is clearly understood through this hadith that the curse of Allah is upon those men and women who imitate the opposite gender.

 

2)      The illustrious Fuqaha mention that a woman who cuts her hair will be sinful and cursed. In Bazzaziyah it is recorded that a woman who cuts her hair will be sinful and cursed even if she does so with the permission of her husband (Raddul Muhtar, vol 6, pg 7-8)     

                                                                   

We would like to bring to your attention that there has been a misconception regarding the permissibility of women cutting their hair.  Those who claim that it is permissible for women “cutting their hair”, use as proof a narration found in Muslim (vol 1, pg 184) where the foster brother’s son and the foster brother of Aa’isha (radiallahu anha) came to her to enquire regarding the ghusl of Rasullah (sallalhu alayhi wasallam). In this narration, the narrator explains, the wives of Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) use to tie their hair like a Wafrah. I.e. they use to gather their hair and plait it into a bun above the neck. The reason for doing so was that when making ghusl they could wash their back and the water would not drip. The people who claim that it is permissible for women to cut their hair use as proof the word AKHZ which is found in the above mentioned hadith. They incorrectly translate it as ‘cutting’. However the correct meaning of AKHZ in the context of this hadith it will be in the meaning of “to hold and tie” and will not mean to “cut”.  

Respected Sister, you have stated that with long hair you find it difficult managing doing various works. This however is not a valid excuse in the light of Shariah to cut your hair. A simple solution to your problem will be for you to gather your hair and plait it.  

 

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Ya'qoob Dadabhai,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah

Source

[Bint e Aisha]

Women cutting their Hair

 

<QUESTION>

What is the ruling regarding cutting the hair for women? If it is allowed, then how short can she cut it?

<ANSWER>

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

In general, the major classical Hanafi Fiqh books prohibit the cutting of hair for women. This is also affirmed by many Indian Subcontinent scholars. However, some scholars of the Arab world have permitted it conditionally.

In a Hadith, “the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) forbade women from shaving their hair.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, 2/246 & Sunan Nasa’i, 5/407)

Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) mentions in his famous book in Hanafi Fiqh:

“If a woman cuts her hair, she will be sinful and cursed. In al-Bazzaziyya it is added: “Even with the permission of the husband, as there is no obedience to the creation in disobeying the Creator.” (See: Radd al-Muhtar with the Durr of al-Haskafi, kitab al-hazr wal-ibaha, 5/261)

The main two reasons given by scholars for the impermissibility of women cutting their hair are:

a) Imitation of the Kuffar (non-Muslims),

b) Imitation of men,

Both of which have been clearly prohibited in Shariah.

In the Hadith recorded by Imam Abu Dawud in his ‘Sunan’ and others, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Whosoever imitates a group is amongst them.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 4031)

Regarding the imitation of men, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate men.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 7/205)

For the above two reasons, the jurists (fuqaha) have generally prohibited the cutting of hair for women. It is for the reason of imitating men; they considered such women to be cursed, as in the Hadith women who imitate men are cursed by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace)

In view of the above, it would generally not be permitted for women to cut their hair. To imitate the styles of the Kuffar and non-Muslim women is not permissible. The hair cuts prevalent among many modern women have a clear resemblance with the styles of non-Muslim women, thus it will be unlawful.

Similarly, to shorten the hair in a way that it resembles the hair of men is also prohibited. If a woman does so, she will earn the curse of the blessed Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace)

However, if a woman trims her hair slightly in a way that she did not contravene any of the above two reasons, then this would be (and Allah knows best) permitted. In other words, there are two conditions for this permissibility, and they both should be understood properly, and not misused or taken out of context:

1) There should be no imitation of non-Muslim Women,

The hairstyles adopted by kuffar and non-Muslim women, such as flicks, perms, fringes, etc… will not be allowed. Cutting the hair from the front will also be impermissible.

2) There should be no imitation of men

Cutting the hair in any way that resembles the hair of men is unlawful (haram), as mentioned previously. Therefore, if a woman cuts her hair from the lower end slightly in order to equate the level of the hairs, then this will be permissible.

It should be noted that, if the hair is cut, then it should be well below the shoulders, and this permissibility is only to cut it slightly. If the woman is married, then this should be done with the consent of her husband.

Finally, it should be remembered that it is better for a woman to not cut her hair altogether, unless there is some genuine reason. In the early times, a woman’s beauty was considered in the length of her hair, and not in looking like a man.

In conclusion, generally it is not permissible for a woman to cut her hair. However, if the hair is cut in the manner outlined above, it would be permissible, although better to avoid.

And Allah knows best

[Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK

http://daruliftaa.com/node/4672