Are Women Allowed To Cut Hair And Colour It Black?

[ummtaalib]

Question

Are woman allowed to cut their hair and colour it black?

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

 

1) It is not permissible for women to cut their hair. The illustrious Fuqahaa have mentioned that if a woman cuts her hair she will be sinful and worthy of curse, even in the case where her husband desires for her to do so.

وفيه : قطعت شعر رأسها أثمت ولعنت زاد في البزازية وإن بإذن الزوج لأنه لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الخالق ، ولذا يحرم على الرجل قطع لحيته ، والمعنى المؤثر التشبه بالرجال

(Darrul Mukhtar, Vol. 6, P. 407, HM Saeed)

The above ruling is also supported by the following Hadith:
Abdullah Ibn Amr (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) prohibited free women from cutting their hair up to the shoulders.

عن عبد الله بن عمرو قال : « نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم عن الجمة للحرة والعقيصة للأمة »

(Al-Mu'jam Al-Sagheer Li Tabraani)

2) It is not permissible for men and women to dye their hair black. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) has said:

 

قال رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « يكون قوم يخضبون فى آخر الزمان بالسواد كحواصل الحمام لا يريحون رائحة الجنة ».

"There will be people who come later in time who will apply dye that is black like the stomachs of pigeons; those people will not get to smell the fragrance of paradise."

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Vol. 2, P. 222, HM Saeed)

However, it is permissible to dye the hair any other color as long as it is not for the purpose of following modern-day fashion. It is a sunnah to use mehndi to dye the hair red.

( اختضب لأجل التزين للنساء والجواري جاز ) في الأصح ويكره بالسواد

(Darrul Mukhtar, Vol. 6, P. 756, HM Saeed)

أما بالحمرة ، فهو سنة الرجال و سيما المسلمين

(Raddul Muhtar, Vol. 6, P. 756, HM Saeed)
(Fatawa Mahmudiyya, Vol. 19, P. 454, Faruqiyya)
And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Asif Umar,

Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah

http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/16450

[ummtaalib]

Wife cutting her hair for her husband

 

Q: My wife is in purdah and she wants to cut her hair in "layers". Is it permissible because I will be the only person seeing it? Will this be regarded as tashabuh bil kuffaar (emulating the kuffaar), because it is not for any fashion reason, rather only for me?

A: It is not permissible for your wife to cut her hair nor is it permissible for you to command her to do so. If you command her to cut her hair, she must not obey you. It is impermissible for a wife to obey her husband in things that are prohibited in Shariat. If she obeys, both of you will be sinful in the court of Allah Ta'aala. 

وفيه قطعت شعر رأسها أثمت ولعنت  زاد في البزازية وإن بإذن الزوج لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الخالق ولذا يحرم على الرجل قطع لحيته والمعنى المؤثر التشبه بالرجال اه (الدر المختار 6/407)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)