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Fatwas / Attire & Beautification / Colouring the hair black

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Respected Shaykh, assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. I would like to ask if I may colour my hair black, keeping in mind that I am a young man of 23 years of age? صبغ الشعر بالسواد

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions.   Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.   The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed in the matter of colouring one’s hair with black dye. A group of them allowed it. Among them Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas, `Uqbah bin `Amir, and Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them). This was also the opinion of Zuhri, Hasan Basri and Muhammad bin Sirin.  Ishaq bin Rahawaya allowed it for a woman beautifying for her husband. This is also the opinion of Abu Yusuf, the student of Abu Hanifah.   A group of the Tabi`un were of the opinion that it is disliked to dye the hair black. Among them `Ata’, Mujahid, Mak'hul, Sha`bi and Sa`id bin Jubayr. It is also the opinion of the majority of Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali jurists. They based their opinion on the narration of Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, “Abu Quhafah, the father of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with them) was presented to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) on the day of the Conquest of Makkah and his head and beard were snow white. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, ‘Change this with something [i.e. dye it] and avoid black.’” [Muslim (2102)]   A group of scholars are of the opinion that dyeing with black is prohibited, because a command implies obligation. Some of them based their opinion on the narration of Abdul-Karim, from Sa`id bin Jubayr, from Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “At the end of time there will be people who will use this black dye like the crops of doves who will not experience the fragrance of Paradise.” [Ahmad (2466), Abu Dawud (4212) and Nasa’i (5075)]   There is a difference of opinion surrounding who Abdul-Karim was. It has been said that he was al-Jazari, as is in some versions of the Sunan. Ibn al-Jawzi said, “He is Ibn Abi al-Makhariq, and he is weak, so [his narration] is not to be taken as evidence.”   Hafidh Ibn Hajar said about it, “Its chain of narrators is strong, but there is a difference of opinion in the extent of it being marfu` [reaching the Prophet (peace be upon him)] or mawquf [not reaching the Prophet (peace be upon him)]. So if it is considered mawquf, then these kinds of hadith are not stated as an opinion [of other than the Prophet (peace be upon him)], so its ruling is that of marfu`.” [Fath al-Bari (6/499)]   What I see as correct, is the opinion of the majority of scholars who are of the view that it is disliked. This is so because of what Muslim narrated from the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him), “…and avoid black,” and that a group of scholars consider this extra statement as an addition, and not from the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him), because Abu Khuthaymah asked Abu al-Zubayr, “Did Jabir say, ‘Let him avoid black?’ He said, ‘No.’” [Musnad Ahmad (1423)]   In any case, based on the view that the addition is authentic, it still does not imply prohibition. Rather, it implies dislike. Furthermore, if a command is mentioned with regards to etiquettes, then it is considered as encouraged [and not obligatory]. This is why the majority consider it disliked rather than prohibited.   As for the hadith of  Ibn `Abbas, then it has been discussed above regarding its chain of narration. As for its meaning, if verified, then Ibn Abi `Asim, the author of “The Book of Khidab (Dyeing)” has said, “There is no evidence therein for the dislike of dyeing with black. Rather, it is informing of a people who have this characteristic, not of the disapproval of this characteristic.”   And Allah knows best.  

Your brother,

  Dr. Khalid al-Muslih


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