#189: Ruling on a Woman cutting her Hair

QUESTION

ON A WOMAN CUTTING HER HAIR
Is it binding on a woman to fast when she cuts her hair….”

ANSWER:

Alhamdulillaah!

The majority verdict among the Fuqahaa is the dislike (makruh) of a woman cutting all of her hair. This is the fatwah of the Shafi’is and the Hanbalis.

Imaam Shihabuddin Ar-Ramli Ash-Shaafi’ – rahimahullaah – said so in ‘Nihaayatu Al-Muhtaaj’, so did Imaam Ibn Qudaamah Al-Maqdisi Al-Hanbali – rahimahullaah – in ‘Al-Mughni’

The Maaliks and the Zhahiris held it to be Haraam.

Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawaani Al-Maaliki – rahimahullaah – said:

“The sunnah for women is to reduce their hair -in hajj – and it was never permissible for them to cut it all. And it was made Haram for them because it is a form of mutilation.” Ar-Risaalah
Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi Adh-Dhaahiri – rahimahullaah – said:

“And it is not permissible for a woman to cut all of her hair unless when she is faced with a dire necessity which cannot be done away with unless by it…” Al-Muhalla Bi Al-Aathaar; Mas’ala #1907

The exemptions they mentioned are when she suffers scalp problems and its like.

However, what we have mentioned here does not include reducing her hair lightly for purposes of beautification or for difficulties attributed to maintainance and oiling.

Abu Salamah bn ‘Abdurrahman relates from A’ishah – radiyallaahu ‘anha – that the wives of the Rasul – salallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam – used to take from their hairs until it is like a ‘Wafrah’.

What is meant by a ‘Wafrah’ is the hair that a hair that is just long enough to flow down to cover the earlobes, and at the back, the necks.

The only condition to this permissibility is that it doesn’t make her look like a man or like an homosexual.

But to the best of our knowledge, there is no Aalim that imposed on a woman to observe a fast for the mere reason of cutting her hair.

If it is clear what has preceded, some of the fuqaha consider cutting all of the hair by her a makruh (dislike) while some, a haraam.

This difference itself shows you the falsehood of obligating on her the observance of a fast for that purpose.

Allaahu A’alam!

📨@IslamNode📤