The Ruling on a Woman Cutting Her Hair

Question:
Here is a question that says: Honorable Shaykh, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Recently, the fashion of cutting hair has become widespread among young girls and older women alike. What is the ruling on this act for both the young and the old?

Answer:
The scholars have stated this explicitly in what we have seen of their words. They said: If the intention behind cutting is for necessity, such as a sick woman who needs to cut her hair for treatment, there is no harm in that. Even shaving is permissible if she needs to shave her head for medical treatment, as ordered by a doctor. Is this sound? Yes. Or if she is poor and cannot afford, for example, the oils and things needed to maintain her hair, and she cuts some of it to lighten the burden on the one who supports her, so that it is, for instance, only to the shoulders, such that it does not cost her much in maintenance, this is cutting for necessity, and there is no harm in it.
However, if the cutting is for adornment, this is not permissible, because adornment lies in keeping the hair, not in cutting it. Cutting it has led to imitating foreign women. When foreign women cut their hair, many of our women imitated them, especially those who look at newspapers or illustrated magazines featuring women, or watch television programs where some women are shown cutting their hair. Our women are influenced by them through imitation and resemblance, and this is not permissible. A woman’s adornment and beauty lie in keeping her hair. Therefore, the Shari'ah has been content with her, if she wishes to exit the state of ihram from 'Umrah or Hajj, cutting her hair by the length of a finger joint. That is, the length of a finger joint. If it were permissible for her to cut more than that, the Shari'ah would have commanded her to do so. This indicates that the Shari'ah encouraged men to shave their heads when exiting the state of ihram from 'Umrah or Hajj, and made cutting a substitute for shaving, with shaving being better. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said three times, and said regarding those who cut, in the fourth instance. Allah the Exalted said So shaving is better for men than cutting. As for the woman, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has never permitted her to shave, nor has He permitted her to cut except by the length of a finger joint. This indicates that the default is for a woman to keep her hair, as it is her beauty and adornment. We have not found anyone cutting their hair in this time except those who imitate foreign women. She should leave her hair as it is, part it, and arrange it, and praise be to Allah, this is her beauty.