Cutting the hair of the wives of the Prophet and the ruling on a woman gathering her hair
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
The Honorable Shaykh, may Allah preserve you, is it established that the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cut their hair to their shoulders?
The Shaykh:
Yes, this was after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), because they did not adorn themselves after the Messenger’s death, nor did they look toward marriage, because they were forbidden from marrying after the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because they are his wives in the Hereafter. So when they had no hope in men, nor in adornment, and the remaining thick, long hair became difficult for them, they lightened it. They lightened it out of necessity, not for adornment; it was necessity only. This is permissible.
And gathering her hair in a single braid behind her head is not permissible. In fact, some scholars were severe in this regard. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, and the fatwas of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him), were severe regarding this woman who gathers her hair from the back, making it like a horse’s tail. This is not permissible for her.
The questioner:
We say: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success.
The Shaykh:
Or gathering it on top of her head, which is more severe. If she gathers it on top of her head and it takes on a size like another head, this is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke of:Sahih Muslim 2128 men Sahih Muslim 2128. Al-Bakht is a type of Eastern camel, each having two humps. So if she gathers her hair and it becomes like two heads, like a camel with two humps, this is the sign of the clothed who are naked, and I seek refuge in Allah.
The Honorable Shaykh, may Allah preserve you, is it established that the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cut their hair to their shoulders?
The Shaykh:
Yes, this was after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), because they did not adorn themselves after the Messenger’s death, nor did they look toward marriage, because they were forbidden from marrying after the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because they are his wives in the Hereafter. So when they had no hope in men, nor in adornment, and the remaining thick, long hair became difficult for them, they lightened it. They lightened it out of necessity, not for adornment; it was necessity only. This is permissible.
And gathering her hair in a single braid behind her head is not permissible. In fact, some scholars were severe in this regard. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, and the fatwas of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him), were severe regarding this woman who gathers her hair from the back, making it like a horse’s tail. This is not permissible for her.
The questioner:
We say: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success.
The Shaykh:
Or gathering it on top of her head, which is more severe. If she gathers it on top of her head and it takes on a size like another head, this is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke of:
Two are the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see
صنفان من أهل النار لم أرهماpeople having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour
معهم سياط كأذناب البقر يضيبون بها الناس، ونساء كاسيات عاريات مائلات مميلات رؤوسهن كأسلمة البخت المائلة لا يدخلن الجنة ولا يجدن ريحا
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 141/43 شرح زاد المستقنع/ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com (1:18:54)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.