What is the ruling on a woman cutting her hair?

Question:
Cutting hair has become common among women in this time, and when we advise them, they say, "Piety is here," pointing to their hearts. What is the ruling on that?

Answer:
A woman cutting her hair for the sake of frivolity or seeking adornment is not permissible; this is not permissible, because her hair is beauty for her, and keeping it is beauty for her, so she should not cut it.
As for cutting it out of necessity, if it is heavy on her, abundant, and difficult for her, and she lightens it to remove the hardship, there is nothing wrong with that, as the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did after him. So, if the cutting is for a need other than adornment, there is nothing wrong with it. But if the intention is seeking adornment, the adornment lies in keeping it, and a woman's hair is beauty for her. This cutting did not come about except when imitating others and new fashions appeared. Indeed, some women cut their hair until it is like a man's head, and this is forbidden. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the women who imitate men. The one who cuts her head until it becomes like a man's head is cursed, because she is imitating a man. Likewise, they believe in their hair and imitate them, seeing them either by looking at them or through pictures in magazines or on television, and imitating them, resembling them. This is not permissible. Whoever imitates a people is one of them.