What is the ruling on a woman cutting the hair on her head? Is it permissible to cut some of it, and what is the permissible amount to cut from this hair? And if it is not permissible, I ask your eminence to mention the evidence so that we may hold onto it.
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The questioner : What is the ruling on a woman cutting the hair on her head? Is it permissible to cut some of it? And what is the permissible amount to cut from this hair? And if it is not permissible, I ask your eminence to mention the evidence so that we may hold onto it?
The Shaykh : This question has been answered previously in a past episode, and there is no harm in repeating the answer. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding a woman cutting the hair on her head: is it permissible, disliked, or forbidden? There are three opinions. Some said: It is permissible, and that this is the original ruling unless there is evidence indicating prohibition, provided that the cutting does not result in resembling the head of a man. In that case, there is no doubt in its prohibition; indeed, it is among the major sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sunan Abi Dawud 4097Sahih (Al-Albani). Others said: It is disliked, because a woman’s beauty is in her hair. For this reason, she was not commanded to shave it in Hajj or 'Umrah. Rather, what is prescribed for her is to shorten each braid by the length of a finger joint only.
And some said: It is forbidden, and they reasoned that it is mutilation, and a woman’s beauty is in her hair. So if she cuts it, that becomes mutilation in her case. Prohibition requires evidence, and indeed, dislike also requires evidence. Otherwise, the original ruling for matters other than acts of worship is permissibility, as some of them said.
"The original ruling for things is permissibility, and prohibition *** of worship is only by the permission of the Lawgiver"
But I dislike it for a woman to cut the hair on her head, because I do not like for our women to adopt every custom that comes to us that has no apparent benefit justifying us to deviate from our customs. It is better for a person to maintain his personality and his customs that do not contradict the Shari'ah and do not miss a benefit, rather than being a follower of others, a person who says what people say and does what people do without reflection. So what I see for our women is to adhere to the customs they were accustomed to, as long as they do not contradict the Shari'ah, or to adopt customs that have a benefit and whose adherence does not compromise dignity or religion. In that case, there is no harm in following them, because I do not fight every new thing. But the new thing that has no benefit and which requires our women to deviate from their customs without a valid reason, I do not like us to follow it. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Also, the second question in the listener's letter, she says in it.
The Shaykh : This question has been answered previously in a past episode, and there is no harm in repeating the answer. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed regarding a woman cutting the hair on her head: is it permissible, disliked, or forbidden? There are three opinions. Some said: It is permissible, and that this is the original ruling unless there is evidence indicating prohibition, provided that the cutting does not result in resembling the head of a man. In that case, there is no doubt in its prohibition; indeed, it is among the major sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
The Prophet (ﷺ) cursed women who imitate men and men who imitate women.
لعن المتشبهات من النساء بالرجال، ولعن المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساءAnd some said: It is forbidden, and they reasoned that it is mutilation, and a woman’s beauty is in her hair. So if she cuts it, that becomes mutilation in her case. Prohibition requires evidence, and indeed, dislike also requires evidence. Otherwise, the original ruling for matters other than acts of worship is permissibility, as some of them said.
"The original ruling for things is permissibility, and prohibition *** of worship is only by the permission of the Lawgiver"
But I dislike it for a woman to cut the hair on her head, because I do not like for our women to adopt every custom that comes to us that has no apparent benefit justifying us to deviate from our customs. It is better for a person to maintain his personality and his customs that do not contradict the Shari'ah and do not miss a benefit, rather than being a follower of others, a person who says what people say and does what people do without reflection. So what I see for our women is to adhere to the customs they were accustomed to, as long as they do not contradict the Shari'ah, or to adopt customs that have a benefit and whose adherence does not compromise dignity or religion. In that case, there is no harm in following them, because I do not fight every new thing. But the new thing that has no benefit and which requires our women to deviate from their customs without a valid reason, I do not like us to follow it. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Also, the second question in the listener's letter, she says in it.