It is said that there is a substance women use to remove hair from their arms and legs for the purpose of beautifying themselves for their husbands, and it is a paste made of sugar and lemon.
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The questioner : The da'iyah Umm Khalid sent this message saying: It is said that there is a substance women use to remove hair from their arms and legs for the purpose of beautifying themselves for their husbands, and it is a paste made of sugar and lemon that is cooked over fire. Is this permissible? Please inform us, may Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : Regarding the removal of hair from the arms, it is better that it not be done. This is because the hair on the body is divided into three categories. The first category is hair that the Shari'ah has commanded to be removed, so it is removed. That is the hair of the pubic area and the hair of the armpits. The pubic hair is shaved, and as for the armpits, they are plucked if it does not cause hardship for the person.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The second category is hair that is not permissible to remove by plucking, and that is the hair of the face. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who plucks her eyebrows and the one who has her eyebrows plucked, which is the one who plucks the hair of her face, such as the eyebrows. Even if that is for the purpose of beautifying herself for her husband, it is forbidden and not permissible. Rather, it is among the major sins.
The third category is that for which the Shari'ah has not come with a prohibition against its removal, nor with a command to remove it. It is not forbidden because there is no evidence for its prohibition.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not commanded to be removed because there is no evidence for its removal. However, it is better that it not be removed.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is because the original state of what Allah the Exalted has created on the body is that it remains as it is, unless permission is given to remove it or a command is issued to remove it. So it is according to what the Shari'ah has brought. This includes the hair of the arms and legs. It is better that they remain and not be removed, except if it reaches a degree of disfigurement due to excessive abundance that draws attention. In that case, there is no harm in reducing it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : Regarding the removal of hair from the arms, it is better that it not be done. This is because the hair on the body is divided into three categories. The first category is hair that the Shari'ah has commanded to be removed, so it is removed. That is the hair of the pubic area and the hair of the armpits. The pubic hair is shaved, and as for the armpits, they are plucked if it does not cause hardship for the person.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The second category is hair that is not permissible to remove by plucking, and that is the hair of the face. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who plucks her eyebrows and the one who has her eyebrows plucked, which is the one who plucks the hair of her face, such as the eyebrows. Even if that is for the purpose of beautifying herself for her husband, it is forbidden and not permissible. Rather, it is among the major sins.
The third category is that for which the Shari'ah has not come with a prohibition against its removal, nor with a command to remove it. It is not forbidden because there is no evidence for its prohibition.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not commanded to be removed because there is no evidence for its removal. However, it is better that it not be removed.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is because the original state of what Allah the Exalted has created on the body is that it remains as it is, unless permission is given to remove it or a command is issued to remove it. So it is according to what the Shari'ah has brought. This includes the hair of the arms and legs. It is better that they remain and not be removed, except if it reaches a degree of disfigurement due to excessive abundance that draws attention. In that case, there is no harm in reducing it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.