Title

Is it permissible to remove the hair from the eyebrows? What about the rest of the body for a female?

Question

1.    Is it permissible to remove the hair from the eyebrows?
2.    Is removing hair from my face, hands, legs, stomach and other parts of the body permissible?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In principle, it is not permissible for women to remove or shape their eyebrows. The Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) explicitly cursed such women. Imām Bukhārī (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:

عن علقمة قال لعن عبد الله الواشمات والمتنمصات والمتفلجات للحسن المغيرات خلق الله فقالت أم يعقوب ما هذا ؟ قال عبد الله وما لي لا ألعن من لعن رسول الله وفي كتاب الله ؟ قالت والله لقد قرأت ما بين اللوحين فما وجدته قال والله لئن قرأتيه لقد وجدتيه { وما آتاكم الرسول فخذوه وما نهاكم عنه فانتهوا } – صحيح البخاري 7/83 دار الفكر

 
'Abdullāh cursed those women who practiced tattooing and those who removed hair from their faces and those who created spaces between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, such ladies have changed what Allāh has created. Um Ya'qūb said, "What is that?" 'Abdullāh said, "Why should I not curse those who were cursed by Allāh's Messenger and are referred to in Allāh's Book?" She said to him "By Allāh, I have read the whole Qur'ān but I have not found such a thing. 'Abdullāh said, "By Allāh, if you had read it (carefully) you would have found it. (Allāh says:) 'And what the Prophet gives you, take it and what he forbids you, abstain (from it).' – Sahīh Al-Bukhārī 7/83 Dār al-Fikr

To shape one’s eyebrows is regarded as deforming the design of Allah (taghyīr khalq) which is tantamount to mutilation (muthlah).  Deforming the design of Allah and mutilation are explicitly prohibited in Shari῾ah.

It is permissible to remove stray strands of hair beyond the natural body of hair on the eyebrow.  Likewise, if the eyebrows are bushy beyond the normal body of hair, it will only be permissible to remove the excess hair and bring the eyebrows to its regular and usual size.  Removing hair from the natural body of hair itself falls under the ambit of the hadīth and is totally impermissible.  Women who do remove hair from their natural eyebrows and make them thin are invoking the wrath and curse of Almighty Allah, the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) and the Sahabah (radiallahu anhum).[i]   

It is permissible for women to remove unwanted hair from areas such as the hands, legs, chest and the back.  Women should make themselves beautiful as possible within the parameters of Shari’ah for their husbands.[ii]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mawlana Faraz Ibn Adam,
Student Darul Iftaa

UK

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net