Fatwa: # 19697
Category: Misc. Fiqh
Country: South Africa
Date: 10th January 2012

Title

Can I dye my hair black for my wife?

Question

My wife wants me to colour my gray hair into black. Is it permissible for a man to do so in Islām?

Answer

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

 

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

 

The use of the pure black dye for men is prohibitively disliked (Makrūh e Tahrīmī) and a major sin.[1]

 

It is stated in Ahadith:

 

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ الْجَزَرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَكُونُ قَوْمٌ يَخْضِبُونَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ بِالسَّوَادِ، كَحَوَاصِلِ الْحَمَامِ، لَا يَرِيحُونَ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ

Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam said: A time will come when a nation will apply black dye, as the body of a pigeon, they will not be able to smell the fragrance of Jannah.[2]

 

وحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، قَالَ: أُتِيَ بِأَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ وَرَأْسُهُ وَلِحْيَتُهُ كَالثَّغَامَةِ بَيَاضًا، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: غَيِّرُوا هَذَا بِشَيْءٍ، وَاجْتَنِبُوا السَّوَادَ

It is reported that Hazrat Jābir Radhi Allahu Anhu said:  Abu Quhāfah was brought to Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam on the day when Makkah was conquered while his hair and beard were white as thagāmah (white plants name)upon that Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam said: change this with something else and abstain from the usage of black.[3]

 

 

If your wife does not like the sight of gray hair, it is permissible for you to dye your hair in any other colour besides black. [4]

 

You may consider mixing two colours which will result in a similar affect as black.

 

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Zaid Mohammed Shelia,
Student Darul Iftaa

USA

 

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


[1]   وَيَحْرُمُ خِضَابُهُ بِالسَّوَادِ عَلَى الْأَصَحِّ وَقِيلَ يُكْرَهُ كَرَاهَةَ تَنْزِيهٍ وَالْمُخْتَارُ التَّحْرِيمُ لِقَوْلِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا السَّوَادَ هَذَا مَذْهَبُنَا..شرح النووى على مسلم 14/ 80 دار إحياء التراث العربي بيروت

[2]  سنن أبي داود 4/ 87 المكتبة العصرية، صيدا بيروت

[3]  صحيح مسلم 3/ 1663 دار إحياء التراث العربي بيروت

[4]  يستحب للرجل خضاب شعره ولحيته ولو في غير حرب في الأصح.. رد المحتار على الدر المختار6/ 422 دار الفكر-بيروت

اتفق المشايخ رحمهم الله تعالى أن الخضاب في حق الرجال بالحمرة سنة وأنه من سيماء المسلمين وعلاماتهم.. الفتاوى الهندية 5/ 359 دار الفكر

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