Fatwa ID: 09112
Answered by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Question:
I plan a business offering “halal brows”: no plucking, cutting, or removing hair—only bleaching parts of the eyebrow to shape appearance.
- Is eyebrow bleaching permissible, or is it considered changing the creation of Allah or resembling namṣ?
- If I do this for women and they go out with it visible, do I share in the sin (tabarruj)? If I advise them, am I still sinful?
- Is there a difference between Muslim and non-Muslim clients, knowing they will go out publicly?
- Is it permissible to advertise by showing only the eyebrow area (no face or identity)?
- If not, can I share images privately in women-only WhatsApp groups (view-once)?
Please answer with dalīl from Qur’an and authentic Sunnah.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Bleaching the eyebrows would be considered permissible, as you are neither removing nor adding anything to the eyebrows. However, it should be noted that different companies may use various chemicals in order to bleach hair, so you would need to check the ingredients and see if they are harmful, derived from non-halal sources or have properties that invalidate wudhu and purification due to their impurity or impermeability, such as alcohol and non-degradable substances. A person should also consider any potential side-effects and after-care of such procedures which could also prevent a person from performing wudhu.[1]
Tashabbuh (imitation) occurs due to both intent and ‘urf (custom). If a muslim deliberately copies an action or adopts fashion articles which are exclusive indicators of a particular group or individual, this would be considered tashabbuh (imitation). This can apply to styles exclusive to the opposite gender, a different religion, or a sinful individual. You should therefore avoid any styles which result in committing tashabbuh.[2]
When it comes to employment, it is prohibited for a person to be hired to perform or promote inherently haram activities, like selling alcohol or plucking eyebrows. However, according to the Hanafi Madhab, a person can be hired in a halal capacity for something that may possibly be used for unlawful ends. For example, as writing poetry is inherently halal, a person can be hired to write lyrics and poems even though one knows it will be used for singing. The same applies to building or repairing a church, as building is inherently halal. When it comes to the beautification of the eyebrows, whilst the work is not inherently impermissible, it would be disliked and should be avoided as you may be assisting in sin. The sin in beautification lies in displaying the adornment before non-mahrams and abandoning one’s Islamic duties due to it. If a person is not going to commit these sins by bleaching their eyebrows, it would be allowed. In regards to bleaching the eyebrows of non-muslims, just as you are not permitted to gift haram items to non-muslims, you should only bleach what you would be permissible for another Muslim in order to not assist them in sin.[3]
In regards to displaying images of the eyebrows, it should be kept in mind that the ‘awrah of a woman is the entire body, excluding the hands, face and feet. Whilst this is the minimum amount a woman can reveal, to cover more is preferable and more rewardable. You should avoid publicly displaying images of a real person’s eyebrows, although if you send the images to other women in a manner that is both temporary and under the condition they do not share with non-mahram, this would be permissible.[4]
In conclusion, whilst it is lawful for you to style and bleach a customer’s eyebrows, it would be disliked if it results in imitation, and impermissible if the ingredients are harmful, contain impermissible substances or for the purpose of adorning oneself in front of non-mahrams.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
يُسْتَفَادُ مِمَّا مَرَّ حُكْمُ الْوَشْمِ فِي نَحْوِ الْيَدِ، وَهُوَ أَنَّهُ كَالِاخْتِضَابِ أَوْ الصَّبْغِ بِالْمُتَنَجِّسِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ إذَا غُرِزَتْ الْيَدُ أَوْ الشَّفَةُ مَثَلًا بِإِبْرَةٍ ثُمَّ حُشِيَ مَحَلُّهَا بِكُحْلٍ أَوْ نِيلَةٍ لِيَخْضَرَّ تَنَجَّسَ الْكُحْلُ بِالدَّمِ، فَإِذَا جَمَدَ الدَّمُ وَالْتَأَمَ الْجُرْحُ بَقِيَ مَحَلُّهُ أَخْضَرَ، فَإِذَا غُسِلَ طَهُرَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ أَثَرٌ يَشُقُّ زَوَالُهُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَزُولُ إلَّا بِسَلْخِ الْجِلْدِ أَوْ جَرْحِهِ، فَإِذَا كَانَ لَا يُكَلَّفُ بِإِزَالَةِ الْأَثَرِ الَّذِي يَزُولُ بِمَاءٍ حَارٍّ أَوْ صَابُونٍ فَعَدَمُ التَّكْلِيفِ هُنَا أَوْلَى، وَقَدْ صَرَّحَ بِهِ فِي الْقُنْيَةِ فَقَالَ: وَلَوْ اتَّخَذَ فِي يَدِهِ وَشْمًا لَا يَلْزَمُهُ السَّلْخُ اهـ.
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.330, Dār Al-Fiqr)
إنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِ الْوُضُوءِ قَدْرُ رَأْسِ إبْرَةٍ أَوْ لَزِقَ بِأَصْلِ ظُفْرِهِ طِينٌ يَابِسٌ أَوْ رَطْبٌ لَمْ يَجُزْ وَإِنْ تَلَطَّخَ يَدُهُ بِخَمِيرٍ أَوْ حِنَّاءٍ جَازَوَسُئِلَ …
سُئِلَ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ وَافِرِ الظُّفُرِ الَّذِي يَبْقَى فِي أَظْفَارِهِ الدَّرَنُ أَوْ الَّذِي يَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ الطِّينِ أَوْ الْمَرْأَةِ الَّتِي صَبَغَتْ أُصْبُعَهَا بِالْحِنَّاءِ، أَوْ الصَّرَّامِ، أَوْ الصَّبَّاغِ قَالَ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ سَوَاءٌ يُجْزِيهِمْ وُضُوءُهُمْ إذْ لَا يُسْتَطَاعُ الِامْتِنَاعُ عَنْهُ إلَّا بِحَرَجٍ … وَالْخِضَابُ إذَا تَجَسَّدَ وَيَبِسَ يَمْنَعُ تَمَامَ الْوُضُوءِ وَالْغُسْلِ…
إذَا كَانَ عَلَى بَعْضِ أَعْضَاءِ وُضُوئِهِ خُرْءُ ذُبَابٍ أَوْ بُرْغُوثٍ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَلَمْ يَصِلْ الْمَاءُ إلَى مَا تَحْتَهُ جَازَ؛ لِأَنَّ التَّحَرُّزَ عَنْهُ غَيْرُ مُمْكِنٍ وَلَوْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ جِلْدُ سَمَكٍ أَوْ خُبْزٌ مَمْضُوغٍ قَدْ جَفَّ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَلَمْ يَصِلْ الْمَاءُ إلَى مَا تَحْتَهُ لَمْ يَجُزْ؛ لِأَنَّ التَّحَرُّزَ عَنْهُ مُمْكِنٌ.
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.4-5, Dār Al-Fiqr)
وَلَوْ ضَرَّهَا غَسْلُ رَأْسِهَا تَرَكَتْهُ، وَقِيلَ تَمْسَحُهُ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.153, Dār Al-Fiqr)
وَيُعْرَفُ ذَلِكَ الْخَوْفُ إمَّا بِغَلَبَةِ الظَّنِّ عَنْ أَمَارَةٍ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ أَوْ إخْبَارِ طَبِيبٍ حَاذِقٍ مُسْلِمٍ غَيْرِ ظَاهِرِ الْفِسْقِ…
وَالْأَصْلُ أَنَّهُ مَتَى أَمْكَنَهُ اسْتِعْمَالُ الْمَاءِ مِنْ غَيْرِ لُحُوقِ ضَرَرٍ فِي نَفْسِهِ أَوْ مَالِهِ وَجَبَ اسْتِعْمَالُهُ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.28, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[2]
… لَكِنْ تَقَدَّمَ أَنَّ التَّشَبُّهَ إنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ فِي الْمَذْمُومِ وَفِيمَا قُصِدَ بِهِ التَّشَبُّهُ لَا مُطْلَقًا، وَلَعَلَّ هَذَا مِنْ الْمَذْمُومِ تَأَمَّلَ. هَذَا وَفِي حَاشِيَةِ الْبَحْرِ لِلرَّمْلِيِّ: الَّذِي يَظْهَرُ مِنْ كَلَامِهِمْ أَنَّهَا كَرَاهَةُ تَنْزِيهٍ تَأَمَّلْ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.1, pg.646, Dār Al-Fiqr)
…وَقَالَا: يُكْرَهُ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ} [المائدة: ٢] وَلَهُ أَنَّ الْإِجَارَةَ عَلَى مَنْفَعَةِ الْبَيْتِ وَلِهَذَا تَجِبُ الْأُجْرَةُ بِمُجَرَّدِ التَّسْلِيمِ وَلَا مَعْصِيَةَ فِيهِ وَإِنَّمَا الْمَعْصِيَةُ بِفِعْلِ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ وَهُوَ مُخْتَارٌ فِيهِ …
Al-Bahr Al-Rāiq (Vol.8, pg.230, Dār Al-Kitab Al-Islami)
[3]
وَعَلَى هَذَا يُخَرَّجُ الِاسْتِئْجَارُ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي أَنَّهُ لَا يَصِحُّ لِأَنَّهُ اسْتِئْجَارٌ عَلَى مَنْفَعَةٍ غَيْرِ مَقْدُورَةِ الِاسْتِيفَاءِ شَرْعًا كَاسْتِئْجَارِ الْإِنْسَانِ لِلَّعِبِ وَاللَّهْوِ، وَكَاسْتِئْجَارِ الْمُغَنِّيَةِ، وَالنَّائِحَةِ لِلْغِنَاءِ، وَالنَّوْحِ بِخِلَافِ الِاسْتِئْجَارِ لِكِتَابَةِ الْغِنَاءِ وَالنَّوْحِ أَنَّهُ جَائِزٌ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَمْنُوعَ عَنْهُ نَفْسُ الْغِنَاءِ، وَالنَّوْحِ لَا كِتَابَتُهُمَا وَكَذَا لَوْ اسْتَأْجَرَ رَجُلًا لِيَقْتُلَ لَهُ رَجُلًا أَوْ لِيَسْجُنَهُ أَوْ لِيَضْرِبَهُ ظُلْمًا وَكَذَا كُلُّ إجَارَةٍ وَقَعَتْ لِمَظْلَمَةٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ اسْتِئْجَارٌ لِفِعْلِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ فَلَا يَكُونُ الْمَعْقُودُ عَلَيْهِ مَقْدُورَ الِاسْتِيفَاءِ شَرْعًا فَإِنْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ بِحَقٍّ بِأَنْ اسْتَأْجَرَ إنْسَانًا لِقَطْعِ عُضْوٍ جَازَ.
Badā’i’ Al-Ṣanā’i’ (Vol.4, pg.189, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah)
قَوْلُهُ وَجَازَ تَعْمِيرُ كَنِيسَةٍ) قَالَ فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ: وَلَوْ آجَرَ نَفْسَهُ لِيَعْمَلَ فِي الْكَنِيسَةِ وَيُعَمِّرَهَا لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ لِأَنَّهُ لَا مَعْصِيَةَ فِي عَيْنِ الْعَمَلِ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.6, pg.391, Dār Al-Fiqr)
حَرَامٌ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ شَعْرَهَا أَوْ شَعْرَ غَيْرِهَا لِقَوْلِهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةَ وَالْوَاشِمَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ وَالْوَاشِرَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِرَةَ وَالنَّامِصَةَ وَالْمُتَنَمِّصَةَ»…
(قَوْلُهُ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ شَعْرَهَا أَوْ شَعْرَ غَيْرِهَا) لِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ التَّزْوِيرِ كَمَا يَظْهَرُ مِمَّا يَأْتِي … وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةُ: الَّتِي يُوصَلُ لَهَا ذَلِكَ بِطَلَبِهَا وَالْوَاشِمَةُ: الَّتِي تَشِمُ فِي الْوَجْهِ وَالذِّرَاعِ، وَهُوَ أَنْ تَغْرِزَ الْجِلْدَ بِإِبْرَةٍ ثُمَّ يُحْشَى بِكُحْلٍ أَوْ نِيلٍ فَيَزْرَقُّ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةُ: الَّتِي يُفْعَلُ بِهَا ذَلِكَ بِطَلَبِهَا…
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.6, pg.373, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[4]
بَدَنُ الْحُرَّةِ عَوْرَةٌ إلَّا وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا وَقَدَمَيْهَا.
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.58, Dār Al-Fiqr)
إلَى الرَّأْسِ وَالْوَجْهِ وَالصَّدْرِ وَالسَّاقِ وَالْعَضُدِ إنْ أَمِنَ شَهْوَتَهُ) وَشَهْوَتَهَا أَيْضًا ذَكَرَهُ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ… وَأَصْلُهُ قَوْله تَعَالَى – {وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ} [النور: ٣١]- الْآيَةَ وَتِلْكَ الْمَذْكُورَاتُ مَوَاضِعُ الزِّينَةِ بِخِلَافِ الظَّهْرِ وَنَحْوِهِ…
… (قَوْلُهُ وَتِلْكَ الْمَذْكُورَاتُ مَوَاضِعُ الزِّينَةِ) أَشَارَ إلَى أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ الْمُرَادُ فِي الْآيَةِ نَفْسَ الزِّينَةِ، لِأَنَّ النَّظَرَ إلَيْهَا مُبَاحٌ مُطْلَقًا، بَلْ الْمُرَادُ مَوَاضِعُهَا فَالرَّأْسُ مَوْضِعُ التَّاجِ، وَالْوَجْهُ مَوْضِعُ الْكُحْلِ…
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.6, pg.367, Dār Al-Fiqr)