Fatwa ID: 06752

Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Shahbaz Aslam

Question:

Are women allowed to dye their hair black? And if they were naturally black then dyed to another colour, then decided to dye black again is that allowed?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Thank you for your question, may Allah increase us, you and the Muslim ummah in seeking His pleasure.

Women (and men) are allowed to dye their hair and it is recommended to dye the hair red using henna. Some scholars have taken the position that it is disliked to dye their hair black to adorn themselves for the opposite gender (their spouse), but others have permitted it without dislike such as the great Imam, the companion of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Abu Yusuf (may Allah have mercy on them both), who said ‘Just as it pleases me her adorning herself for me, it pleases her that I adorn myself for her.’ (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah pg 359 Maktabah Rashidiyya Print).

Mufti Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) wrote in his Takmillatu fath al-mulhim on the commentary of Sahih al-Muslim, hadith 5466, the above and mentions an issue of dying hair black arises when there is deception in regards to one’s age, for example for potential suitors, this would be impermissible.

He states that there is a difference of opinion in dying the hair for adornment for the spouse, he adds further:

My father (may Allah have mercy on him) chose the position (that is severely disliked, as is the position of the majority of scholars) in Jawahir al-fiqh acting on the cautious position. However, Imam Saraksi in Kitab at-taharry from the Mabsut, says that dyeing out of adornment for the spouse is permitted, and Allah knows best.’

Mufti Taqi continues ‘As for the woman dyeing her hair to beautify herself for her husband, then Imam Qatada (may Allah have mercy on him)  permitted it as is narrated from him by Imam ‘Abd ar-Razzaq in his Musanaf and Ibn Qudama narrates from Ishaq in his Mugny, and I have not seen this explicitly said by other than them two, Allah knows best.’

In conclusion, dyeing hair black for women out of adornment for their husbands is permissible. Dyeing hair black for other than that is disliked. Dyeing hair in other colours is permitted as long as the colours are not associated with immoral people.

It must be emphasised that this is done without exposing the hair to non-related males.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Mohammed Shahbaz Aslam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham