Fatwa ID: 05006
Answered by: Maulana Naieem Mohammad
Question
Did Prophet Muhammad have red hair?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The natural color of the hair of the Prophet s.a.w. was black. Anas bin Maalik r.a. mentioned that he counted only 14 strands of grey hair on the head and beard of the Prophet s.a.w, but naturally, after time that number would have increased a little. [1]
It is also narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. would use olive oil in his hair, when it was oiled, the grey strands would not show, and when it was not oiled then they would be apparent. [2]
The mention of red hairs on the head and beard of the Prophet s.a.w. is also found, but these were as few as his grey strands, thus meaning that the Prophet s.a.w had mostly black hair. The redness of a few strands may have come for two reasons;
- When a person’s black hair is turning silver or grey, it usually becomes brown or red before becoming grey. [3]
- The redness would also be apparent due to the Henna dye that the prophet s.a.w would have used on the few grey strands.[4]
The above narrations lead us to understand that the Prophet s.a.w did have a few strands of reddish-brown hair turning into grey that was obvious at various times and not apparent at other times depending on whether he used to dye or olive oil.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Naieem Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] Shamaail Tirmidhi,pg 44 Hadeeth # 36 & 37
[2] Same as above,Hadeeth # 38
[3] Khasaail E Nabawi,pg 45 & 46
[4] Same as above,pg 48 & 49 – Chapter on the Dying of the Hair of the Prophet S.A.W. Hadeeth # 44,45,46,47
