Fatwa ID: 04635
Answered by: Mufti Muhammad Afzal Hussain
Question:
Is waxing in Islam halal or haram?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
It is a Sunnah to remove the pubic hair and hair under the armpits for the purposes of general hygiene and cleanliness. Hair in such areas is considered unwanted. It is Makruh to let them grow for more than forty days. Aisha said: The Messenger of Allah said: “Ten things are part of Fitrah: Trimming the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the Siwak, rinsing the nose with water, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the armpit hair, shaving the pubes and using water in Istinja.” [Muslim: 261]
All safe methods to remove unwanted hair from the body are permissible in Islam. Imam Suyuti said the Prophet Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam used lime or An-Nawrah to remove pubes. [See: Surooh Sunan Ibn Majah, vol:1, Hadith: 295, publisher: Baytul Afkaar al-Dawliyyah] So in a similar fashion, modern lotions (if they are safe for the skin) and waxing can be considered permissible (Halal).
Only Allah Knows Best
Written by Mufti Muhammad Afzal Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham