Fatwa ID: 06854

 

Answered by: Alimah Jannatun Nessa

 

Question:

 

What is the Islamic ruling on the prevalent hair-cutting styles amongst youngsters nowadays such as skin fades and short back and sides? I have always understood it to be not allowed, however, some people are saying skin fades and short back and sides are fine. Most youngsters are doing these styles to look cool and fit into their friend circles and many of these are Huffaz who want to lead Taraweeh in this state. The traditional God-fearing Ulama are still of the opinion that any type of skin fades and short backs are not allowed and they should not stand on the Musallah. Many elderly Awam also do not like youngsters with such hairstyles to lead Salah. Please can you mention the correct Shari ruling on skin fades and short back and sides for males? 

 

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

It is makrooh to shave part of the hair in a manner that makes it look uneven and to follow the trends of non-believers to gain some sort of approval from others. Such haircuts, in which certain areas of the head are shaved and others are not, have been expressly forbidden by the Prophet SAW.

 

Abdullah ibn Umar narrated: 

The Prophet (ﷺ) saw a boy with part of his head shaved and part left unshaven. He forbade them to do that, saying: Shave it all or leave it all. (Sunan Abi Dawud, 4195)

 

However, they should not be prevented from praying salah in gatherings, instead, the ulama can kindly advise the youngsters to wear a hat that would cover their hairstyle rather than preventing them from praying congregational salah.

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Jannatun Nessa

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

[Fatawa Alamgiri, volume 5, page 438, Education press]

ويكره القزع وهو أن يحلق البعض ويترك البعض قطعا مقدار ثلاثة أصابع كذا في الغرائب.

 

[Sunan Abi Dawud, 4195]

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَأَى صَبِيًّا قَدْ حُلِقَ بَعْضُ شَعْرِهِ وَتُرِكَ بَعْضُهُ فَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَقَالَ ‏ “‏ احْلِقُوهُ كُلَّهُ أَوِ اتْرُكُوهُ كُلَّهُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: 

The Prophet (ﷺ) saw a boy with part of his head shaved and part left unshaven. He forbade them to do that, saying: Shave it all or leave it all.

 

 

[Sahih al-Bukhari, 5920]

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مَخْلَدٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ نَافِعٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ نَافِعٍ، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَنْهَى عَنِ الْقَزَعِ‏.‏ قَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ قُلْتُ وَمَا الْقَزَعُ فَأَشَارَ لَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِذَا حَلَقَ الصَّبِيَّ وَتَرَكَ هَا هُنَا شَعَرَةً وَهَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا‏.‏ فَأَشَارَ لَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ إِلَى نَاصِيَتِهِ وَجَانِبَىْ رَأْسِهِ‏.‏ قِيلَ لِعُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ فَالْجَارِيَةُ وَالْغُلاَمُ قَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي هَكَذَا قَالَ الصَّبِيِّ‏.‏ قَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ وَعَاوَدْتُهُ فَقَالَ أَمَّا الْقُصَّةُ وَالْقَفَا لِلْغُلاَمِ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِمَا وَلَكِنَّ الْقَزَعَ أَنْ يُتْرَكَ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ شَعَرٌ، وَلَيْسَ فِي رَأْسِهِ غَيْرُهُ، وَكَذَلِكَ شَقُّ رَأْسِهِ هَذَا وَهَذَا‏.‏

 

Narrated Ubaidullah bin Hafs: that `Umar bin Nafi` told him that Nafi`, Maula `Abdullah had heard `Umar saying, “I heard Allah’s Apostle forbidding Al-Qaza’.” ‘Ubaidullah added: I said, “What is Al-Qaza’?” Ubaidullah pointed (towards his head) to show us and added, “Nafi` said, “It is when a boy has his head shaved leaving a tuft of hair here and a tuft of hair there.” Ubaidullah pointed towards his forehead and the sides of his head. ‘Ubaidullah was asked, “Does this apply to both girls and boys?” He said, “I don’t know, but Nafi` said, ‘The boy.'” ‘Ubaidullah added, “I asked Nafi` again, and he said, ‘As for leaving hair on the temples and the back part of the boy’s head, there is no harm, but Al-Qaza’ is to leave a tuft of hair on his forehead unshaved while there is no hair on the rest of his head, and also to leave hair on either side of his head.'”