Question:

Answer:

The reason for the prohibition of plucking eyebrows is firstly, the following hadith which clearly tells us that it is forbidden for a person to make such unnecessary changes to the face that Allah taala has bestowed upon them; the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah curses the women who make tattoos, those for whom they are made, those women who have their eyebrows shaped/plucked (Al-Mutanammisaat), and women who create gaps in their teeth for the sake of beautification, who alter the creation of Allah…,” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Libas).

Imam Ibn Hajr quotes Imam Daud, who elaborates the word Mutanammisat, by saying “The Plucker is she who shapes the eyebrow (Haajib) until it becomes thin,” (Fath al-Bari, vol.10, p.462). Secondly, the women who do this do so out of imitation of the disbelieving or wicked women and the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaii wa sallam) said: “Whoever emulates a people is from them.” Thirdly, along with the fact that no similar evidence exists that prohibits women removing the hair on legs and arms, the real facial change represents a much more pronounced complaint against the Creator than does removing hair of other parts of the body, which can be done for several other reasons such as hygiene, comfort etc.

Fourthly, there is also a much more pronounced meaning of deception in the case of plucking eyebrows, than there is in the case of the removal of the hair on legs and arms, yet deception is categorically forbidden by the Shariah. Thus, due to these reasons there is a difference in the ruling. As for other general make-up, such as lip-stick and facial powder, because a drastic change to appearance is not undergone, and there is actually a proof for such superficial changes for the sake of beautification in the Shariah itself, they are permitted.

The proof is that in the time of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) the women would wear Kohl around their eyes. This is a superficial way to enhance beauty permitted explicitly by the Law-giver when done for the husband and not in front of strangers. As for plucking eye-brows it is not a superficial enhancement that gets washed away with a mere light wash, rather it is drastic change to the face due to which, amongst the other reasons mentioned above, it is a grave sin for which repentance must be done. As for cutting hair, until they do not become so long that they reach the buttocks, it is sinful for a woman to cut her hair. This ruling is based on the saying of Ali r.a.

Mufti Mohammed Sajjad

Wallahu Aalam bis-sawab

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The answer to this question is the opinion of the scholar and does not reflect the opinion of other scholars of As-Suffa Institute and As-Suffa Institute as an organisation.