False assumption

Many people wrongly assume the permissibility of cutting women’s hair from the Hadith reported in Sahih Muslim.

عن أبي سلمة بن عبد الرحمن قال: كان أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يأخذن من رءوسهن حتى تكون كالوفرة

Translation: Hadhrat Abu Salamah (R) narrates that the wives of the Prophet (S) used to cut the hair of their head until it came just below their ears. (Muslim: 481)

It is necessary to point out here that this assumption incorrect. As Shaykh Thanwi رحمه الله states that why did the wives of the Prophet (S) do this? (Reducing or cutting the hair) He states that the purpose of this action carried out by the wives of the Prophet (S) was to abandon flaunting their beauty. After this, Shaykh Thanwiرحمه الله quotes the following passage from the commentary of Sahih Muslim by Imam Nawawi رحمه الله :

عن عياض: ولعل أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فعلن هذا بعد وفاته لتركهن التزيين

Translation: Qaadhi Ayaaz reports that the wives of the Prophet (S) did this act of cutting the hair after the demise of the Prophet (S) to abandon beautification.
(Imdaad al-Fataawa Vol: 4 Pg: 228)

It is clear and evident from the above statement that even if the wives of the Prophet (S) did reduce the hair, the objective and purpose was to abandon adornment and beautification, and at the present time the women that cut their hair, are their intentions and aims to abandon adornment or rather acquire it?
Hence in reality the hair of a woman is part of her beauty. However, the wives of the Prophet (S) were not in need of beauty and adornment after the Prophet (S) had passed away. Due to this reason they reduced their hair. And at the present time the women that cut their hair the aim and objective is to acquire beauty and ornamentation, therefore there is a clear difference between the act of the wives of the Prophet (S) and the women of today. Thus, how can ones action be justified on the actions of the wives of the Prophet (S) to deduce such a ruling of cutting the hair?

It is stated in “Fath al-Mulhim”, that this Hadith does not give the ruling of cutting the hair at all, rather the Hadith mentions a certain way of overlapping the hair. And if for instance the ruling of cutting the hair is deduced from the Hadith, this act will yet be dismissed and abrogated due to the explicit Ahadith contrary to it.

The conclusion deduced is that regarding the Hadith in Sahih Muslim, the Muhaddithoon have mentioned various explanations, some of which have been stated above. If the wives of the Prophet (S) did carry out this action in reducing the hair, as stated previously it was only for the purpose of abandoning adornment and not acquiring it. Besides, the reducing of the hair was done after the demise of the Prophet (S) when all wives had resigned from adorning themselves. Nevertheless, who can be more detached from the world than the wives of the Prophet (S)? Various quranic verses are clear proof of their pure and chaste lives; therefore no woman has any right to deduce rulings from the actions of the wives of the Prophet (S) in justifying their wrong objectives.

And Allah Ta'aala Knows Best.

Approved by
Mufti Ikramul Haq Sahib Daamat Barakaatuhum
Mufti Faruq Sahib Daamat Barakaatuhum
Mufti Abdussamad Sahib Daamat Barakaatuhum

14th Jumad al-Thani 1431
28th May 2010

(Taken from a Fatwa in Darul Ifta Jamiatul Ilm wal-Huda)
al-‘Abd