26th November 2018
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question. If the hair of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam displayed in any museums then is it allowed to visit it?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
As far as visiting the hair of the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam is concerned its permissibility has been established in many authentic reports. Uthmān Ibn Abdullāh radhiyallahu anhu relates that I once visited Sayyidah Umme Salamah radhiyallahu anha and she drew out for us a hair of the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam that was dyed.[1]
In this narration, Sayyidah Umme Salmah radhiyallahu anha showed to Uthmān the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wasallam hair which she preserved after his demise. This establishes the permissibility of visiting the hair (or any other traces) that remains from the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam. One can seek barakah from the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wasallam hair and seek treatment from it also. It has been reported that if any person was struck with an illness such as evil eye or something, then Sayyidah Umme Salmah radhiyallahu anha would send a container of water with the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wasallam hair in it.[2]
Apart from Sayyidah Umme Salmah radhiyallahu anha, there were other companions who retained some hair of the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam for the purpose of Barakah (blessing) after his demise. Sayyidunā Khālid Ibn Waleed radhiyallahu anhu used to knit the hair of the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam to his hat which he used to wear in the battlefield.
These reports show that there are strong possibilities of the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wasallam hair existing today. Nevertheless, to attribute the present-day hair of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam exhibited in many museums such as in Turkey and very recently in Chechnya requires that it must be established from reliable source. In other words, it must be authentically established through reliable transmission that this is the very hair of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. If this is not the case then it falls under mere assumption, which means that one cannot attribute it to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam with certainty.
Therefore, one must primarily verify whether the present hair of Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam is authentic in itself and established through reliable sources or not. If this is not possible then the safest approach is not to have total reliance on it nor out rightly disapprove of it, rather best to consign its true knowledge to Allāh Almighty.
[Allāh Knows Best]
Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Bukhāri, No:5897
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلَّامٌ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ، قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، «[ص:161] فَأَخْرَجَتْ إِلَيْنَا شَعَرًا مِنْ شَعَرِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَخْضُوبًا» وَقَالَ لَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ: حَدَّثَنَا نُصَيْرُ بْنُ أَبِي الأَشْعَثِ، عَنْ ابْنِ مَوْهَبٍ: أَنَّ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ، أَرَتْهُ «شَعَرَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَحْمَرَ»
[2] Bukhāri, No:5896
حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ، قَالَ: أَرْسَلَنِي أَهْلِي إِلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِقَدَحٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ – وَقَبَضَ إِسْرَائِيلُ ثَلاَثَ أَصَابِعَ مِنْ قُصَّةٍ – فِيهِ شَعَرٌ مِنْ شَعَرِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَكَانَ إِذَا أَصَابَ الإِنْسَانَ عَيْنٌ أَوْ شَيْءٌ بَعَثَ إِلَيْهَا مِخْضَبَهُ، فَاطَّلَعْتُ فِي الجُلْجُلِ، فَرَأَيْتُ شَعَرَاتٍ حُمْرً