Can Men Braid their Hair like a Ponytail?

26th May 2021

 

Question: I wanted to know is it haram for a man to Tie their hair, or can they tie it in a non-feminine way an example would be just to tie the top of the hair or even use a hairband?

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

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

 

Answer

As a general rule there is no harm for men to tie their long hair, that does not exceed the shoulder length, in a manner that does not resemble females using a band at the center or the top behind the head. It is not a problem either to use a hairband for males to keep their hairs kempt and not untidy. It is reported from Sayyidah Umme Hani radhiyallahu anha that on the day of conquest, the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam entered Makkah with his hair braided into four plats. Some have given the reason that he did this due to being preoccupied in traveling.[1] Whatever the reason being, plaiting one’s hair in a non-feminine manner is permissible. It is only forbidden during Salāh as the Hadeeth mentions that it is a place where the Shaytan sits during one’s Salāh.

It is reported that a man once saw Sayyiduna Abu Rafi’ radhiyallahu anhu passing by Sayyiduna Hasan ibn Ali radhiyallahu anhu standing in Salāh with his hair plaited behind his head.  Sayyiduna Abu Rafi’ radhiyallahu anhu upon seeing it untied there and then. Sayyiduna Hasan immediately turned around angrily so Sayyiduna Abu Rafi’ radhiyallahu anhu said, “Turn to your Salāh and do not be angry for I heard the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam say, ‘this is the seating place of Shaytan’ in other words at the root of his plaited hair.”[2]

It is also reported that Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radhiyallahu anhu also did the same where he saw a man’s hair plaited whist standing in Salāh. He instantly untied it and said, “I heard the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam say that that ‘the likeness of this one is that of a man who prays with his hands tied (behind his back).’”[3] The Hadeeth therefore, as agreed by all of the scholars implies that it is disliked for a person to pray Salāh with his hair plaited in a manner where he ties his hair behind his head with a band.[4] The wisdom behind that as scholars state is that it allows all of the hair to prostrate before Allāh.[5]

Hence, you may tie your hair in a manner that doesn’t resemble women (or those of sinful people) as mentioned so to keep the hair kempt. But according to the Prophetic Hadeeth you must release it before Salāh.

 

 

 [Allãh Knows Best]

 

 

Written and researched by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

 

 

[1] Ibn Hajar, Fathul Bari, vol 10, p. 360

بَابُ التَّلْبِيدِ

وَمَا دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ الْحَدِيثُ مِنْ كَوْنِ شَعْرِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ إِلَى قُرْبِ مَنْكِبَيْهِ كَانَ غَالِبَ أَحْوَالِهِ وَكَانَ رُبَّمَا طَالَ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ ذُؤَابَةً وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْهُ عَقَائِصَ وَضَفَائِرَ كَمَا أَخْرَجَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ بِسَنَدٍ حَسَنٍ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أُمِّ هَانِئٍ قَالَتْ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَكَّةَ وَلَهُ أَرْبَعُ غَدَائِرَ وَفِي لَفْظٍ أَرْبَعُ ضَفَائِرَ وَفِي رِوَايَة بن مَاجَهْ أَرْبَعُ غَدَائِرَ يَعْنِي ضَفَائِرَ وَالْغَدَائِرُ بِالْغَيْنِ الْمُعْجَمَةِ جَمْعُ غَدِيرَةٍ بِوَزْنِ عَظِيمَةٍ وَالضَّفَائِرُ بِوَزْنِهِ فَالْغَدَائِرُ هِيَ الذَّوَائِبُ وَالضَّفَائِرُ هِيَ الْعَقَائِصُ فَحَاصِلُ الْخَبَرِ أَنَّ شَعْرَهُ طَالَ حَتَّى صَارَ ذَوَائِبَ فَضَفَّرَهُ أَرْبَعَ عَقَائِصَ وَهَذَا مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي يَبْعُدُ عَهْدُهُ بِتَعَهُّدِهِ شَعْرَهُ فِيهَا وَهِيَ حَالَةُ الشُّغْلِ بِالسَّفَرِ وَنَحْوِهِ

 

[2] Abu Dawood No: 646

بَابُ الرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي عَاقِصًا شَعْرَهُ

646 – حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ رَأَى أَبَا رَافِعٍ مَوْلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّ بِحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَام وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي قَائِمًا وَقَدْ غَرَزَ ضَفْرَهُ فِي قَفَاهُ فَحَلَّهَا أَبُو رَافِعٍ، فَالْتَفَتَ حَسَنٌ إِلَيْهِ مُغْضَبًا فَقَالَ أَبُو رَافِعٍ: أَقْبِلْ عَلَى صَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تَغْضَبْ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «ذَلِكَ كِفْلُ الشَّيْطَانِ» يَعْنِي مَقْعَدَ الشَّيْطَانِ، يَعْنِي مَغْرَزَ ضَفْرِهِ

 

Tuhfadhul Ahwadhi vol 2, p. 325

بَاب مَا جَاءَ فِي كراهة كَفِّ الشَّعْرِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ

وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أبي داود وقد غرز ضفره أي لوى شَعْرَهُ وَأَدْخَلَ أَطْرَافَهُ فِي أُصُولِهِ وَالْمُرَادُ مِنَ الضَّفْرِ الْمَضْفُورُ مِنَ الشَّعْرِ وَأَصْلُ الضَّفْرِ الْفَتْلُ وَالضَّفِيرُ وَالضَّفَائِرُ هِيَ الْعَقَائِصُ الْمَضْفُورَةُ قَالَهُ الْخَطَّابِيُّ (فِي قَفَاهُ) الْقَفَا بِالْفَارِسِيَّةِ يس سر يُذَكَّرُ وَيُؤَنَّثُ (فَحَلَّهَا) أَيْ أَطْلَقَ ضَفَائِرَهُ الْمَغْرُوزَةَ فِي قفاه (مغضبا) بفتح الضاد (ذلك) أي الظفر الْمَغْرُوزَ (كِفْلُ الشَّيْطَانِ) بِكَسْرِ الْكَافِ وَسُكُونِ الْفَاءِ أَيْ مَوْضِعُ قُعُودِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي دَاوُدَ ذَلِكَ كِفْلُ الشَّيْطَانِ يَعْنِي مَقْعَدَ الشَّيْطَانِ يَعْنِي مَغْرِزَ ضَفْرِهِ

 

[3] Umdatul Qari vol 6, p. 91

(بابُ السجُودِ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أعْظُمٍ)

وَقَالَ سَمِعت النَّبِي – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم َ – يَقُول ذَلِك كفل الشَّيْطَان أَو قَالَ مقْعد الشَّيْطَان يَعْنِي مغرز ضفيرته وَفِي الْمعرفَة روينَا فِي الحَدِيث الثَّابِت ” عَن ابْن عَبَّاس أَنه رأى عبد الله بن الْحَارِث يُصَلِّي وَرَأسه معقوص من وَرَائه فَقَامَ وَرَاءه فَجعل يحله وَقَالَ سَمِعت النَّبِي – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم َ – إِنَّمَا مثل هَذَا كَمثل الَّذِي يُصَلِّي وَهُوَ مكتوف

[4] Umdatul Qari vol 6, p. 91

(بابُ السجُودِ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أعْظُمٍ)

فَدلَّ الحَدِيث على كَرَاهَة الصَّلَاة وَهُوَ معقوص الشّعْر وَلَو عقصه وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاة فَسدتْ صلَاته والعقص أَن يجمع شعره على وسط رَأسه ويشده بخيط أَو بصمغ ليتلبد وَافق الْجُمْهُور من الْعلمَاء أَن النَّهْي لكل من يُصَلِّي كَذَلِك سَوَاء تَعَمّده للصَّلَاة أَو كَانَ كَذَلِك قبلهَا لِمَعْنى آخر وَقَالَ مَالك النَّهْي لمن فعل ذَلِك للصَّلَاة وَالصَّحِيح الأول لإِطْلَاق الْأَحَادِيث. قيل الْحِكْمَة فِي هَذَا النَّهْي عَنهُ أَن الشّعْر يسْجد مَعَه وَلِهَذَا مثله بِالَّذِي يُصَلِّي وَهُوَ مكتوف وَقَالَ ابْن عمر رَضِي الله تَعَالَى عَنْهُمَا لرجل رَآهُ يسْجد وَهُوَ معقوص الشّعْر أرْسلهُ يسْجد مَعَك.

 

[5] Tuhfadhul Ahwadhi vol 2, p. 325

بَاب مَا جَاءَ فِي كراهة كَفِّ الشَّعْرِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ

وَإِنَّمَا أَمَرَهُ بِإِرْسَالِ الشَّعْرِ لِيَسْقُطَ عَلَى الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي فِيهِ صَاحِبُهُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ فَيَسْجُدَ مَعَهُ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْهُ أَيْضًا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَسْجُدَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ آرَابٍ وَأَنْ لَا أَكُفَّ شَعْرًا وَلَا ثَوْبًا انْتَهَى

 

Displaying the Hair of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam

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