Q: I wanted to know the ruling of women growing their hair. Is keeping long hair more part of culture then religion? What is the ruling of cutting the hair? Is it permissible to keep short hair as there is a hadith which mentions that Aisha (Radiyallahu Anaha) had short hair.
A: In matters of Deen we are commanded to follow the Fuqaha. The Fuqaha are those experts in Deen who after carrying out an extensive and comprehensive study of the Quraan, the Mubarak Ahaadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and the verdicts of the Sahaabah (with all the related sciences that are required to understand Deen), deduce the masaail of Deen and explain to the Ummah the parameters of Shariah. Hence it would be a futile exercise for the person who is not knowledgeable and completely conversant with all the above-mentioned sciences of Deen, to try to challenge their verdicts. The Fuqaha have explained in the light of Shariah that it is impermissible for a woman to cut or trim her hair. Hence, If a woman cuts her hair, she will be sinful in the court of Allah Ta'ala.
Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) herself explains the reason for her hair not being very long. She says I had fallen ill and I suffered from hair loss until my hair became very short. The details of this Hadith appears in Bukhari Shareef.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت تزوجني النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأنا بنت ست سنين فقدمنا المدينة فنزلنا في بني الحارث بن خزرج فوعكت فتمرق شعري فوفى جميمة فأتتني أمي أم رومان وإني لفي أرجوحة ومعي صواحب لي فصرخت بي فأتيتها لا أدري ما تريد بي فأخذت بيدي حتى أوقفتني على باب الدار وإني لأنهج حتى سكن بعض نفسي ثم أخذت شيئا من ماء فمسحت به وجهي ورأسي ثم أدخلتني الدار فإذا نسوة من الأنصار في البيت فقلن على الخير والبركة وعلى خير طائر فأسلمتني إليهن فأصلحن من شأني فلم يرعني إلا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ضحى فأسلمتني إليه وأنا يومئذ بنت تسع سنين (بخاري #3894)
وفيه قطعت شعر رأسها أثمت ولعنت زاد في البزازية وإن بإذن الزوج لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الخالق ولذا يحرم على الرجل قطع لحيته والمعنى المؤثر التشبه بالرجال اه (الدر المختار 6/407)
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Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Q: I came across the question regarding the cutting of hair for females. There is another hadeeth in muslim shareef regarding the hair of Hadhrat Ayesha (Radiyallahu Anha) after the demise of Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). The relevant ibarat is:
باب القدر المستحب من الماء فى غسله الجنابة - و كان أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ياخذن من رؤسهن حتى تكون كالوفرة
My respected teacher of hadeeth mentioned two answers to this hadeeth.
1 . ترك زينت بعد وفاته صلى الله عليه وسلم
2. كثرة العمرة.
I think the person asking the question may be referring to the hadeeth in Muslim Shareef.
A: The Ulama explain that the narrator in the Hadith of Muslim Shareef (Abu Salma bin Abdir Rahmaan) had not seen any of the Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat besides Hazrat Aaisha (Radiyallahu Anha). Hence his commenting about the length of the hair of the Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat in general does not seem logical (keeping in mind that the hair of women is satar). As far as Hazrat Aaisha (Radiyallahu Anha's) hair being short is concerned, then his report regarding her hair will be accepted as he was her mahram and had seen her hair. However the reason for her hair being short as explained in the Hadith of Bukhari Shareef is that due to illness she suffered from hair loss. Furthermore, it was possible that due to performing many umrahs and Hajj, her hair remained short.
As far as the other Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat are concerned, it was not possible for him to have seen their hair. Hence the only possibility that remains is that he is narrating from someone who had seen their hair. However since he has not revealed his source for verification, this part of the Hadith does not conform to the standards laid down by the Muhaditheen for verifying the narration and hence cannot be used as a basis for deducting masaail. Furthermore it should be known that this Hadith which appears in Muslim Shareef also appears in Bukhari Shareef, Sunan-e-Kubraa of Imaam Nasaai and in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmed bin Hambal (Rahimahumullah) and in all these compilations of Hadith the last part of the Hadith (i.e. the Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat used to cut their hair) is not mentioned. It is possible that Imaam Bukhari did not bring the last part of the Hadith in his Saheeh on account of the fact that it was questionable and did not conform to his standard, as is his general approach and manner of quoting Ahaadith in his Saheeh.
The commentator of Muslim Shareef, Moulana Shabeer Ahmed Usmaani (Rahmatullah Alayh), explains in Fathul Mulhim under the commentary of this Hadith that the Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat used to plait their hair till it reached close to their shoulders. Allama Qurtubi (Rahmatullahi Alayh) explains in his commentary Almufhim under the commentary of this Hadith that Imaam Abu Haatim (Rahmatullah Alayh) said: "The women in the time of the Sahaaba used to plait their hair till it reached close to their shoulders." Allama Qurtubi (Rahmatullahi Alayh) and Allama Isma'ee explain that the word wafra also refers to the length of hair that reaches lower than the shoulders. It is possible that the Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat used to plait their hair till it reached this length as was the way of the women in the era of Sahaaba (Radiyallahu Anahum).
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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