Ruling on cutting hair for women

https://islamqa.org/hanafi/daruliftaa/7900

What is the ruling regarding cutting the hair for women? If it is allowed, then how short can she cut it?

ANSWER

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, 

In general, the major classical Hanafi Fiqh books prohibit the cutting of hair for women. This is also affirmed by many Indian Subcontinent scholars. However, some scholars of the Arab world have permitted it conditionally.

In a Hadith, “the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) forbade women from shaving their hair.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, 2/246 & Sunan Nasa’i, 5/407)

Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) mentions in his famous book in Hanafi Fiqh:

“If a woman cuts her hair, she will be sinful and cursed. In al-Bazzaziyya it is added: “Even with the permission of the husband, as there is no obedience to the creation in disobeying the Creator.” (See: Radd al-Muhtar with the Durr of al-Haskafi, kitab al-hazr wal-ibaha, 5/261)

The main two reasons given by scholars for the impermissibility of women cutting their hair are:

a) Imitation of the Kuffar (non-Muslims),

b) Imitation of men,

Both of which have been clearly prohibited in Shariah.

In the Hadith recorded by Imam Abu Dawud in his ‘Sunan’ and others, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Whosoever imitates a group is amongst them.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 4031)

Regarding the imitation of men, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate men.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 7/205)

For the above two reasons, the jurists (fuqaha) have generally prohibited the cutting of hair for women. It is for the reason of imitating men; they considered such women to be cursed, as in the Hadith women who imitate men are cursed by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace)

In view of the above, it would generally not be permitted for women to cut their hair. To imitate the styles of the Kuffar and non-Muslim women is not permissible. The hair cuts prevalent among many modern women have a clear resemblance with the styles of non-Muslim women, thus it will be unlawful.

Similarly, to shorten the hair in a way that it resembles the hair of men is also prohibited. If a woman does so, she will earn the curse of the blessed Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace)

However, if a woman trims her hair slightly in a way that she did not contravene any of the above two reasons, then this would be (and Allah knows best) permitted. In other words, there are two conditions for this permissibility, and they both should be understood properly, and not misused or taken out of context:

1) There should be no imitation of non-Muslim Women,

The hairstyles adopted by kuffar and non-Muslim women, such as flicks, perms, fringes, etc… will not be allowed. Cutting the hair from the front will also be impermissible.

2) There should be no imitation of men

Cutting the hair in any way that resembles the hair of men is unlawful (haram), as mentioned previously. Therefore, if a woman cuts her hair from the lower end slightly in order to equate the level of the hairs, then this will be permissible.

It should be noted that, if the hair is cut, then it should be well below the shoulders, and this permissibility is only to cut it slightly. If the woman is married, then this should be done with the consent of her husband.

Finally, it should be remembered that it is better for a woman to not cut her hair altogether, unless there is some genuine reason. In the early times, a woman’s beauty was considered in the length of her hair, and not in looking like a man.

In conclusion, generally it is not permissible for a woman to cut her hair. However, if the hair is cut in the manner outlined above, it would be permissible, although better to avoid.

And Allah knows best

[Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK

https://islamqa.org/hanafi/daruliftaa-birmingham/19924

Is it permissible for a woman to have her layered? Although this is usually done for adornment, my intention is mainly to thicken my hair as it is very very thin and having the hair cut (slightly) in layers usually thickens the hair.  May i stress that i am in full hijaab and no ghair mahram would ever see my hair.

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

There are two main reasons given by the scholars for it not being permissible for women to cut their hair.

The first being imitation of men. Ibn Abbas (radi allahu anhu) narrates that Allah’s Apostle cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate men. (Sahih Bukhari: 7.773)

The second being the imitation of the disbelievers in which regards the Prophet (salla lahu alayhi wa sallam) said: He who copies any people is one of them. (Abu Dawood: 1856)

For the above two reasons, the jurists have prohibited the cutting of hair for women. It is for this reason they considered such women to be cursed. “If a woman cuts her hair, she will be sinful and cursed. In al-Bazzaziyya it is added: “Even with the permission of the husband, as there is no obedience to the creation in disobeying the Creator.” (Raddul Muhtar)

However, if a woman trims her hair slightly in a way that she did not contravene any of the above two conditions, then this could be permitted. Therefore if layering does not contravene any of the two conditions above then it would be permissible. However in my humble opinion layering contravenes the second condition of imitating the non-believers and therefore should be avoided despite if one is in hijaab.
Only Allah knows best

Sayeedur Rahman

http://seekershub.org/ans-blog/2011/08/17/are-women-allowed-to-cut-their-hair/

Question: A very venerable shaykh told us that it was makruh tahrimi for a woman to cut her hair unless absolutely necessary. What if one’s husband wants her to cut it? Is that considered to be one of those “absolutely necessary” cases?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

In general, the books of the Hanafi school are very strict about women not cutting their hair. The scholars differed, however, about what exactly is meant by this.

What I learned from several scholars was that a woman’s hair cannot resemble a man’s (therefore, it should be below the shoulder); it cannot imitate those of non-Muslim or corrupt women; the best is that it be long.

According to leading Hanafi scholars of Syria, including Shaykh Adib Kallas, there is no harm in a woman cutting her hair, as long as:

a) it remains feminine (and thus does not resemble men);

b) it is not cut with the express intent of imitating non-Muslim fashions; and

c) it is not cut excessively.

The texts in the Hanafi school indicating the impermissibility of women cutting their hair are understood, these scholars say, to be conditioned by the above considerations.

In the Shafii school, it is permitted to even cut the hair very short if the husband prefers it that way.

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani