Plucking of the eyebrows

Shaping or plucking the eyebrows of an unmarried woman, or of a married woman without her husband’s permission, is considered makrūh according to some of our jurists and ḥarām according to others. The Shafi‘i jurists are, however, in agreement that it is permissible for a married woman to shape or pluck her eyebrows for the purpose of adorning herself for her husband, provided that this is done with his consent. The income earned from providing services that are deemed permissible or makrūh is ḥalāl.

Consider the following:

1. The general misconception that plucking or shaping the eyebrows is unrestrictedly haram stems from a verbatim understanding of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in which he cursed the namisah (the one who plucks eyebrows) and the mutanammisah (the one whose eyebrows are plucked). The Prophet ﷺ said:

«لعنَ اللهُ الواشماتِ، والمسْتَوْشِماتِ، والنامِصاتِ، والْمُتَنَمِّصاتِ، والْمُتَفَلِّجَاتِ لِلْحُسْنِ، الْمُغَيِّراتِ خلْقَ اللهِ»

“Allah has cursed those women who tattoo and those who have tattoos, those who pluck the eyebrows and those who have their eyebrows plucked, and those who create gaps between their teeth for the sake of beauty, altering the creation of Allah.” [Bukharī and Muslim]

2. However, the scholars did not understand this hadith in an unrestricted, general sense and therefore differed regarding its precise application. The term nams refers to the plucking or removal of facial hair. Accordingly, a more accurate translation would be: “Allah has cursed the woman who removes facial hair and the woman whose facial hair is removed.”

3. If the hadith were understood in its absolute generality, it would technically entail that a woman who grows a beard would be prohibited from removing it, and that a man would be prohibited from shaving the hair on his cheeks, since the general wording of the hadith would encompass the removal of all facial hair.

4. Scholars therefore, in various ways, restricted the types of facial hair that may be removed and the circumstances in which its removal is permissible. With specific regard to a woman’s eyebrows, they deemed shaping or plucking them to be ḥaram or makrūh where it entails deception, such as in the case of an unmarried woman. Even in this instance, however, the scholars differed: some, such as Ibn Hajar, considered it makrūh, while others, such as al-Ramli and al-Shirbini, considered it ḥaram.

5. As for a married woman who wishes to adorn herself for her husband by shaping or plucking her eyebrows, the Shafi‘i jurists agree that this is permissible and does not fall within the general prohibition conveyed by the hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ .

6. Lastly, it is important that one does not rely solely upon one’s own understanding of the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ . A meaning may appear very apparent to a person, while the intended meaning may in fact be entirely different. There are numerous examples of the words of the Prophet ﷺ being misunderstood, though this is not the place to elaborate on them.

Muslims should therefore find comfort and contentment in the understanding of the great scholars of the madhhab they follow. The scholars who expounded upon and interpreted the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were far more knowledgeable and pious than most of those who walk the earth today, and possessed a far greater sense of taqwa when conveying and interpreting the law of Allah than most of us can claim.

والله أعلم

And Allah knows best.

النصوص المستند إليها :

(ﻓﺮﻉ) ﺫﻛﺮﻭا ﻫﻨﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻠﺤﻴﺔ ﻭﻧﺤﻮﻫﺎ ﺧﺼﺎﻻ ﻣﻜﺮﻭﻫﺔ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ ﻧﺘﻔﻬﺎ ﻭﺣﻠﻘﻬﺎ ﻭﻛﺬا الحاجبان

(تحفة المحتاج)

وأما النامصة بالصاد المهملة فهي التي تزيل الشعر من الوجه والمتنمصة التي تطلب فعل ذلك بها وهذا الفعل حرام الا اذا نبتت للمرأة لحية أو شوارب فلا تحرم إزالتها بل يستحب عندنا وقال بن جرير لا يجوز حلق لحيتها ولا عنفقتها ولا شاربها ولا تغيير شيء من خلقتها بزيادة ولا نقص ومذهبنا ما قدمناه من استحباب إزالة اللحية والشارب والعنفقة وأن النهي إنما هو في الحواجب وما في أطراف الوجه انتهى

(شرح صحيح مسلم)

(قَوْلُهُ: وَلَا يُسَنُّ لَهَا نَقْشٌ إلَخْ) عِبَارَةُ الْكُرْدِيِّ عَلَى بَافَضْلٍ وَأَمَّا النَّقْشُ وَالتَّسْوِيدُ وَخَضْبُ أَطْرَافِ الْأَصَابِعِ فَمَكْرُوهٌ حَيْثُ كَانَ لَهَا حَلِيلٌ وَأَذِنَ لَهَا فِيهِ وَإِلَّا حَرُمَ حَيْثُ لَمْ تَعْلَمَ رِضَاهُ وَيَجْرِي ذَلِكَ فِي التَّنْمِيصِ كَمَا فِي الْأَسْنَى وَكَلَامِ الشَّارِح حَجّ فِي الزَّوَاجِرِ يُفِيدُ كَرَاهَتَهُ مُطْلَقًا وَيَجْرِي التَّفْصِيلُ الْمَذْكُورُ فِي وَشْرِ الْأَسْنَانِ أَيْ تَحْدِيدِهَا وَفِي الْوَصْلِ اهـ.

(حاشية الشرواني)

ﻭﻳﺤﺮﻡ ﺃﻳﻀﺎ ﺗﺠﻌﻴﺪ ﺷﻌﺮﻫﺎ، ﻭﻭﺷﺮ ﺃﺳﻨﺎﻧﻬﺎ، ﻭﻫﻮ ﺗﺤﺪﻳﺪﻫﺎ ﻭﺗﺮﻗﻴﻘﻬﺎ، ﻭاﻟﺨﻀﺎﺏ ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻮاﺩ ﻭﺗﺤﻤﻴﺮ اﻟﻮﺟﻨﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻨﺎء ﻭﻧﺤﻮﻩ، ﻭﺗﻄﺮﻳﻒ اﻷﺻﺎﺑﻊ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺴﻮاﺩ، ﻭاﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺺ، ﻭﻫﻮ اﻷﺧﺬ ﻣﻦ ﺷﻌﺮ اﻟﻮﺟﻪ ﻭاﻟﺤﺎﺟﺐ اﻟﻤﺤﺴﻦ، ﻓﺈﻥ ﺃﺫﻥ ﻟﻬﺎ ﺯﻭﺟﻬﺎ ﺃﻭ ﺳﻴﺪﻫﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺟﺎﺯ؛ ﻷﻥ ﻟﻪ ﻏﺮﺿﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺗﺰﻳﻴﻨﻬﺎ ﻟﻪ ﻛﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺮﻭﺿﺔ، ﻭﺃﺻﻠﻬﺎ، ﻭﻫﻮ اﻷﻭﺟﻪ، ﻭﺇﻥ ﺟﺮﻯ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻖ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺧﻼﻑ ﺫﻟﻚ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻮﺻﻞ ﻭاﻟﻮﺷﺮ ﻓﺄﻟﺤﻘﻬﻤﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﻮﺷﻢ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﻊ ﻣﻄﻠﻘﺎ.

(نهاية المحتاج)

ﻭﻗﺪ ﺭﻭﻱ ﻣﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ ﺁﺧﺮ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻨﺒﻲ - ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ - ﺃﻧﻪ ﻟﻌﻦ اﻟﻮاﺻﻠﺔ ﻭاﻟﻤﺴﺘﻮﺻﻠﺔ، ﻭاﻟﻮاﺷﻤﺔ، ﻭاﻟﻤﺴﺘﻮﺷﻤﺔ، ﻭاﻟﻮاﺷﺮﺓ، ﻭاﻟﻤﺴﺘﻮﺷﺮﺓ، ﻭالنامصة، ﻭاﻟﻤﺘﻨﻤﺼﺔ، ﻭاﻟﻌﺎﺿﻬﺔ، ﻭاﻟﻤﺴﺘﻌﻀﻬﺔ

ﻓﺄﻣﺎ اﻟﻮاﺻﻠﺔ ﻭاﻟﻤﺴﺘﻮﺻﻠﺔ ﻓﻔﻴﻪ ﺗﺄﻭﻳﻼﻥ:

ﺃﺣﺪﻫﻤﺎ: ﺃﻧﻬﺎ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺼﻞ ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﺮﺟﺎﻝ ﻭاﻟﻨﺴﺎء ﺑﺎﻟﻔﺎﺣﺸﺔ

ﻭاﻟﺜﺎﻧﻲ: ﺃﻧﻬﺎ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺼﻞ ﺷﻌﺮﻫﺎ ﺑﺸﻌﺮ ﻧﺠﺲ ﻓﺄﻣﺎ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺼﻞ ﺷﻌﺮﻫﺎ ﺑﺸﻌﺮ ﻃﺎﻫﺮ ﻓﻌﻠﻰ ﺿﺮﺑﻴﻦ:

ﺃﺣﺪﻫﻤﺎ: ﺃﻥ ﺗﻜﻮﻥ ﺃﻣﺔ ﻣﺒﻴﻌﺔ ﺗﻘﺼﺪ ﺑﻪ ﻏﺮﻭﺭ اﻟﻤﺸﺘﺮﻱ ﺃﻭ ﺣﺮﺓ ﺗﺨﻄﺐ اﻷﺯﻭاﺝ ﺗﻘﺼﺪ ﺑﻪ ﺗﺪﻟﻴﺲ ﻧﻔﺴﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ، ﻓﻬﺬا ﺣﺮاﻡ ﻟﻌﻤﻮﻡ اﻟﻨﻬﻲ، ﻭﻟﻘﻮﻟﻪ - ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ -: " ﻟﻴﺲ ﻣﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻏﺶ "

ﻭاﻟﻀﺮﺏ اﻟﺜﺎﻧﻲ: ﺃﻥ ﺗﻜﻮﻥ ﺫاﺕ ﺯﻭﺝ ﺗﻔﻌﻞ ﺫﻟﻚ ﻟﻠﺰﻳﻨﺔ ﻋﻨﺪ ﺯﻭﺟﻬﺎ ﺃﻭ ﺃﻣﺔ ﺗﻔﻌﻞ ﺫﻟﻚ ﻟﺴﻴﺪﻫﺎ، ﻓﻬﺬا ﻏﻴﺮ ﺣﺮاﻡ ﻷﻥ اﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓ ﻣﺄﻣﻮﺭﺓ ﺑﺄﺧﺬ اﻟﺰﻳﻨﺔ ﻟﺰﻭﺟﻬﺎ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻜﺤﻞ ﻭاﻟﺨﻀﺎﺏ ﺃﻻ ﺗﺮﻯ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻣﺎ ﺭﻭﻱ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻨﺒﻲ - ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ - ﺃﻧﻪ ﻗﺎﻝ: " ﻟﻌﻦ اﻟﺴﻠﺘﺎء ﻭاﻟﻤﻬﺮاء "، ﻓﺎﻟﺴﻠﺘﺎء اﻟﺘﻲ ﻻ ﺗﺨﺘﻀﺐ، ﻭاﻟﻤﺮﻫﺎء اﻟﺘﻲ ﻻ ﺗﻜﺘﺤﻞ ﻳﺮﻳﺪ ﻣﻦ ﻓﻌﻠﺖ ﺫﻟﻚ ﻛﺮاﻫﺔ ﻟﺰﻭﺟﻬﺎ، ﻓﺄﻣﺮﻫﺎ ﺑﺬﻟﻚ ﺯﻳﻨﺔ ﻟﻪ ﻓﻜﺬﻟﻚ ﺻﻠﺔ اﻟﺸﻌﺮ ﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻉ ﺫﻟﻚ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺰﻳﻨﺔ ﻭﺣﻜﻲ ﻋﻦ ﺃﺣﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺣﻨﺒﻞ: ﺃﻧﻪ ﻣﻨﻊ ﻣﻦ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺑﻜﻞ ﺣﺎﻝ؛ ﻷﻥ اﻟﻨﻬﻲ ﻋﺎﻡ، ﻭﻣﺎ ﺫﻛﺮﻧﺎﻩ ﺃﺻﺢ

ﻓﺄﻣﺎ النامصة، ﻭاﻟﻤﺘﻨﻤﺼﺔ: ﻓﻬﻲ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺄﺧﺬ اﻟﺸﻌﺮ ﻣﻦ ﺣﻮﻝ اﻟﺤﺎﺟﺒﻴﻦ ﻭﺃﻋﺎﻟﻲ اﻟﺠﺒﻬﺔ، ﻭاﻟﻨﻬﻲ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺬا ﻛﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻌﻨﻰ اﻟﻨﻬﻲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻮاﺻﻠﺔ، ﻭاﻟﻤﺴﺘﻮﺻﻠﺔ

(الحاوي الكبير)

​ويكره تنقية شيب وأخذ من حاجب ولحية، وعنفقة، وتبيضه وتصفيف لحية، وعقدها، وحلقها، ونتفها لا سيما أول طلوعها، وحفها، وحلق رأس المرأة، ويستحب لها حلق لحيتها، ويحرم عليها وصل الشعر والوشم والوشر وهو تحديد الأسنان. ويكره رد ريحان وطيب.

(التحقيق للإمام النووي)

وفي التحقيق يكره للمرأة إزالة شعر حواجبها وأطراف وجهها وهو أوجه مما جزم به في شرح مسلم من حرمته، أما الرجل إذا طال حاجباه فهل يسن له الأخذ منهما؟ قال النووي: لا أعرف فيه شيئًا لأصحابنا وينبغي أن يكره؛ لأنه تغيير لخلق الله، ولم يرد فيه شيء، لكن لم ير به أحمد كالحسن بأسًا بل كان يفعله.

(الإمداد)