Why bleaching hair is not haram for a Muslim with proofs
C J. Ahmed-07.03.2023
Bleaching is a technique where the natural color of the hair strands is taken away by the use of an alkaline agent that opens up the hair and an oxidative agent dissolves the natural melanin of the hair. The end result is a lighter colored hair which looks natural and longer lasting than hair dyeing. This form of changing the hair color is not haram in Islam and it is a Sunnah to change hair color.
A Muslim can definitely colour their hair in any colour they want. There is no exception in this regard to the dye colour. There is no difference in using permanent or temporary hair color and all of them are completely halal. There is a huge misunderstanding among many Muslims is that using black hair dye is haram.
There is a famous hadith that is used as an argument to prohibit dyeing the
grey hair black. The hadith is as follows,
Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated, the prophet (sal) said,
"Some people will dye their hair black like the breasts of pigeons at the
end of time, but they will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise."
(Sunan Nasai, Abu Dawud and others)
This hadith has weaknesses. One is, although the isnad is authentic it is not clear as to whether it was attributed to the prophet (sal) or a companion. Ibn al-Jawzi said, “He is Ibn Abi al-Makhariq, and he is weak, so he is not to be taken as evidence.” Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Bari, 6/499 that there is a dispute whether this hadith was narrated by the prophet (sal) or a sahabi hence it is only based on an assumption. The other point we have to understand here is that the prophet (sal) is not
specifically forbidding black dye in general. What he is mentioning is the characteristics of a group of people who will come during the end of times. Let us take the example of one hadith which was narrated by Abu said al Khudri (rali) who said that the prophet (sal) said,
“There will come a people from the east, who recite the Quran but it does not go beyond their throats. They will go out of the religion, just as an arrow pierces through its target, and they will not return to it, just as the arrow does not return to the bow.” It was said, “What will be their
sign?” The Prophet said, “Their sign is shaving.” Or he said, “It is shearing (cutting).”
(Bukhari)
Now if we take this hadith in its face value then shaving will be interpreted as haram but that is not the case because there is ample evidence on encouraging shaving in many authentic hadiths. This hadith in Bukhari only mentions the characteristics of the Kawarij and not the prohibition of shaving. Trying to base an argument without understanding the text (Matn) of the hadith has led to opinion that dyeing the hair black over grey hair is haram. Imam Ibn Jawzi said with regarding to this hadith,
"This black dye would be their symbol which Prophet Peace be upon him told
in the hadith. Like He peace be upon him told regarding Kharjities that
their symbols would be shaving the hair of head. But that does not mean
shaving the hair of head is prohibited."
(Al-Maudhuaat 3/55)
A Muslim can dye their hair in any colour such as black, red, purple, green , blue etc. Katam dye is popularly known as black henna in English and the scientific name is Katam Buxus Dioica. This dye has various shades from blackish red to blackish purple. This kind of blackish dye was allowed by the prophet (sal) and there are many hadiths narrating the goodness of katam.
Narrated Abu Dharr (rali):
The Prophet (sal) said: "The best things with which grey hair are changed are henna and katam."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Narrated Anas(rali):,
"When the Prophet (sal) arrived (at Medina), there was not a single companion of the Prophet (sal) who had grey and black hair except Abu Bakr, and he dyed his hair with Henna' and Katam"
(Bukhari)
Narrated by Anas (rali),
"When the Prophet (sal) arrived at Medina, the eldest amongst his companions was Abu Bakr. He dyed his hair with Henna and Katam till it became of dark red colour."
(Bukhari)
Narrated Abu Dharr (rali):
That the Prophet (sal) said: "Indeed the best of what the grey may be changed with is Henna' and Katam."
(Tirmidhi-graded sahih by imam Tirmidhi)
All these hadiths prove that the prophet encouraged using the blackish hair dye katam and even companions like Abu Bakr (rali) dyed their hair with katam. The prophet (sal) encouraged dyeing the hair.
Narrated Abu Hurayrah (rali):
Allah's Messenger (sal) said, "The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their grey hair), so you shall do the opposite of what they do" (Bukhari)
Some will try to forbid the use of hair dye colouring by statin g that you are imitating the disbelievers (Kuffar). These kinds of arguments are based on assumptions and it is the intention that matters. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (rali) narrated that he heard the prophet (sal) say,
"Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended” (Bukhari and Muslim)
There is nothing wrong in a Muslim bleaching his/her hair and Islam does not forbid such practices.
Bleaching is a technique where the natural color of the hair strands is taken away by the use of an alkaline agent that opens up the hair and an oxidative agent dissolves the natural melanin of the hair. The end result is a lighter colored hair which looks natural and longer lasting than hair dyeing. This form of changing the hair color is not haram in Islam and it is a Sunnah to change hair color.
A Muslim can definitely colour their hair in any colour they want. There is no exception in this regard to the dye colour. There is no difference in using permanent or temporary hair color and all of them are completely halal. There is a huge misunderstanding among many Muslims is that using black hair dye is haram.
There is a famous hadith that is used as an argument to prohibit dyeing the
grey hair black. The hadith is as follows,
Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated, the prophet (sal) said,
"Some people will dye their hair black like the breasts of pigeons at the
end of time, but they will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise."
(Sunan Nasai, Abu Dawud and others)
This hadith has weaknesses. One is, although the isnad is authentic it is not clear as to whether it was attributed to the prophet (sal) or a companion. Ibn al-Jawzi said, “He is Ibn Abi al-Makhariq, and he is weak, so he is not to be taken as evidence.” Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Bari, 6/499 that there is a dispute whether this hadith was narrated by the prophet (sal) or a sahabi hence it is only based on an assumption. The other point we have to understand here is that the prophet (sal) is not
specifically forbidding black dye in general. What he is mentioning is the characteristics of a group of people who will come during the end of times. Let us take the example of one hadith which was narrated by Abu said al Khudri (rali) who said that the prophet (sal) said,
“There will come a people from the east, who recite the Quran but it does not go beyond their throats. They will go out of the religion, just as an arrow pierces through its target, and they will not return to it, just as the arrow does not return to the bow.” It was said, “What will be their
sign?” The Prophet said, “Their sign is shaving.” Or he said, “It is shearing (cutting).”
(Bukhari)
Now if we take this hadith in its face value then shaving will be interpreted as haram but that is not the case because there is ample evidence on encouraging shaving in many authentic hadiths. This hadith in Bukhari only mentions the characteristics of the Kawarij and not the prohibition of shaving. Trying to base an argument without understanding the text (Matn) of the hadith has led to opinion that dyeing the hair black over grey hair is haram. Imam Ibn Jawzi said with regarding to this hadith,
"This black dye would be their symbol which Prophet Peace be upon him told
in the hadith. Like He peace be upon him told regarding Kharjities that
their symbols would be shaving the hair of head. But that does not mean
shaving the hair of head is prohibited."
(Al-Maudhuaat 3/55)
A Muslim can dye their hair in any colour such as black, red, purple, green , blue etc. Katam dye is popularly known as black henna in English and the scientific name is Katam Buxus Dioica. This dye has various shades from blackish red to blackish purple. This kind of blackish dye was allowed by the prophet (sal) and there are many hadiths narrating the goodness of katam.
Narrated Abu Dharr (rali):
The Prophet (sal) said: "The best things with which grey hair are changed are henna and katam."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Narrated Anas(rali):,
"When the Prophet (sal) arrived (at Medina), there was not a single companion of the Prophet (sal) who had grey and black hair except Abu Bakr, and he dyed his hair with Henna' and Katam"
(Bukhari)
Narrated by Anas (rali),
"When the Prophet (sal) arrived at Medina, the eldest amongst his companions was Abu Bakr. He dyed his hair with Henna and Katam till it became of dark red colour."
(Bukhari)
Narrated Abu Dharr (rali):
That the Prophet (sal) said: "Indeed the best of what the grey may be changed with is Henna' and Katam."
(Tirmidhi-graded sahih by imam Tirmidhi)
All these hadiths prove that the prophet encouraged using the blackish hair dye katam and even companions like Abu Bakr (rali) dyed their hair with katam. The prophet (sal) encouraged dyeing the hair.
Narrated Abu Hurayrah (rali):
Allah's Messenger (sal) said, "The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their grey hair), so you shall do the opposite of what they do" (Bukhari)
Some will try to forbid the use of hair dye colouring by statin g that you are imitating the disbelievers (Kuffar). These kinds of arguments are based on assumptions and it is the intention that matters. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (rali) narrated that he heard the prophet (sal) say,
"Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended” (Bukhari and Muslim)
There is nothing wrong in a Muslim bleaching his/her hair and Islam does not forbid such practices.