Can a Muslim woman pluck her eyebrows?

In the past, aMuslima has written about enhancing Muslimah appearance according to Islamic law. This time we’d like to talk about plucking or shaving the eyebrows and other hair on the body. We all know that at the time of a wedding party or other parties, for example, women are willing to shape their eyebrows, pluck the hair between the eyebrows, or remove hair from the upper lip to look prettier but is it justified to shave eyebrows in Islamic view?

It is mentioned in some hadiths that Allah (SWT) will curse those who pluck their eyebrows or ask to pluck it. As Bukhari (4886) and Muslim (2125) narrated that:

‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: May Allah curse the one who does tattoos and the one who has a tattoo done, the one who plucks eyebrows and the one who has her eyebrows plucked, and those who file teeth for the purpose of beautification, changing the creation of Allah.

Why is it so? Plucking eyebrows are included as changing the creation of Allah (SWT) and an act of the devil, as narrated in the Holy Qur’an Surah An-Nisa: 119:

And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah.” And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss.

It is strengthened by the following hadith:

An Nawawi, Rahimahullah, when explaining an-namsh, he said, “An-naamishoh are people who remove her facial hair, while al-mutanammishoh are people who ask to have that done. Namsh act is forbidden unless there the woman has beard or moustache, then it is fine to be removed, in fact we think it is sunnah. ”  (Al Minhaj Syarh Shahih Muslim, 14/106).

Plucking the eyebrows remains prohibited in Islam even if it is commanded by her husband. As stated in the following fataawa:

“It is not permissible to remove the hair of the eyebrows because this is the plucking for which the Messenger of Allah (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) cursed those who do it, and it is a kind of changing the creation of Allah, which is the action of the shaytan. If a woman’s husband tells her to do it, she should not obey him, because it is a sin, and there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator. Rather obedience should only be with regard to things that are good and proper, as the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) said.” (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah).

How about removing hair between the eyebrows, hair on a woman’s upper lip, thighs, etc? According to fataawa they are permissible, based on the following,

There is no sin on a woman if she removes hair on her upper lip, thighs, calves and arms. This is not part of the tanammus (plucking) that is forbidden. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/194, 195)

It is permissible to pluck the hair between the eyebrows, because it is not part of the eyebrows. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/197)

It is permissible for a woman removing hair from her body, apart from the hair of the eyebrows and head. It is not permissible for her to remove the hair of her head or to remove any part of the eyebrows, whether by shaving or any other means. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/194)

 Illustration: Google image

Wallahu A’lam

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