:sl: sister,
format_quote Originally Posted by
Endymion
It was narrated in Saheeh Muslim that Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan said: “The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to cut their hair until it came just below their ears.” (al-Hayd, 320)
The issue of the permissibility of women cutting their hair is a very detailed matter involving much research from the scholars, which can't really be explained adequately in a forum post.
In general, the main position of the Hanafi madhab, and predominant position of the Hanbali madhab, is that cutting of the hair is not permitted for women (though there are a minority of scholars who permit it in each, but only under certain conditions). I do not know about the other two madhabs.
To my limited knowledge, there is no authentic hadeeth that clearly states that the wives of Rasoolullah :saws: cut their hair, at least during his lifetime.
This hadith (the tail end of which is quoted above) is occasionally quoted by some as one proving permissibility of women cutting their hair.
و حدثني عبيد الله بن معاذ العنبري قال حدثنا أبي قال حدثنا شعبة عن أبي بكر بن حفص عن أبي سلمة بن عبد الرحمن قال
دخلت على عائشة أنا وأخوها من الرضاعة فسألها عن غسل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من الجنابة فدعت بإناء قدر الصاع فاغتسلت وبيننا وبينها ستر وأفرغت على رأسها ثلاثا قال وكان أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يأخذن من رءوسهن حتى تكون كالوفرة
Abu Salama ibn. 'Abd al-Rahman reported:
I along with the foster brother of 'A'isha went to her and he asked about the bath of the Apostle (may peace be upon him) because of janaabah (major impurity). She called for a vessel equal to a Sa' and she performed ghusl, and there was a curtain between us and her. She poured water on her head thrice and he (Abu Salama) said: The wives of the Apostle (may peace be upon him) used to "akhth" from their heads until it reached till just to ears/above the shoulders.' (Muslim, Book of Menstruation, Number 320)
The words in highlighted in red are "ya'khuthna min", to take from. This is translated in some places, as 'cutting' or 'lopping'. There is a word for cutting in Arabic, but that was not used in the hadeeth, and there is nothing which suggests that the meaning deviates from the normal to take from, and becomes cutting.
The root word word 'akhth', means, to take, or to take hold of, and with 'min', means to take from, or take hold from. The hadeeth is about the method of ghusl, and it would seem odd for the hairstyle of the Prophet's wives (may Allah be pleased with them) to be mentioned at the end of it. Contextually, it seems to refer to what the wives of the Prophet :saws: did with their hair during ghusl, i.e. instead of allowing their hair to hang down whilst performing Ghusl, they may have taken hold of some of their hair and put it up in order to reach just above their shoulders. This way washing the back would become easy whilst performing Ghusl, as whilst the hair is hanging down, it is difficult for water to reach all parts of the back thoroughly. This is the meaning of 'akhth' in the Hadith taken by other scholars.
The last word of the hadeeth is wafrah. Wafrah has different meanings: It may be hair collected upon the head or hair hanging down upon the ears or hair extending to the lobes of the ears only. (Lanes Arabic - English Lexicon). In other words, the wives of the prophet :saws: used to take their hair and put it up to that level, to keep the back clear.
There doesn't appear to be a need for the narrator to tell someone enquiring about ghusl, about Aisha's hairstyle. What was said appears to be relevant to the act of ghusl, so that ladies would know what they could do with their hair to make it easier to do ghusl.
Those who believe that "to take from" equals "to cut", believe that the wives of the Prophet :saws: or Aisha in particular, had cut hair, or used to cut their hair in a style called wafrah i.e. near the shoulders/ears. Bearing in mind that the Prophet :saws: forbade men from imitating women, and women from imitating men, it does not appear befitting to say that the wives of the Prophet :saws: had hair cut to their ears.
Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen considers women cutting their hair as a disapproved act, and quotes the most well-known view of the madhab of Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: - that it is Makrooh in general, and haraam if done in emulation:
"A woman cutting her hair, does so either on account of emulating males. In this case it is Haraam and of the great sins because Rasoolullah :saws: said: Women who emulate men have been cursed'. Or the hair-cutting may not reach (the limits) of tashabbuh with men. In this case, the Ulama have differed and there are three views: Among them are those who say that it is permissible. And, among them are those who say that it is haraam, and among them are those who say that it is Makrooh. The well-known (Mash-hoor) view of the Math-hab of Imaam Hambal is that it is Makrooh. The reality is what we have answered earlier (referring to another question). Just a short time ago, we saw women (i.e. Muslim women) taking pride in an abundance of hair on their heads and in long hair. What has happened with their condition (nowadays)? They go towards this act (of hair-cutting) which has come to us from alien lands. I am not denouncing every new development, but I denounce every thing which leads to the changing of the community to the acceptance of the practices of non-Muslims."
(Fataawal Mar'ah, page 232)
In another Fatwa Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen says:
"Hair-cutting for women according to the Hanaabilah is Makrooh. However, if the cutting is in emulation of males, then it is Haraam because Rasulullah :saws: said : Allah has cursed women who imitate men. Similary (will it be haraam) if she cuts her hair in emulation of kaafiraat (non-Muslim women). This too is Haraam because it is not permissible to emulate kaafir women and immoral women because Rasulullah :saws: said: Whoever emulated a people, becomes of them. If there is no tashabbuh with this (hair-cutting) or with that (hair-cutting), then according to the Hanaabilah Ulama, it is Makrooh."
(Fataawal Mar'ah, pages 235, 236)
Shaikh Saalih Bin Fawzaan states in the book Tanbeehaat Alaa Ahkaam Takhtassu bil-Mu'minaat, that Muslim ladies are required to lengthen the hair on their heads.
This link explains some of the above view point:
http://www.islam.tc/cgi-bin/askimam/...=5849&act=view
And Allah knows best in all matters, and may he forgive me if I said anything wrong. None of the above is from my own knowledge.
:sl: