Plucking Eyebrows

12-9-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

I know that my question was already asked and I read the reply that plucking eyebrows is not permissible. I stopped doing that and I feel depressed because it really looks horrible. The only think, I want to know is do some scholars authorize it because I regularly watch Iqra' and Religious programs and I saw TV program guests who are Head of Sharia departments in Azhar and other universities and who are respectable pious ladies wearing the Hijab and are plucking their eyebrows, it's very obvious! So I wonder if some scholars authorize it as long as it does not change much of the God's creation?

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

A Muslim is obliged to know the truth and the followers of the truth. It is reported that ‘Ali  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said: “Find out the truth so you will recognize the followers of the truth.

The most important truth that should be known is acquiring the knowledge of the Quran and Hadeeth.

‘Abdullah Ibn Maso’ood  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Allah curses those ladies who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those ladies who remove the hair from their faces and those who make artificial spaces between their teeth in order to look more beautiful whereby they change Allah's creation.” His saying reached a lady from Banu Asad called Umm Ya’qoob who came (to ‘Abdullah) and said,: “I have come to know that you have cursed such-and-such (ladies)?” He replied: “Why should I not curse these whom Allah's Apostle has cursed and who are (cursed) in Allah's Book!” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The disagreement reported from some scholars does not have any weight due to the clear texts of Sharee’ah that prove the prohibition of plucking eyebrows. Know that the curse (being driven away from the Mercy of Allah) is invoked only on prohibitions.

Furthermore, we make clear to the questioning sister that not every disagreement is considered. Only those disagreements that have a sound basis are taken into consideration; otherwise, every minute issue has various opinions. Imam Malik  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: “Everyone's saying could be accepted or rejected except the saying of the Infallible (i.e. the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )).

For more benefit on removing hair of eyebrows that deforms the face, please refer to Fataawa 13654, 21897, 348430, and 90802.

Allah knows best.

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