5 Proofs Why a Muslim Man Can Have Dreadlocks in Islam
C.J Ahmed-13.04.2023
Any hairstyle is halal in Islam and there is nothing wrong in a muslim man having dreadlocks. Dreadlocks are long hair which is braided and there is nothing wrong in having such a hairstyle with good intentions. Some try to brin g the Qaza haircut argument t to forbid dreadlocks a nd below is the proofs to debunk the nonsense surrounding this.
Proof-1-Qaza Haircut is Only One Specific Haircut That Was Forbidden
The Qaza haircut has been wrongly interpreted by many to mean that you cannot cut your hair in a style where one part is shorter than the other. They base this argument by quoting the below hadith,
Narrated by Abdullah bin `Umar (rali)
"Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade Al-Qaza"
(Bukhari and others).
This is not the real meaning of the Qaza haircut that the prophet (sal) forbade. Only shaving one part and leaving one part of the hair is haram. Below is the haram hair cut that is clearly mentioned in the below hadith,
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) saw a boy with part of his head shaved and part left unshaven. He forbade them to do that, saying: "Shave it all or leave it all."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) only forbade having one part shaved and the other part left unshaven. This is the Qaza haircut which Islam has clearly mentioned and forbidden. Below image is the example of the Qaza haircut forbidden in Islam.
It is clear from this hadith that the Qaza haircut is only specific to having the head of a boy unshaved and the other part shaven. All the other hairstyles are halal in Islam if it is done in a way with the intention of not mimicking the non-Muslims. Another hadith validates this even further,
Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited partial shaving. It was said to Nafi’, “What is partial shaving?” Nafi’ said, “It is to shave part of a boy’s head and leave the rest.”
(Bukhari)
In this hadith it is clear that the prophet (sal) forbade only partial shaving of the hair of a boy child. Below is the sample image of all the halal hairstyles in Islam.
Some try to argue that Qaza hairstyle also includes shaving some places on the sides of the head, or shaving the middle and leaving the side. They bring the personal opinions of the sahaba to point this argument. Let me point a few such hadiths.
Narrated Ubaidullah bin Hafs:
That `Umar bin Nafi` told him that Nafi`, Maula `Abdullah had heard `Umar saying, "I heard Allah's Apostle forbidding Al-Qaza'." 'Ubaidullah added: I said, "What is Al-Qaza'?" 'Ubaidullah pointed (towards his head) to show us and added, "Nafi` said, 'It is when a boy has his head shaved leaving a tuft of hair here and a tuft of hair there." Ubaidullah pointed towards his forehead and the sides of his head"
(Bukhari)
In this hadith Ubaidullah bin hafs (rali) gave his personal opinion on what Qaza haircut is and we cannot accept the personal opinion of the sahaba as a ruling in Shariah. Some might try to argue whether I am more knowledgeful than the sahabi and the answer to this is none of us our greater than the Quran and the authentic sunnah and what has been established is to follow only the Quran and the authentic hadiths of the prophet (sal) or the rightly guided caliphs and not any other sahaba. What is established in the hadith of the prophet (sal) is that the Qaza haircut is to keep one part of the head shaven and the other unshaven. There are hadiths of Ibn Umar (rali) having similar opinions of that of the sahabi Ubaidullah. One hadith is as follows,
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
"The Prophet (sal) forbade Qaza' which means that the head of a boy is shaved and a lock is left."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
In this hadith ibn Umar (rali) gives his own explanation of Qaza by saying that the meaning for Qaza is shave one part and leave a hair of lock. This opinion goes against what the prophet (sal) forbade as in the below hadith,
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) saw a boy with part of his head shaved and part left unshaven. He forbade them to do that, saying: Shave it all or leave it all."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
The narrator in this hadith is no doubt ibn Umar (rali) but the hair lock he mentions is nowhere mentioned by the prophet (sal) in any hadith. If the prophet (sal) had forbidden even leaving a lock of hair, then ibn Umar (rali) or the other sahaba who gave their personal opinions should have narrated it from the prophet (sal). We should know the difference between the opinion of a sahabi and a ruling by the prophet (sal).
Proof-2-The Muslim Community Has Misunderstood the Qaza Hairstyle Just like the touching Of Dogs.
A very big misunderstanding has arisen as a result of wrongly understanding
the hadiths relating to dogs and a wrong analogy has been taken as a result
of this misunderstanding. This misunderstanding is similar to that of the Qaza haircut. The hadith that is often quoted has nothing to do with
touching a dog. The hadith is as follows.
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah,
“The purification of the vessel of one of you, if a dog licks it, is to
wash it seven times, the first time with soil.”
(Sahih Muslim)
In another hadith the prophet (Sal) said,
“If a dog licks the vessel of one of you, let him wash it seven times and
rub it with soil the eighth time.”
(Sahih Muslim)
The hadiths mentioned above has nothing to do with a dog being Najis or
touching a dog. In this hadith the Prophet (Sal) clearly said that if a
dogs licks only the vessel to wash the vessel six or seven times with water
and one time with soil. It is specifically only when a dog licks a vessel.
Unfortunately this has been interpreted in a way to mean that even if a dog
licks you or your cloths then you have to wash seven time with water and
then with soil. There is no evidence in the Quran or authentic hadiths to
prove that you must wash seven times if a dog licks or touches your clothes
or parts of your body whether it is wet or dry. This is an erroneous fatwa.
Shaykh ul Islam. Ibn Taymiyyah (Rah) said the following in his book "Majmu
al Fataawa-21/530,
"if the wetness of the dog’s hair gets onto one’s garment or body, that
does not make it Najis"
From all the above evidence it is clear that people have misunderstood the touching of dogs and have gone in to extremes in washing themselves if a a dog touches them and the same could be said for the Qaza hairstyle.
Proof-3-The Qaza Haircut Was Only Specific To Boys only
Another very big misunderstanding on the topic of the Qaza haircut is that the ruling of it applies to all Muslims but this is not at all true. Like the example I gave on proof-2 on touching dogs which are specific to a dog licking a vessel. The ruling on Qaza hairstyle applies only to a boy and not a girl or an adult. We can understand this with the below hadiths,
Narrated Ubaidullah bin Hafs:
That `Umar bin Nafi` told him that Nafi`, Maula `Abdullah had heard `Umar saying, "I heard Allah's Apostle forbidding Al-Qaza'." 'Ubaidullah added: I said, "What is Al-Qaza'?" 'Ubaidullah pointed (towards his head) to show us and added, "Nafi` said, 'It is when a boy has his head shaved leaving a tuft of hair here and a tuft of hair there." Ubaidullah pointed towards his forehead and the sides of his head. 'Ubaidullah was asked, "Does this apply to both girls and boys?" He said, "I don't know, but Nafi` said, 'The boy.'" 'Ubaidullah added, "I asked Nafi` again, and he said, 'As for leaving hair on the temples and the back part of the boy's head, there is no harm, but Al-Qaza' is to leave a tuft of hair on his forehead unshaved while there is no hair on the rest of his head, and also to leave hair on either side of his head.'"
(Bukhari)
In this hadith Ubaidullah was asked whether the Qaza hairstyle applies to both boys and girls and he replied that Nafi told him that it applies to boys. There are other narrations stating the same as well.
Ibn Umar (rali) reported that Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade Qaza. I said to Nafi:
"What is Qaza'? He said: This means having a part of a boy's head shaved and leaving a part unshaven."
(Sahih Muslim)
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) forbade Qaza' which means that the head of a boy is shaved and a lock is left."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
From these hadiths several things are clear from the understanding of the sahaba is that the Qaza hairstyle is only specific to boys who have not reached puberty and this ruling of Qaza does not apply to young girls or adults of any gender. Now a doubt could arise to a reader whether an adult male could do the Qaza hairstyle and the answer to this is yes they can do the Qaza hairstyle given that it is not to copy the kuffar. Islam is actually in a way silent on whether an adult male could cut his hair according to the Qaza hairstyle.
Abu Darda (rali) reported:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “What Allah has made lawful in his book is lawful, and what he has made unlawful is unlawful. Whatever he has remained silent upon, it is for your benefit, so accept benefit from Allah. Verily, Allah is not forgetful.” Then the Prophet recited the verse, “Your Lord is not forgetful.” (19:64)"
(Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 1821-graded sahih by Albani)
It is clear from all the available evidence that the Qaza haircut is only haram for a male child and not anyone else.
Proof-4-Any Hairstyle Is Allowed Without Copying the Non-Muslims
Some try to argue that these hairstyles are the hairstyles of the kuffar. Even the prophet (sal) wore clothes of the kuffar but the intention was not to mimic them. Similarly, all the hairstyles are halal as long as the intention is good.
Ibn Umar (rali) reported: The Prophet (sal) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
The above hadith which is quoted by some to argue against the Qaza haircut should understand that what is haram is haram based only on the intentions and if your intention is not to copy the kuffar then all the hairstyles are halal including the Qaza haircut because this haircut is only forbidden for a boy who has not attained puberty.
Proof-5-Allah Judges You by Your Intentions
Everything that is done is based and judged according to your intention and any haircut is halal as long as the intention is good and is not to copy the kuffar.
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. So the one whose hijrah was to Allah and His Messenger, then his hijrah was to Allah and His Messenger. And the one whose hijrah was for the world to gain from it, or a woman to marry her, then his hijrah was to what he made hijrah for."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
There is nothing haram in Muslim men having dreadlocks as hair styles.
Any hairstyle is halal in Islam and there is nothing wrong in a muslim man having dreadlocks. Dreadlocks are long hair which is braided and there is nothing wrong in having such a hairstyle with good intentions. Some try to brin g the Qaza haircut argument t to forbid dreadlocks a nd below is the proofs to debunk the nonsense surrounding this.
Proof-1-Qaza Haircut is Only One Specific Haircut That Was Forbidden
The Qaza haircut has been wrongly interpreted by many to mean that you cannot cut your hair in a style where one part is shorter than the other. They base this argument by quoting the below hadith,
Narrated by Abdullah bin `Umar (rali)
"Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade Al-Qaza"
(Bukhari and others).
This is not the real meaning of the Qaza haircut that the prophet (sal) forbade. Only shaving one part and leaving one part of the hair is haram. Below is the haram hair cut that is clearly mentioned in the below hadith,
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) saw a boy with part of his head shaved and part left unshaven. He forbade them to do that, saying: "Shave it all or leave it all."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) only forbade having one part shaved and the other part left unshaven. This is the Qaza haircut which Islam has clearly mentioned and forbidden. Below image is the example of the Qaza haircut forbidden in Islam.
It is clear from this hadith that the Qaza haircut is only specific to having the head of a boy unshaved and the other part shaven. All the other hairstyles are halal in Islam if it is done in a way with the intention of not mimicking the non-Muslims. Another hadith validates this even further,
Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited partial shaving. It was said to Nafi’, “What is partial shaving?” Nafi’ said, “It is to shave part of a boy’s head and leave the rest.”
(Bukhari)
In this hadith it is clear that the prophet (sal) forbade only partial shaving of the hair of a boy child. Below is the sample image of all the halal hairstyles in Islam.
Some try to argue that Qaza hairstyle also includes shaving some places on the sides of the head, or shaving the middle and leaving the side. They bring the personal opinions of the sahaba to point this argument. Let me point a few such hadiths.
Narrated Ubaidullah bin Hafs:
That `Umar bin Nafi` told him that Nafi`, Maula `Abdullah had heard `Umar saying, "I heard Allah's Apostle forbidding Al-Qaza'." 'Ubaidullah added: I said, "What is Al-Qaza'?" 'Ubaidullah pointed (towards his head) to show us and added, "Nafi` said, 'It is when a boy has his head shaved leaving a tuft of hair here and a tuft of hair there." Ubaidullah pointed towards his forehead and the sides of his head"
(Bukhari)
In this hadith Ubaidullah bin hafs (rali) gave his personal opinion on what Qaza haircut is and we cannot accept the personal opinion of the sahaba as a ruling in Shariah. Some might try to argue whether I am more knowledgeful than the sahabi and the answer to this is none of us our greater than the Quran and the authentic sunnah and what has been established is to follow only the Quran and the authentic hadiths of the prophet (sal) or the rightly guided caliphs and not any other sahaba. What is established in the hadith of the prophet (sal) is that the Qaza haircut is to keep one part of the head shaven and the other unshaven. There are hadiths of Ibn Umar (rali) having similar opinions of that of the sahabi Ubaidullah. One hadith is as follows,
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
"The Prophet (sal) forbade Qaza' which means that the head of a boy is shaved and a lock is left."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
In this hadith ibn Umar (rali) gives his own explanation of Qaza by saying that the meaning for Qaza is shave one part and leave a hair of lock. This opinion goes against what the prophet (sal) forbade as in the below hadith,
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) saw a boy with part of his head shaved and part left unshaven. He forbade them to do that, saying: Shave it all or leave it all."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
The narrator in this hadith is no doubt ibn Umar (rali) but the hair lock he mentions is nowhere mentioned by the prophet (sal) in any hadith. If the prophet (sal) had forbidden even leaving a lock of hair, then ibn Umar (rali) or the other sahaba who gave their personal opinions should have narrated it from the prophet (sal). We should know the difference between the opinion of a sahabi and a ruling by the prophet (sal).
Proof-2-The Muslim Community Has Misunderstood the Qaza Hairstyle Just like the touching Of Dogs.
A very big misunderstanding has arisen as a result of wrongly understanding
the hadiths relating to dogs and a wrong analogy has been taken as a result
of this misunderstanding. This misunderstanding is similar to that of the Qaza haircut. The hadith that is often quoted has nothing to do with
touching a dog. The hadith is as follows.
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah,
“The purification of the vessel of one of you, if a dog licks it, is to
wash it seven times, the first time with soil.”
(Sahih Muslim)
In another hadith the prophet (Sal) said,
“If a dog licks the vessel of one of you, let him wash it seven times and
rub it with soil the eighth time.”
(Sahih Muslim)
The hadiths mentioned above has nothing to do with a dog being Najis or
touching a dog. In this hadith the Prophet (Sal) clearly said that if a
dogs licks only the vessel to wash the vessel six or seven times with water
and one time with soil. It is specifically only when a dog licks a vessel.
Unfortunately this has been interpreted in a way to mean that even if a dog
licks you or your cloths then you have to wash seven time with water and
then with soil. There is no evidence in the Quran or authentic hadiths to
prove that you must wash seven times if a dog licks or touches your clothes
or parts of your body whether it is wet or dry. This is an erroneous fatwa.
Shaykh ul Islam. Ibn Taymiyyah (Rah) said the following in his book "Majmu
al Fataawa-21/530,
"if the wetness of the dog’s hair gets onto one’s garment or body, that
does not make it Najis"
From all the above evidence it is clear that people have misunderstood the touching of dogs and have gone in to extremes in washing themselves if a a dog touches them and the same could be said for the Qaza hairstyle.
Proof-3-The Qaza Haircut Was Only Specific To Boys only
Another very big misunderstanding on the topic of the Qaza haircut is that the ruling of it applies to all Muslims but this is not at all true. Like the example I gave on proof-2 on touching dogs which are specific to a dog licking a vessel. The ruling on Qaza hairstyle applies only to a boy and not a girl or an adult. We can understand this with the below hadiths,
Narrated Ubaidullah bin Hafs:
That `Umar bin Nafi` told him that Nafi`, Maula `Abdullah had heard `Umar saying, "I heard Allah's Apostle forbidding Al-Qaza'." 'Ubaidullah added: I said, "What is Al-Qaza'?" 'Ubaidullah pointed (towards his head) to show us and added, "Nafi` said, 'It is when a boy has his head shaved leaving a tuft of hair here and a tuft of hair there." Ubaidullah pointed towards his forehead and the sides of his head. 'Ubaidullah was asked, "Does this apply to both girls and boys?" He said, "I don't know, but Nafi` said, 'The boy.'" 'Ubaidullah added, "I asked Nafi` again, and he said, 'As for leaving hair on the temples and the back part of the boy's head, there is no harm, but Al-Qaza' is to leave a tuft of hair on his forehead unshaved while there is no hair on the rest of his head, and also to leave hair on either side of his head.'"
(Bukhari)
In this hadith Ubaidullah was asked whether the Qaza hairstyle applies to both boys and girls and he replied that Nafi told him that it applies to boys. There are other narrations stating the same as well.
Ibn Umar (rali) reported that Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade Qaza. I said to Nafi:
"What is Qaza'? He said: This means having a part of a boy's head shaved and leaving a part unshaven."
(Sahih Muslim)
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) forbade Qaza' which means that the head of a boy is shaved and a lock is left."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
From these hadiths several things are clear from the understanding of the sahaba is that the Qaza hairstyle is only specific to boys who have not reached puberty and this ruling of Qaza does not apply to young girls or adults of any gender. Now a doubt could arise to a reader whether an adult male could do the Qaza hairstyle and the answer to this is yes they can do the Qaza hairstyle given that it is not to copy the kuffar. Islam is actually in a way silent on whether an adult male could cut his hair according to the Qaza hairstyle.
Abu Darda (rali) reported:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “What Allah has made lawful in his book is lawful, and what he has made unlawful is unlawful. Whatever he has remained silent upon, it is for your benefit, so accept benefit from Allah. Verily, Allah is not forgetful.” Then the Prophet recited the verse, “Your Lord is not forgetful.” (19:64)"
(Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 1821-graded sahih by Albani)
It is clear from all the available evidence that the Qaza haircut is only haram for a male child and not anyone else.
Proof-4-Any Hairstyle Is Allowed Without Copying the Non-Muslims
Some try to argue that these hairstyles are the hairstyles of the kuffar. Even the prophet (sal) wore clothes of the kuffar but the intention was not to mimic them. Similarly, all the hairstyles are halal as long as the intention is good.
Ibn Umar (rali) reported: The Prophet (sal) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
The above hadith which is quoted by some to argue against the Qaza haircut should understand that what is haram is haram based only on the intentions and if your intention is not to copy the kuffar then all the hairstyles are halal including the Qaza haircut because this haircut is only forbidden for a boy who has not attained puberty.
Proof-5-Allah Judges You by Your Intentions
Everything that is done is based and judged according to your intention and any haircut is halal as long as the intention is good and is not to copy the kuffar.
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. So the one whose hijrah was to Allah and His Messenger, then his hijrah was to Allah and His Messenger. And the one whose hijrah was for the world to gain from it, or a woman to marry her, then his hijrah was to what he made hijrah for."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
There is nothing haram in Muslim men having dreadlocks as hair styles.