2 Powerful Arguments Why Putting Black Dye is Not Haram in Islam
C.J Ahmed-02.05.2023
Black hair dye is used to cover strands or whole parts of grey hair as a way to preserve your youthfulness and to look beautiful. Wearing black dye has been quoted by many scholars to be either prohibited or disliked but what needs to be understood from the authentic hadiths is, putting black dye is not haram in Islam.
1. The Weakness of The Hadith of The Prophet (sal) Prohibiting Black Dye
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)
2. The Hadith of Avoiding Black Dye
The hadith where the prophet (sal) told to avoid black dye is a very important hadith that needs to be discussed if we need to come to the right understanding. Jabir bin Abdullah (rali) narrated,
"Abu Quhafah was brought on the day of the conquest of Mecca with head and
beard while like hyssop. The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: Change this to
something, but avoid black."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Jabir bin 'Abdullah(rali) narrated that Abu Quhafah was led (to the
audience of the Holy Prophet) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and his
head and beard were white like hyssop, whereupon Allah's Messenger (sal)
said:
"Change it with something but avoid black"
(Sahih Muslim)
Now, these hadiths are been used to bring up various interpretations and is used as evidence to prove that black dye is haram but what mentioned by the prophet (sal) was to avoid black rather giving a downright prohibition. The Arabic word "وَاجْتَنِبُوا" (Avoid) is used instead of the word"حرم"(Forbidden). This hadith has caused much debate among scholars as to what was meant by the prophet (sal) when he said to avoid because avoid is not necessarily an order that is haram. The term "avoid" could be a prohibition based on the context of the situation and in this hadith to
understand whether what the prophet (sal) meant to avoid to be disliked or a clear prohibition cannot be derived using only this hadith. We must check all the other reliable hadiths and we cannot find any hadith that clearly forbidding putting black dye. The other hadith that has been used to
strengthen this hadith to prove that putting black dye is haram is the hadith I have explained in the first explanation that of Ibn Abbas (rali) is narration and that hadith is only specific to the characteristics of a group of people and cannot be used as evidence that black dye is haram. Now
a Muslim brother could argue with me saying that what the prophet (sal) meant by avoiding in this hadith is that black dye is prohibited. My counter argument is, if black dye was prohibited, then the prophet (sal) would have clearly mentioned that it is haram but rather he has said only
to avoid it. There is a big difference between avoiding something and prohibiting something. The below hadiths clearly mention both of these terms,
Narrated by Abdullah bin 'Amr (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) said, "A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims
with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up
(abandons) all what Allah has forbidden."
(Bukhari)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) clearly mentions the words avoid and forbidden and if there was not any distinction between them then the prophet (sal) would not have mentioned them separately. In another hadith the
prophet (sal) told to avoid what he forbade us. Abu Hurayrah (rali)
narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do
to the best of your capacity."
(Muslim)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) told us Muslims to avoid what he made
haram but in the hadith where the prophet (sal) told to avoid black dye, he
didn't forbid it but only told to avoid it and this could mean many things
and some scholars have said that based on this hadith, black dye is
disliked and not haram. Imam Malik said the following when he was asked on
dyeing the hair black,
'I have not heard anything certain on that, and other colours than that are
preferable to me."
(Muwatta Malik- Book 51, Hadith 8)
On the contrary scholars such as Imam Nawawi forbade dyeing the hair black.
He said,
"It Is Recommended to Dye White Hair with Yellow or Red Dye, But Black Dye
Is Haram."
(Sharh sahih Muslim explaining the hadith on the prophet (sal) telling to
avoid black dye)
These are just the opinions of scholars and the salaf are definitely divided on this issue. There is no authentic hadith which clearly forbids black dye except that avoidance of it is mentioned. The term “avoid" could mean either a prohibition or something that is stressed upon but not haram.
From this we can understand is that the term "avoid" could be either a prohibition or a lesser thing that is stressed upon depending on the context of the hadith. There is no clear prohibition of using black hair dye in the authentic hadiths. It is better to avoid using jet black dye but using them is not at all haram in Islam.
Conclusion
Putting black dye is not haram and there is no clear evidence to prove that the prophet (sal) forbade black hair dye. It is clearly halal to dye your hair black.
Black hair dye is used to cover strands or whole parts of grey hair as a way to preserve your youthfulness and to look beautiful. Wearing black dye has been quoted by many scholars to be either prohibited or disliked but what needs to be understood from the authentic hadiths is, putting black dye is not haram in Islam.
1. The Weakness of The Hadith of The Prophet (sal) Prohibiting Black Dye
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)
2. The Hadith of Avoiding Black Dye
The hadith where the prophet (sal) told to avoid black dye is a very important hadith that needs to be discussed if we need to come to the right understanding. Jabir bin Abdullah (rali) narrated,
"Abu Quhafah was brought on the day of the conquest of Mecca with head and
beard while like hyssop. The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: Change this to
something, but avoid black."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Jabir bin 'Abdullah(rali) narrated that Abu Quhafah was led (to the
audience of the Holy Prophet) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and his
head and beard were white like hyssop, whereupon Allah's Messenger (sal)
said:
"Change it with something but avoid black"
(Sahih Muslim)
Now, these hadiths are been used to bring up various interpretations and is used as evidence to prove that black dye is haram but what mentioned by the prophet (sal) was to avoid black rather giving a downright prohibition. The Arabic word "وَاجْتَنِبُوا" (Avoid) is used instead of the word"حرم"(Forbidden). This hadith has caused much debate among scholars as to what was meant by the prophet (sal) when he said to avoid because avoid is not necessarily an order that is haram. The term "avoid" could be a prohibition based on the context of the situation and in this hadith to
understand whether what the prophet (sal) meant to avoid to be disliked or a clear prohibition cannot be derived using only this hadith. We must check all the other reliable hadiths and we cannot find any hadith that clearly forbidding putting black dye. The other hadith that has been used to
strengthen this hadith to prove that putting black dye is haram is the hadith I have explained in the first explanation that of Ibn Abbas (rali) is narration and that hadith is only specific to the characteristics of a group of people and cannot be used as evidence that black dye is haram. Now
a Muslim brother could argue with me saying that what the prophet (sal) meant by avoiding in this hadith is that black dye is prohibited. My counter argument is, if black dye was prohibited, then the prophet (sal) would have clearly mentioned that it is haram but rather he has said only
to avoid it. There is a big difference between avoiding something and prohibiting something. The below hadiths clearly mention both of these terms,
Narrated by Abdullah bin 'Amr (rali):
"The Prophet (sal) said, "A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims
with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up
(abandons) all what Allah has forbidden."
(Bukhari)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) clearly mentions the words avoid and forbidden and if there was not any distinction between them then the prophet (sal) would not have mentioned them separately. In another hadith the
prophet (sal) told to avoid what he forbade us. Abu Hurayrah (rali)
narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do
to the best of your capacity."
(Muslim)
In this hadith the prophet (sal) told us Muslims to avoid what he made
haram but in the hadith where the prophet (sal) told to avoid black dye, he
didn't forbid it but only told to avoid it and this could mean many things
and some scholars have said that based on this hadith, black dye is
disliked and not haram. Imam Malik said the following when he was asked on
dyeing the hair black,
'I have not heard anything certain on that, and other colours than that are
preferable to me."
(Muwatta Malik- Book 51, Hadith 8)
On the contrary scholars such as Imam Nawawi forbade dyeing the hair black.
He said,
"It Is Recommended to Dye White Hair with Yellow or Red Dye, But Black Dye
Is Haram."
(Sharh sahih Muslim explaining the hadith on the prophet (sal) telling to
avoid black dye)
These are just the opinions of scholars and the salaf are definitely divided on this issue. There is no authentic hadith which clearly forbids black dye except that avoidance of it is mentioned. The term “avoid" could mean either a prohibition or something that is stressed upon but not haram.
From this we can understand is that the term "avoid" could be either a prohibition or a lesser thing that is stressed upon depending on the context of the hadith. There is no clear prohibition of using black hair dye in the authentic hadiths. It is better to avoid using jet black dye but using them is not at all haram in Islam.
Conclusion
Putting black dye is not haram and there is no clear evidence to prove that the prophet (sal) forbade black hair dye. It is clearly halal to dye your hair black.