Cutting of women's hair

ARE WOMEN ALLOWED TO CUT THEIR HAIR?%0D%0AAllah Ta'ala created the Human being, individually perfect - with no stigma%0D%0Aof sin and in the best shape.%0D%0AIn Surah Teen Allah Ta'ala declares:%0D%0A%0D%0A'Indeed we have created human beings of the best stature.'(At-tin : 4)%0D%0AEvery part of the human body has been placed respectively to serve its%0D%0Apurpose. Some parts, organs and limbs play an important and vital role%0D%0Awhilst others have a minor supporting role. At the outset, looking at the%0D%0Aexternal human appearance its beauty is manifest immediately and, it's at%0D%0Athis juncture that we are most grateful to Allah Ta'ala.%0D%0AConsequently, we are not owners of ourselves i.e. we have been entrusted by%0D%0AAllah Ta'ala with our physical body and internal self. Therefore, as this is%0D%0Aa Trust (Amaanat), it does not belong to us; and as a result, we have to%0D%0Aobey and respect its obligations. If the Maker requires us to fulfil a%0D%0Acertain requirement, e.g. to cover a portion of the body from the navel to%0D%0Athe knee in the case of men then that law is to be obeyed.%0D%0ASimilarly, a woman is required to keep and wear her hair without cutting it%0D%0Ashort.%0D%0AThis latter issue will be highlighted in the following discourse.%0D%0AAllah Ta'ala has concentrated the physical beauty of the human being in the%0D%0Aupper part of the body, i.e. the face. The face is probably the most%0D%0Aimportant feature in the whole external anatomy of the human being. In fact,%0D%0Aevery effect and reaction becomes evident on the face instantly. Hence, the%0D%0Aface is the central part of the whole body exposed entirely and at all%0D%0Atimes.%0D%0AIt is obvious that, what surrounds the face displays an important value and%0D%0Aforms a protective gear. Moreover, it displays the beauty and identity of a%0D%0Aperson. Therefore, the long hair of the woman professes her beauty, the one%0D%0Amost powerful image of a female.%0D%0ADuring Hajj%2FUmrah, in order to come out of the Ihraam, a man can either make%0D%0AHalq (shave) or Qasr (trim) of the hair on the head. For a woman, she has to%0D%0Aclip the size of the small finger (approximately 2cm.)%0D%0A%3EFrom among the restriction imposed on her during Hajj is (as the text%0D%0Aappears in the Fiqh book, Al-Quduri).%0D%0A%0D%0A'She will not shave but trim'%0D%0A%0D%0A'Because Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu layhi Wasallam) forbade women from shaving%0D%0Abut commanded them to trim (the hair).'%0D%0AThe fact that women are only allowed to trim - a short length (2cm) and not%0D%0Amore - explains the issue under discussion.%0D%0AOnce the wife of Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu layhi Wasallam), Hadhrat Umme%0D%0ASalamah (Radhiyallaahu Anha) asked him, 'O Prophet of Allah, I am a woman%0D%0Awho keeps her hair closely plaited; should I unto it when I wash after%0D%0Asexual defilement?' 'No' he replied, 'It is enough for you to throw three%0D%0Ahandfuls over it (your head)'.%0D%0AIn another Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu layhi Wasallam) replied to a%0D%0Aquestion saying, 'As regards man, he should undo the hair of his head and%0D%0Awash it until the water reach the roots of the hair. But there is no harm if%0D%0Athe woman does not undo it (her hair) and pours three handful of water over%0D%0Aher head.%0D%0AThese traditions clearly indicate that women are allowed, in exceptional%0D%0Acases, to throw water over their heads - which is not the real matter of%0D%0Adiscussion here - but that:%0D%0Aa) the wife of Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu layhi Wasallam), Umme Salamah%0D%0A(Radhiyallaahu nhaa) herself had long hair;%0D%0ANOTE : The Noble Qur'an refers to them (wives) as the (Mothers of the%0D%0ABelievers)%0D%0Ab) no directive was given to cut, trim, clip, or shave the hair in order to%0D%0Asolve the problem ; and ,%0D%0Ac) in many such questions a similar answer was given.%0D%0AIn one of the most popular books of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) Hidaayah,%0D%0Athe text reads:%0D%0A%0D%0A"It is not necessary for a woman to release her plaits when taking a bath,%0D%0Aif the water reaches the root of her hair."%0D%0A4) Sheikh Hafiz says in Fathul Qadeer :%0D%0A%0D%0A"It is not permissible for men to imitate women in clothing and%0D%0Abeautification that are especially associated with women only (and vice%0D%0Aversa).%0D%0A5) Hadith:%0D%0A%0D%0A'Ibn Abbas (Radhiyallaahu nhu) reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu layhi%0D%0AWasallam) cursed the hermaphrodite from the men and the like from the%0D%0Awomen.'%0D%0A6) Hadith;%0D%0A%0D%0ARasulullah (Sallallaaahu layhi Wasallam) said : Glory (to Allah) who%0D%0Abeautified men by the beard and (similarly) women by their lock of hair.%0D%0A(Takmela e Bahr Raiq vol. 3 p. 331)%0D%0A7) By nature, Allah Ta'ala has distinguished men from women respectively in%0D%0Atheir beauty, e.g. externally the masculine beauty of a man is in the beard%0D%0Aand the feminine beauty of a woman is in her long hair.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt is reported from Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaahu nhu) that Rasulullah%0D%0A(Sallallaaahu layhi Wasallam) prohibited a woman from shaving her hair.%0D%0AHence, for men to shave the beard is like the women shaving their head.%0D%0A8) In their external features Allah Ta'ala created both sexes differently.%0D%0AFor this and other reasons men are strictly prohibited to imitate women and%0D%0Avice versa.%0D%0A%0D%0ARasulullah (Sallallaaahu layhi Wasallam) cursed men who imitate women and%0D%0Acursed women who imitate men. (%0D%0A9) Hadith%0D%0A%0D%0AGlory (to Allah) who beautified men by their beard and beautified women by%0D%0Atheir plaits and locks of hair. (Takmela e Bahr Raiq vol. 3 p. 331)%0D%0A%0D%0ANOTE: The above is a hymn read by groups of angels as indicted in the%0D%0Ahadith.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn conclusion, we must remember that our perpetual enemy, Shaitaan, will%0D%0Acause us to deviate from the truth and constantly instruct us to follow his%0D%0Adubious ways. Allah Ta'ala says, "And surely I (Shaitaan) will most%0D%0Adefinitely deviate them, aspire them and order them;hence they will change%0D%0AAllah's creation."(Qur'an 4:119)%0D%0A%0D%0A