On Saturday, the Darul Uloom Deoband issued a fatwa banning plucking, trimming, shaping eyebrows and cutting hair. Darul Iftaa, the fatwa factory of Darul Uloom Deoband termed the act as ‘un-Islamic’ and has directed Muslim women in the country to stay away from eyebrow plucking and hair-cutting.
A Muslim man from Saharanpur had asked Daul Iftaa on Islamic laws about eyebrow trimming and hair-cutting. “Do Islamic laws allow my wife to go for eyebrow plucking and hair-cutting,” the man has sought to know from Darul Iftaa.
In response to his query, the Darul Iftaa issued a fatwa saying that both the acts are ‘unIslamic’ and are banned under the Islamic laws. “If a Muslim woman is involved in such acts then she is violating Islamic laws,” said the Fatwa in Urdu.
Darul Iftaa clarified that there are ten acts, including eyebrow plucking and hair-cutting which are banned for Muslim women under Islam. “Hair adds to beauty of Muslim women and they should never get them cut, pointed the fatwa. Issuing the fatwa, Head Darul Iftaa Maulana L. Sadiq Qasmi said that “Muslim women should stay away from beauty parlours as Islam does not permit them to have make-up attracting other male members.”
“Like Muslim male are not allowed to shave under Islam, eyebrow trimming, hair-cutting and make-up like wearing lipstick, etc is also banned,” he said. “Trend of Muslim women going to beauty parlours has increased in the country. It is not a good sign and it should be stopped immediately. We should have issued a fatwa in this regard long ago,” said he.
About three years ago a similar fatwa against Muslim women on eyebrow trimming and hair-cutting was issued by Deoband. Darul Iftaa, an Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence, London (UK) had conducted a detailed study on the contentious issue taking into account all Schools of Islamic Thoughts including Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’I and Hanabali.
It also imposed a similar ban with an exception that Muslim women – married or unmarried – are allowed to remove facial hair if they develop moustache, beard or unwanted hair with permission from husband or male members, etc.
“If there is no such defect then it is not permitted for a Muslim girl or woman to expose her eyebrows in front of non-Muslim men” the study concluded citing Islamic laws, Hadith etc.
But majority Muslim women have refused to follow the Deoband’s new fatwa. “They have no right to curtail our freedom. The world is changing. Muslim women are now allowed to drive in Gulf countries and they are issuing fatwas on eyebrow plucking. It is a shame on our Maulanas and scholars,’ said Sophia Ahmed, a victim of triple talaq.
“The fatwa also applies on Muslim men not to shave. Show me how many Muslim men in India are keeping beard these days, except for these fraudulent and fake Maulanas who wants us to cover in burqa. They should better watch ‘Lipstick under my burqa’ before issuing such ridiculous fatwas. Like me, majority Muslim women would defy the ban,” said Safia Begum.
