Question
What is the ruling on applying dye (khidab), especially black dye?
Answer
There are various ahadith regarding applying dye to white hair, some of which order it and some of which forbid it.
The ruling on using dye:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
’’غَيِّرُوا الشَّيْبَ وَلَا تَشَبَّهُوا بِالْيَهُودِ.‘‘
“Change the whiteness of old age, and do not imitate the Jews.”
Similar ahadith are also found in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud, and Sunan al-Nasa’i. Scholars have understood these ahadith as applying to different circumstances.
Reconciling the ahadith:
Imam al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said that the ahadith which order changing the whiteness refer to those whose entire hair has turned white, whereas the prohibition is for those among whom only a few hairs have turned white.
In this regard, neither of the two positions is for obligation; that is, these ahadith do not give a binding command but indicate encouragement and the better course of action.
The practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
Some ahadith indicate that the Prophet ﷺ used dye, while others state that he did not use dye. According to the scholars, he ﷺ often did not use dye, but at times he did use it.
Materials for dye:
In the early period, henna (mehndi), saffron, wars (a yellow-colored plant), and katam (a plant of reddish-black color) were used as dye. Various Companions, such as Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Ali, and others (may Allah be pleased with them), are reported to have used dyes of different colors.
The ruling on black dye:
Among the jurists there is difference of opinion regarding black dye:
◄ The Shafi’is say that black dye is forbidden under ordinary circumstances.
◄ The Malikis, Hanbalis, and Hanafis consider black dye disliked (makruh), but do not call it absolutely forbidden.
◄ Qadi Abu Yusuf holds that black dye is permissible, while some scholars, such as Hafiz Ibn Hajar, have held that the use of black dye is permissible in certain circumstances.
The incident of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq’s father:
A well-known incident occurred at the time of the Conquest of Makkah, when Abu Bakr’s father, Abu Quhafah (may Allah be pleased with him), was brought into the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. His hair had turned completely white, and the Prophet ﷺ said:
“غَيِّرُوا هَذَا بِشَيْءٍ وَاجْتَنِبُوا السَّوَادَ”
“Change this whiteness with something, but avoid black.”
According to the scholars, this prohibition has been understood by some as prohibition (haram) and by others as disliked (makruh), and this applied specifically to the case where the abundance of white hair was becoming unsightly.
The practice of the Companions and Tabi’in:
The use of black dye is established from several Companions, such as Uthman ibn Affan, Mughirah ibn Shu’bah, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, Hasan, and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them), and from some Tabi’in such as Ibn Sirin and Muhammad ibn Ishaq (may Allah have mercy on them). However, their use was mostly in youth, and they would abandon it in old age.
Summary of the ruling:
Applying dye to white hair is recommended (mustahabb), especially henna and yellow dye.
There is difference among the jurists regarding the use of black dye. Under ordinary circumstances it is better to avoid black dye, but some scholars have declared it disliked and permitted it in special circumstances, such as war or a state of fear.
The issue of wudu and purification:
If the colour of the dye remains on the hair after the dye substance is washed off, it is not considered an obstacle to purification. Therefore, the wudu and ghusl of one who has applied dye are valid.
Conclusion:
It is better to act in accordance with the Sunnah when using dye. When choosing a colour, one should keep in view the ahadith and the statements of the scholars and adopt the middle path, especially regarding black dye, so that any kind of Shari’ah-related disagreement may be avoided.
