Excerpt Source: Aḥkām wa Masā’il fī Ḍaw’ al-Kitāb wa al-Sunnah
By: Shaykh Mubashshir Aḥmad Rabbānī
What is the Islamic ruling on removing hair from the back, calves, and other parts of the body?
✔ It is permissible to remove hair from these mentioned body parts (such as the back, calves, etc.)
On the conditions that:
This is because:
✦ The basic Sharī‘ah principle is: “Everything is permissible unless proven otherwise.”
✦ No clear proof exists to declare the removal of such hair haram.
Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ have only commanded us regarding specific body hair:
As for the rest of the body, the Prophet ﷺ remained silent, which is an indication of permissibility. Declaring such matters haram without evidence is not allowed.
Abū Tha‘labah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"إن الله فرض فرائض فلا تضيعوها، وحد حدودًا فلا تعتدوها، وحرم أشياء فلا تنتهكوها، وسكت عن أشياء رحمة لكم غير نسيان فلا تبحثوا عنها"
“Indeed, Allah has laid down obligations, so do not neglect them; and He has set limits, so do not transgress them; and He has prohibited certain things, so do not violate them. And He has remained silent about certain things out of mercy for you — not out of forgetfulness — so do not seek after them.”
This narration has also been accepted by Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله, and numerous other scholars hold the same opinion.
Hāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله has further discussed similar narrations in "Jāmi‘ al-‘Ulūm wa al-Ḥikam" under the explanation of this ḥadīth.
Conclusion: In absence of any prohibition, removing hair from other parts of the body is allowed.
Wallāhu A‘lam — And Allah knows best.
By: Shaykh Mubashshir Aḥmad Rabbānī
❖ Question:
What is the Islamic ruling on removing hair from the back, calves, and other parts of the body?
❖ Sharī‘ah Guidance on Removing Body Hair
✔ It is permissible to remove hair from these mentioned body parts (such as the back, calves, etc.)
On the conditions that:- It does not cause bodily harm
- It is not done in imitation of women or disbelievers
This is because:
✦ The basic Sharī‘ah principle is: “Everything is permissible unless proven otherwise.”
✦ No clear proof exists to declare the removal of such hair haram.
❖ Prophetic Silence Indicates Permissibility
Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ have only commanded us regarding specific body hair:
Obligated Practices:
- Trimming the moustache
- Cutting the nails
- Plucking underarm hair
- Shaving pubic hair
Permissible Practices:
- Shaving the head for men
- The Prophet ﷺ cursed women who remove eyebrows or get them removed
- The growing and maintaining of the beard is mandatory for men
As for the rest of the body, the Prophet ﷺ remained silent, which is an indication of permissibility. Declaring such matters haram without evidence is not allowed.
Prophetic Guidance on Permissible Silence
Abū Tha‘labah رضي الله عنه narrated:
"إن الله فرض فرائض فلا تضيعوها، وحد حدودًا فلا تعتدوها، وحرم أشياء فلا تنتهكوها، وسكت عن أشياء رحمة لكم غير نسيان فلا تبحثوا عنها"
“Indeed, Allah has laid down obligations, so do not neglect them; and He has set limits, so do not transgress them; and He has prohibited certain things, so do not violate them. And He has remained silent about certain things out of mercy for you — not out of forgetfulness — so do not seek after them.”
Reference: al-Dāraqutnī: 4761
❖ Scholarly Views
This narration has also been accepted by Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله, and numerous other scholars hold the same opinion.
Hāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله has further discussed similar narrations in "Jāmi‘ al-‘Ulūm wa al-Ḥikam" under the explanation of this ḥadīth.
Conclusion: In absence of any prohibition, removing hair from other parts of the body is allowed.
Wallāhu A‘lam — And Allah knows best.
