Question Hour - Dr. Zakir Naik

Q. I am Bilal. I’d like to know about hair colouring according to Qur’an and Hadith. I came to know that it is permissible. Is it right? Please explain providing evidence from authentic sources of Islam.
Bilal Ahmed, bilalgi@islamicvoice.com


A: It is permissible to change the colour of one’s greying hair, to a colour besides black, as long as the material used for coloring hair is pure and permissible.
Narrated Abu Dharr


Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The best things with which grey hair are changed are henna and katam (a plant from Yemen which produces a reddish-black dye)”. [Sunan Abu Dawood Vol.3 Chapter 1567 Hadith No.4193]


During the days of the Prophet (pbuh), the Jews and the Christians used to refrain from dyeing greying hair because they considered such adornment as contrary to piety and devotion, and not befitting rabbis, priests and ascetics. The Prophet (pbuh) forbade Muslims from imitating them (the Jews and the Christians), in order that Muslims might develop their own distinctive and independent characteristics.


Narrated Abu Huraira


Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said : “The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their grey hair), so you shall do the opposite of what they do (i.e. dye your grey hair and beards).” [Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.4 Hadith No.3462 & Sahih Muslim Vol.3
Chapter 831 Hadith No.5245]


However, it is not permitted for a Muslim man or a woman to dye his/her hair black because of the reports in which the Prophet (pbuh) instructed the Muslims to abstain from it.


Jabir bin Abdullah reported that Abu Quhaafah was led (to the audience of the Holy Prophet) on the day of the conquest of Makkah and his head and beard were white like thughamah (hyssop), whereupon Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said: “Change it with something but avoid black”. [Sahih Muslim Vol.3 Chapter 831 Hadith No.5244]


Ibn ‘Abbaas reported the Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) as saying: At the end of time there will be people who will use this black dye like the crops of birds; they will not experience the fragrance of Paradise.” [Sunan Abu Dawood Vol.3 Chapter 1569 Hadith No.4200]


Nevertheless, the use of black dye is specifically permitted during time of war, with the possibility of demoralizing the enemy when they see all Muslim soldiers looking ‘young’.


Moreover, dyeing the hair when there is no grey hair, though not forbidden, is not regarded as following the Prophet’s example, since it does not serve the same shar’i interests as achieved by dyeing grey hair.


One must make sure that hair colouring should not be done as an imitation of immodest or immoral people, whom some people may mistakenly regard as examples to follow. This is prohibited because the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever imitates any people is one of them.” [Sunan Abu Dawood Vol.3 Chapter 1506 Hadith No.4020]. And Allah Knows the Best.

Q. Is it true that my last prayer should be witr or is this merely recommended as a prudent course of action by the Prophet (saw). Once I pray witr after Isha and later I want to pray Nafil, can I do so?
Shaikh Imran— Imran_shaikh94@hotmail.com


A: It is Mustahab (i.e. highly recommended) for a Muslim to make witr as his/her last prayer at night since the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) exhort the Muslims to do so.

Narrated Nafi
Ibn ‘Umar said, “While the Prophet was on the pulpit, a man asked him how to offer the night prayers. He replied, ‘Pray two Rak’ahs at a time and then two and then two and so on, and if you are afraid of the dawn (the approach of the time of the Fajr prayer) pray one Rak’ah and that will be the witr for all the Rak’ahs at which you have offered’.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.1 Hadith No.472]


Narrated Abdullah bin Umar
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Make Witr as your last prayer at night.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.2 Hadith No.998]


However, this command of the Prophet (pbuh) is in the sense of it being preferable, and not obligatory, because it is proven in the Ahadith that the Prophet (pbuh) sometimes prayed two rak’ahs (units) after Witr whilst sitting down.


Abu Salamah asked ‘Aisha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). She said: “He observed thirteen rak’ahs (in the night prayer). He observed eight rak’ahs and would then observe witr and then observe two rak’ahs sitting, and when he wanted to bow He stood up and then bowed down, and then observed two rak’ahs in between the Adhan and Iqamah of the dawn prayer”. [Sahih Muslim Vol.1 Chapter 261 Hadith No.1608]


The Prophet (pbuh) prayed two rak’ahs after witr in order to demonstrate that it is permissible to pray nafil after witr. He did not always pray nafil after witr, rather he did that only a few times.
If one prays Witr in the beginning of the night, after that Allah (swt) enables him/her to pray qiyaam, then one can pray two by two but he/she does not have to repeat Witr, because the Prophet (pbuh) said, “There cannot be two Witrs in one night.” [Sunan Abu Dawood Vol.1 Chapter 495 Hadith No.1434]. And Allah Knows the Best.