There is no positive or negative injunction in
the Shari`ah regarding the cutting of hair
by women. So the Shari`ah is silent on this
issue. It is actually more of a matter, which
is related to cultural norms and social customs
of a society. It can vary from time to time
and from society to society.
However, there are two incidents, which show
that cutting hair by women is not considered
bad in religion. First of all women cut a part
of their hair during Hajj as a ritual of Hajj.
Secondly, it is known that Hadhrat Ayesha (ra)
cut her hair short after the death of the Prophet
(pbuh) in order to abstain from adornment. It
is obvious from this incident that at that time
cutting hair by women was considered as abandoning
adornment or symbol of ugliness. In our times,
it is considered as a sign of adornment. This
is only a change in the custom or norms regarding
this particular matter. The Shari`ah does not
object to it, as customs and norms are dynamic
concepts and not static ones.
The only objection which Shari`ah can have in
this regard is flaunting of the objects of adornment,
and because in recent times short hair are considered
an object of adornment, therefore, flaunting
any object of adornment including such hair would
be against Shari`ah.
The only other objection, which can be raised
on this issue, is that the hair style or the
hair cut of a woman should not be such that makes
her look like a man. Although the Shari`ah does
not directly raise this objection but it emanates
from the simple principle that a person should
keep himself/herself on the nature on which Allah
has created him/her. Therefore, a woman should
look like a woman and a man should look like
a man. It is because of this principle that the
Prophet (pbuh) has condemned men who dress up
like women and vice versa.
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