Questioner: What is the ruling of dyeing the hair to black (if my hair color is originally black)?
Ibn Taofeeq Abdul Azeez: The famous hadith on this subject is the hadith of Jaabir bn Abdillah who narrated that when the father of Abu Bakr (radiya Allahu anhumaa), Abu Quhaafah was brought to the Prophet on the day of Conquest of Makkah, and his head and beard were white, the Prophet said: “Change (dye) this with something, but avoid black”. Reported by Imam Muslim.
Was this apparent prohibition restricted to only Abu Quhaafah or there was a reason the Prophet prohibited dyeing to black for him – because of his old age, or the prohibition is general for every Muslims? Upon the understanding of this hadith, the scholars differed thus:
The Shaafi’iyyah opine it is totally HARAM (sinful) to dye the hair to black base upon this hadith. They said such is deceit. Like a 70yrs old man dyeing his hair to black so as to look 40 or younger. Dyeing to hide one’s age.
We should note that deceit of any form is forbidden in Islam, either related with dyeing of the hair or another. The Prophet has said “whoever cheat on/deceive us is not of us”.
The majority of the scholars, Hanafiyyah, Maalikiyyah and the Hanabilah hold the opinion that dyeing the hair to black isn’t haram so far there’s no deceit. Maybe you are just doing it to look more handsome or for any reason aside deception. They regard it as MAKROOH a disliked affair that should be avoided. And anyone who does it will not be sinful. They based the prohibition in the hadith on a disliked affair and not totally forbidden.
The third opinion has it that dyeing of the hair to black is totally PERMISSIBLE. Not forbidden and not disliked. They based this opinion on the fact that many of the Sahabah and Taabi-oon were reported to have dyed their hairs to black.
Ibn Qayyim in his Zaad Ma’ad reported that the caliph Uthman bn Affan, and the beloved grandchildren of the Prophet, Hasan and Hussein (radiya Allahu anhumaa) would dye their beards to black.
Imam Tabraani also reported that the famous Sahabi Sa’d bn Abi Waqaas (radiya Allahu anhu) would also dye to black. Likewise some Taabi-oon like Ibn Sireen, Abu Burdah and etc.
If it was something that is haram, the Sahabah wouldn’t do that in public.
Summary, I will not rule it haram. Rather it is based on the motive of the doer. If no deceit and harm in it, then it will be permissible. And if it’s not necessary, it should be avoided. But not haram. And this is for men. As for married women, any form of beautification that doesn’t cause harm and evil is basically halal. So dyeing of the hair to black or other color for women is not debatable; such is permissible. Wa Allahu a’lam.