Question:
What is the ruling of wearing fake eyelashes that have become a trend among Muslim women?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Mukadimah
Eyelash extensions is a method used to enhance the length, curliness, fullness, and thickness of natural eyelashes. [1] The extensions may be made from several materials including from animal’s fur, synthetic, or horse hair. This method can be divided into two; either using false temporary eyelashes that can be removed and semi-permanent eyelashes. The main method of applying the extensions is by using an adhesive glue to individually stick the extensions to the eyelash line. This is to prevent the eyelashes from adhering to each other. [2]
The addition of fake eyelashes for women are usually for beautification purposes, it is done to make the eyelashes appear curlier, fuller and thicker. This phenomenon is spreading rapidly especially with the involvement of local celebrities. Thus, to answer this question a few basics should be taken into account.
Islam Does Not Prohibit Beauty
Basically, Islam does not prohibit Muslims to beautify themselves. Furthermore, Islam even encourages Muslims to always appear neat and beautiful, humbly and appropriately. A hadith from the Prophet PBUH states:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ
“Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty.”
Sahih Muslim (275)
Imam al-Munawi said: “He loves beauty” means people that beautify themselves from among you…” Refer Faidh al-Qodir (2/224)
Syeikh Dr Yusuf al-Qaradhawi in his book al-Halal wa al-Haram fi al-Islam (pg. 202-203) said:
In an incident, a man came to the Prophet PBUH wearing worn-out and shabby clothes, the Prophet PBUH said to him:
أَلَكَ مَالٌ؟ قَالَ: نَعَم. قَالَ: مِن أَيِّ المالِ؟ قَالَ: مِن كُلِّ المالِ قَد أَعطَانِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى. قَالَ: فَإِذَا آتَاكَ اللهُ مَالاً فَليُرَ أَثَرُ نِعمَةِ اللهِ عَلَيكَ وَكَرَامَتِهِ
"Do you have any wealth?" He said: "Yes, all kinds of wealth." He said: "What kinds of wealth?" He said: "Allah has given me all sorts of wealth." He said: "If Allah has given you wealth, then let the effect of Allah's blessing and generosity be seen on you."
Sunan Abu Daud (4065)
Islam also encourages cleanliness especially at places where all Muslims assemble together such as during Friday prayer or during the two Eid celebrations.
The Prophet Muhammad PBUH said:
مَا عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ إِنْ وَجَدَ سَعَةً أَن يَتَّخِذَ ثَوبَيْنِ لِيَوْمِ الجُمُعَةِ غَيْرَ ثَوبَي مِهْنَتِهِ
“It’s not wrong for whoever among you that has wealth to provide two clothing especially for Friday and two clothing for normal work clothing.”
Sunan al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir (22/287)
This encouragement is not just for men but includes women as well. Allah SWT states:
وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ
“And do not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof,”
Surah al-Nur (31)
Nevertheless, the act of beautification should be done in moderation. Islam forbids its people from being outrageous, prideful and deceptive.
The Basis of Hair Extension Prohibition in Islam
One of the acts that are considered excessive in Islam is the act of wearing hair extensions which are known as ‘al-wasl’ in Arabic. Women that extend their hairs are called al-wasilah.
Al-wasilah is a woman that attaches other woman’s hair to make her hair appears longer and made other people think that the al-wasl hair (the hair extension) is her original hair. This is done by a woman who has thin hair or woman who has auburn colored hair to make her hair appear black. (See Ma’alim al-Sunan by al-Khattabi, 4/256)
The prohibition comes from a hadith from Asma’ binti Abi Bakr R.Anhuma, a woman came to complain to the Prophet PBUH saying: “O Messenger of Allah, my daughter has just married. She contracted smallpox and experienced hair loss. Can I extend her hair (with hair extensions)?” Then the Prophet PBUH said:
لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةَ
“Allah has cursed the woman who joins (her or someone else’s) hair (with the hair of another man or a woman) and the woman who asks for her hair to be joined (with the hair of another person).”
Sahih Muslim (5687)
The same is also said in another narration by Aisyah R.Anha, an Ansar girl was just married. She was sick and experienced hair loss. Her family want to attach her hair (with hair extensions). They came to the Prophet PBUH and asked him. The Prophet PBUH said:
لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةَ
“Allah has cursed the woman who joins (her or someone else’s) hair (with the hair of another man or a woman) and the woman who asks for her hair to be joined (with the hair of another person).”
Sahih al-Bukhari (5934)
Imam al-Nawawi said, the hadith firmly states the prohibition of hair extensions and cursed to the woman that attach her hair or wear a permanently attached hair. This is a strong opinion. (See Syarh Sahih Muslim al-Nawawi, 14/103)
Imam al-Son’ani said: Al-wasilah (الْوَاصِلَة) is a woman that attaches her hair with other hair (hair extensions), whether she attaches the hair for herself or other people. While mustausilah (المُسْتَوْصِلَة) is a woman that ask for her hair to be attached. (See Subul al-Salam, 5/49)
In Nail al-Autor (6/22), Imam al-Syaukani said:
“Hair extension is prohibited, for no acts are cursed except those which are prohibited.”
He then quotes Imam al-Nawawi’s commentaries on this:
“This is a select and external ruling. Our colleagues explained:
- When a woman attached her hair with other hair from human, then it is clearly prohibited without any disagreement among Islamic scholars; may it (the hair extension) be from a man or a woman, from her mahram or her husband or not, without a doubt is prohibited. This is in accordance with the evidences presented above and the prohibition of partaking benefit from any parts of a human body. For a human is honoured, that is why the hair, nails and the body of humans are buried. That is if the hair extension is from human’s hair.
- However, if a woman attaches her hair with anything that is impure (najis), such as hair or fur of carcasses or fur of animal that its meat is not eaten when it is still alive, thus it is prohibited due to the above hadith and because she purposely wears najis in and out of her prayer.
Both situations presented have the same ruling, whether the person is married or not, man or woman. On another hand, if the hair extension is clean (pure) and not from human’s hair if the woman is not married or does not have any authority on her, then, it is still prohibited. However, if she is married or has authority over her, then there are three opinions:
- Prohibited due to the general saying of the stated hadith
- Permitted
- The strongest opinion in mazhab al-Syafie: when the woman attaches her hair with the permission of her husband or the authority on her, then, it is permissible. If not, it is
The third opinion is the strongest opinion of Islamic scholars.
A similar opinion is stated by Imam al-Ghazali when analysing this issue in his book al-Wasit (2/17)
“Regarding the issue of attaching hair;
- If the hair extension is from najis (considered impure religiously) then, it is prohibited
- If the hair extension is from human’s hair;
- If it is from another ajnabi woman, then it is prohibited, for it is seen by her husband
- If it is from another man, then it is prohibited for the woman to see it
Both opinions are from the opinion from the mazhab that states it is prohibited to see parts of disconnected human body.
- If the hair is from farm animals;
- If the woman wearing it is not married and wearing it may lead to fitnah upon her, then, it is prohibited
- If the woman has a husband, it is still prohibited for it is seen as a form of deception. However, if her husband permits it, then it is divided into two categories;
- First: Prohibited according to the general statement of the hadith and is considered as trying to change Allah SWT’s creation
- Second: Permitted based on qiyas for there’s no meaning of the prohibition unless it is a lie.
Refer al-Wasit (2/168-170)
Fatwa and Islamic Scholars’ Opinions
- Fatwa of Jordan regarding the issue of wearing wigs
It is permissible to wear a wig if she has permission from her husband in cases where the woman has cancer and this result in hair loss. However, she cannot wear it when there are other people for it is a part of adornment. The permissibility of wearing a wig is only for wigs neither made from human hair nor from an animal’s fur. [3]
- Fatwa of General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta (اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء)
It is not permitted to wear fake nails, fake eyelashes (manmade) and coloured contact lenses for it can cause harm. It can be considered as a form of deception and changing of Allah SWT’s creation. [4]
- Dr Muhammad Abdul Aziz in Zinar al-Mar’ah baina al-Tib wa al-Syar’ (Women’s Adornment Between Medicine and Syara’) said:
As for artificial eyelashes and ingredients that coated the original lashes, some of the medical experts say that they are made of nickel salts or of various types of artificial rubber. Both can cause eyelid inflammation and damage the eyelashes (causing them to fall off). [5]
Conclusion
In the issue of wearing fake eyelashes, we hold the opinion that considers a few factors:
- Purity
- Wearing fake eyelashes is prohibited, if it is from anything that is najis, such as the fur of carcasses, for it invalidates the prayer and if worn outside of prayer, it is prohibited because she purposely put or wear najis without any necessity (al-tadammukh bi al-najasah)
- If a woman wears semi-permanent eyelashes that use waterproof glue to attach the eyelashes, which inhibits the water from touching the skin, it is prohibited for it invalidates wudhu’ and obligatory ghusl (bath)
- Analogically deduced (qiyas) with the prohibition of hair extensions
- This is due to the fact that hairs and eyelashes are two types of hairs that grow on the human body and both acts as a sort of adornment for the body. It is not sunnah to pluck these hairs. Hence, it is prohibited to wear eyelash extensions the same as it is prohibited to wear hair extensions that are cursed by Allah SWT and it is an act of changing Allah’s creations.
- Health
- It is prohibited to wear fake eyelashes that contain ingredients that can cause harm to a human’s life or body, for according to Islamic law we have to protect a human’s life (hifz al-nas). This is in accordance with Allah SWT’s statement:
وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ
“And do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction,”
Surah al-Baqarah (195)
- Beauty
- It is prohibited to wear temporary eyelashes for beautification using human’s or animal’s hair and synthetic hair without the permission of the husband. This is due to the fact that it is a form of deception and changing of Allah’s creation.
- However, it is permitted to wear fake eyelashes that is from other than human’s or animal’s hair or anything that is najis with the permission of the husband and it does not inhibit water for purification purposes (wudhu’ or obligatory ghusl). This is due to the fact that it is encouraged to beautify oneself for the husband. Refer al-Majmu’(3/141).
- The same goes for desperate or necessary situations for a person, for example, when someone contracted a disease, burnt or had an accident or other similar situations that defects or damages the eyelashes, then wearing fake eyelashes without the use of human’s or animal’s hair and does not inhibit water for purification is From Sayyidina Ali RA, he said, I heard the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ تَرَكَ مَوْضِعَ شَعْرَةٍ مِنْ جَنَابَةٍ لَمْ يَغْسِلْهَا فُعِلَ بِهِ كَذَا وَكَذَا مِنَ النَّارِ. قَالَ عَلِىٌّ فَمِنْ ثَمَّ عَادَيْتُ شَعْرِي
The Prophet said: "Whoever leaves an area the size of a hair on his body and does not cleanse it from sexual impurity, such and such will be done to him in the Fire." 'Ali said: "Because of that I am hostile towards my hair,"
Sunan Abu Daud (249)
However, for eyelashes that are implanted within the eye line itself, they do not prevent validation of wudhu’.
According to the conclusions above, we ask all those that wear fake eyelashes that has been prohibited to leave the act and repent to Allah SWT and do the following:
- Remove the eyelashes and the glue holding it, to let water washes the skin during purification.
- If fake eyelashes cannot be removed, unless with force, that will result in damage or defect to original eyelashes or eyes, then, it is permitted to let the eyelashes fall by itself after a certain time. During that period, it is obligatory for the wearer to take her wudhu’ and obligatory bath like normal and pray in respect to prayer. However, after the period is over, it is obligatory for her to re-perform her obligatory bath and all her prayers done while wearing the fake eyelashes following the ruling of faqid al-tohurain (People who cannot purify themselves using water or dirt). This is also as taghlizan (heavy lesson) so that she will not be negligent about issues regarding cleanliness in Islam again. This is a careful opinion by Islamic scholars.
- However, if someone has a weak iman and fear that she will fall into disbelief for not having the strength to qadha’ (replace or re-perform) all the prayers during the time she was wearing the fake eyelashes, then, it is permitted to conform to (taqlid) Imam al-Nawawi’s opinion that states that there is no need to repeat the prayers done before. Refer Tuhfatul Muhtaj(1/379) by Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haitami. This is also a valid opinion in mazhab Hanbali. Refer to al-Mughni (1/184) by Imam Ibn Qudamah. The same goes for obligatory bath, there is a weak opinion in mazhab al-Syafie that states that it is forgiven for dirt under the nails or inside a tangled hair, that inhibits water because the amount is too small. Refer Kifayah al-Akhyar (pg. 43); Hasyiah al-Syirwani (1/187).
Hopefully, this answer will give us a clear understanding about halal and haram issues, referring to the Quranic and hadith evidences as well as the Islamic scholars' opinions, so that all our actions can coincide with the Syariah law. We advise all parties, especially women to adorn and beautify themselves moderately, and doing it not to show off, or change Allah’s creation as the Jahiliyyah did before us. Wallahua'lam.
Endnote:
[1] See Ocular Discomforts Following Eyelash Extension by Koffuor, G. A., et al. Journal of Medical and Biomedical Sciences 1.3 (2012): 55-61.
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyelash_extensions
[3] http://aliftaa.jo/Question.aspx?QuestionId=2864#.W76jd2gzaM8
[4] http://www.alifta.net/fatawa/fatawaDetails.aspx?languagename=ar&BookID=3&View=Page&PageNo=4&PageID=6423
[5] http://fatwa.islamweb.net/fatwa/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=144397