QUESTION
Assalamualaikum, my patient was born without any hair, and this bald appearance has affected their self-confidence and how others perceive them. Due to this absence, we are considering synthetic hair implantation instead because we cannot perform hair transplantation using the patient's hair. What is the Islamic ruling on implanting synthetic hair?
ANSWER
Implanting synthetic hair is permitted (جواز) if there is no option to use one’s hair, based on the following conditions:
- The purpose of treatment is to cure the defect or illness
- It poses no health risks and is conducted with professional advice.
- The materials used must be from a halal source.
Meanwhile, it is prohibited to implant synthetic hair made from haram sources, such as pig bristles, hair from carcasses or hair from animals that are not permissible to eat, and similar materials.
EXPLANATION
The hair transplantation process involves transferring the patient’s hair from another part of the body or moving hair from a denser area to a bald head area, such as from the back or sides of the head to the front or top.
Hair transplantation is a modern method and is often considered a final solution for those suffering from severe hair loss. Although there is no clear evidence explicitly prohibiting it, there is a narration of a man from Bani Israel who was bald and requested from an Angel to have beautiful hair so that he would no longer be looked down upon. This ruling is based on a hadith narrated from Abu Hurairah RA, who heard the Prophet Muhammad SAW said:
إنَّ ثَلَاثَةً في بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ: أَبْرَصَ، وَأَقْرَعَ، وَأَعْمَى، بَدَا لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيَهُمْ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَلَكًا، فأتَى الأبْرَصَ، فَقالَ: أَيُّ شَيءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قالَ: لَوْنٌ حَسَنٌ، وَجِلْدٌ حَسَنٌ؛ قدْ قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ، قالَ: فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ عنْه، فَأُعْطِيَ لَوْنًا حَسَنًا، وَجِلْدًا حَسَنًا، فَقالَ: أَيُّ المَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قالَ: الإبِلُ -أَوْ قالَ: البَقَرُ، هو شَكَّ في ذلكَ: إنَّ الأبْرَصَ وَالأقْرَعَ قالَ أَحَدُهُما: الإبِلُ، وَقالَ الآخَرُ: البَقَرُ-، فَأُعْطِيَ نَاقَةً عُشَرَاءَ، فَقالَ: يُبَارَكُ لكَ فِيهَا. وَأَتَى الأقْرَعَ فَقالَ: أَيُّ شَيءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قالَ: شَعَرٌ حَسَنٌ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي هذا؛ قدْ قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ، قالَ: فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ، وَأُعْطِيَ شَعَرًا حَسَنًا،
Meaning: "Allah willed to test three Israelis who were a leper, a blind man and a bald-headed man. So, he sent them an angel who came to the leper and said, 'What thing do you like most?' He replied, 'Good color and good skin, for the people have a strong aversion to me.' The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given a good color and beautiful skin. The angel asked him, 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Camels (or cows).' (The narrator is in doubt, for either the leper or the bald-headed man demanded camels and the other demanded cows). So he (i.e. the leper) was given a pregnant she-camel, and the angel said (to him), 'May Allah bless you in it.' The angel then went to the bald-headed man and said, 'What thing do you like most?' He said, 'I like good hair and wish to be cured of this disease, for the people feel repulsion for me.' The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given good hair.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari)
Dr. Soleh bin Muhamad al-Fawzan, in his book Al-Jarahah al-Tajmiliyyah, stated that this hadith serves as evidence for the permissibility (جواز) as there is no prohibition for those who are bald to seek beautiful hair to remove personal shame. Having beautiful hair is a blessing and a dream of every person. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with striving to attain that blessing as long as it does not go against the Shariah or involve anything that alters Allah’s creation.
Moreover, hair transplantation is different from hair extensions, which are clearly prohibited (حرام) in the narrations of hadith. The Prophet SAW said:
لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاصِلَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْصِلَةَ
Meaning: “Allah curses the woman who adds hair extensions and the woman who asks for hair to be added."
(Narrated by Muslim)
Furthermore, hair transplantation must be done using the patient’s hair, as it is not permitted to use someone else's hair. Human hair cannot be bought, sold, or used by others, because the body parts of the children of Adam are to be honoured. This ruling is based on the verse of Allah SWT:
وَلَقَدۡ كَرَّمۡنَا بَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ
Meaning: “And We have certainly honoured the children of Adam”
Surah al-Isra (70)
Imam al-Nawawi mentioned in his book al-Majmu’ that it is prohibited (حرام) to sell human hair, whether it is still attached or has been cut.
Dr. Soleh bin Muhamad al-Fawzan, in his book Al-Jarahah al-Tajmiliyyah, stated that hair transplantation is a treatment for baldness, which is considered both a physical and emotional/psychological defect. A patient may experience physical discomfort on the scalp due to hair loss. However, emotionally, they may feel inadequate about their physical appearance, leading to a sense of shame in the eyes of others. This can cause psychological distress and a tendency to isolate themselves from the public. This serves as a valid reason to undergo hair transplant surgery due to the necessity (حاجة) that aligns with the concept of dire necessity (ضرورة). This ruling is based on the following Islamic legal maxim:
الْحَاجَةُ تَنْزِلُ مَنْزِلَةَ الضَّرُورَةِ عَامَّةً كَانَتْ أَوْ خَاصَّةً
Meaning: "A necessity possibly falls under the category of dire necessity, whether in general or specific form."
Based on that Islamic legal maxim, it provides a way out of difficulty.
- In Malaysia, the 94th Conference of the Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs, which convened on 20–22 April 2011, discussed the ruling on hair transplantation and agreed that it is permissible (جواز) on the condition that the transplant uses patient’s hair, uses halal materials free from any impurities (نجس), and does not cause any harmful side effects.
- The Fatwa Department of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has ruled that the procedure of implanting hair onto the scalp is not considered to alter Allah’s creation. Instead, it is a treatment intended to restore a person to the natural appearance in which Allah created them. Therefore, the ruling on hair transplantation is permissible (جواز) as long as it does not cause any harm.
- The Islamic Fiqh Academy issued a ruling No. 173 in 2007, allowing hair transplantation for those suffering from hair loss, especially women. Transferring a person’s hair from one body part to another is permitted based on the Academy’s ruling No. 26 from 1998. That ruling states:
“It is permissible to transfer a part of the human body to another part of the same body, provided that the benefit outweighs the risk of the procedure. Such transfer is allowed to replace lost organs, restore defects, and correct a person's physical and emotional well-being.”
These fatwa decisions have permitted (جواز) the process of hair transplantation for individuals experiencing hair loss or baldness, under certain conditions and referring back to the question raised regarding the absence of the patient’s hair for transplantation. Therefore, an alternative would be to use other materials, as long as they are from halal sources. However, it is prohibited (حرام) to use materials from haram sources such as pig bristles, hair from carcasses, or hair from animals that are haram to eat, and similar materials.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, after reviewing the arguments presented, implanting synthetic hair is permissible (جواز) to treat and cure the defect, provided it does not cause harm and the synthetic material used is from halal sources. However, it is prohibited to use haram sources such as pig bristles, hair from carcasses, hair from animals that are haram to eat, and similar materials.
Furthermore, we advise all cosmetic and medical professionals specialising in this field to assess patients who seek hair implantation carefully. Specialists should only accept clients who meet the conditions prescribed by Shariah, which is medical treatment or to cure the defect. As for clients who wish to undergo hair transplantation purely for beautification or to enhance their appearance, it is haram for a specialist to be complicit in acts that go against Allah's prohibitions.