‘Tirmidhi -Rahimahullaah- wrote this chapter heading to explain about what is connected to the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- grooming his hair. Grooming hair is straightening it, keeping it clean and having a concern for it.

The guidance of the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- in this matter was the same as in all his other issues, it was one of being in the middle.

So, his condition was not like the one who busies himself and spends a long time in grooming and correcting his hair and nor was it like the one who neglects his hair and as no concern for it whatsoever. But rather he was in the middle without going to extreme or being neglectful.’[1]

Being Dishevelled

From Jaabir bin Abdullaah who said:

‘The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– came to visit us in our house and saw a man with dishevelled hair who had crudely parted it. Then he said:

‘Could this person not find that which will straighten his hair?!’

He saw another man with a dirty garment. So, he said:

‘Could this person not find any water with which he could wash his garment?!’[2]

Perfuming hair

From Sahl bin Saad from the Prophet:

‘He used to perfume his hair a lot and straighten/comb his beard water.’

[Collected Ibn al-Arabi and Albaani graded the Isnad Hasan in Saheehah no. 720]

Hadeeth no. 25 – I used to Comb the hair

عن عائشة، قالت: كنت أرجل رأس رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأنا حائض.

From ‘Ayesha who said:

“I used to comb the hair of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– while I was on my menses.”

[Collected by Bukhari, Muslim and in the wording by Abu Dawood:

‘When I wanted to comb the head of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– into a center parting, I would comb it from the top of the head and separate the hair from the front.’

Albaani said it was Saheeh Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p.36]

Combing the Prophet’s Hair

From Zainab bint Jahsh that I used to have a bucket made from brass and she said:

‘I used to comb the hair of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– in it.’[3]

Hadeeth no. 26 – Da’eef

From Anas bin Malik who said:

‘The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– used to apply a lot of oil etc to his hair, used to straighten his beard and used to wear a head cloth a lot and it was as if his garment was that of a person who works with oil.’

[collected by Tirmidhi in Shamail, al-Bayhaqi and Albaani graded it Da’eef in Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyahvp. 36-37. Albaani said it has two weak narrators.]

Albaani brings a similar weak hadeeth; From Sahl bin Sa’ad said: ‘the Prophet used to wear an oil cloth, apply a lot of oil to his hair and straighten his beard.’ Albaani said, ‘This Isnad is weak. Dhahabi said [the narrator] Bashr bin Mubashar is unknown, ad-Daraqutni said about [the narrator] Muhammad bin Haroon that he is not strong.’ Silsilah Da’eefah no. 2356.

Hadeeth no. 27 – Right Hand Side

عن عائشة قالت: إن كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ليحب التيمن في طهوره إذا تطهر، وفي ترجله إذا ترجل، وفي انتعاله إذا انتعل.

From ‘Ayesha who said:

“The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– used to like to begin with his right side when washing himself, also when combing his hair and putting on his sandals.”

[Collected by Bukhari with the extra wording: ‘in all his matters.’ By Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Nisa’ee, Ibn Majah and Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p.37]

Ahadeeth About Beginning with the Right

From Abu Hurairah –Radi Allaahu anhu– that the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said:

ليأكل أحدكم بيمينه وليشرب بيمينه وليأخذ بيمينه وليعط بيمينه فإن الشيطان يأكل بشماله ويشرب بشماله ويعطي بشماله ويأخذ بشماله

‘You should eat with your right hand and drink with your right hand, take with your right hand and give with your right hand, because Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand and gives with his left hand and takes with his left hand.[4]

From Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– was brought some milk that was blended with water and on his right was a Bedouin and on his left was Abu Bakr, so he drank from it then he gave it to the Bedouin and said:

‘On the right on the right.’

And in another narration:

‘those on the right, those on the right, you should give it on the right-hand side.’[5]

AbdurRazzaq al-Abbad said:

‘He would begin with his right-hand side in all his matters due to being generous to the right-hand side. Like entering the Masjid, eating and drinking, shaking hands, giving and taking and in dressing. As for doing the opposite he would begin with the left-hand side, like entering the toilet, exiting the Masjid and blowing one’s nose, etc.’[6]

Ibn Hajr -RahimuhuAllaah- said:

‘It has been said: that he -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– would love turning towards the right because he loved good optimism since the companions of the right side are the companions of Paradise.’[7]

[The Narrator from Aeysha]

‘The narrator from Aeysha is ‘Masrooq bin al-Ajdaa’ al-Hamdani al-Wada’aee. Thiqaah ‘Aabid. He was kidnapped when he was young.’[8]

Hadeeth no.28 – Combing Hair Everyday

عن عبد الله بن مغفل، قال: نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الترجل إلا غبا

‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal said:

“The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– forbade us from grooming our hair except doing it on and off.”

[Collected by Abu Dawood, Nisa’ee, Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban and researched by Albaani in Saheehah no. 501 Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadiyyah]

Combing hair everyday

1 – From Muhammad bin Mughaffal

“ نهى صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الترجل إلا غبا “

‘The Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– prohibited from combing hair every single day.’

[Collected by Abu Dawood, Nisa’ee, Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban, Ahmad and Albaani researched it in Saheehah no. 501 and authenticated it.]

2 – From Abdullaah bin Shaqeeq who said there was a man from the Companions of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– who had been appointed over Misr, and a man from his companions came to visit him and he his hair was all over the place and it was completely dishevelled.

He said ‘Why is it that I see you completely dishevelled and you are the leader?’
He answered: ‘The Prophet used to prohibit us from ‘al-Irfaa’!

We asked: and what is ‘al-Irfaa’?

He replied:

الترجل كل يوم

‘Combing hair every day.’

[Collected by Nisa’ee & Albaani in Saheehah no. 502 and he said ‘this Isnaad is authentic’]

The Meaning of the Prohibition of Combing Hair every day

Shaykh Albaani was asked:

Regarding the Hadeeth of the Prophet –-sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– that he prohibited combing hair every single day.’

He replied:

‘Yes, the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– prohibited from combing hair every single day. Meaning that it is not befitting for the Muslim that his day in day out practice is being concerned with beautification and combing his hair and do his hair every day. It is sufficient for him to comb and straighten his hair every other day, and not every single day. This is due to the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– prohibiting al-Irfaa (combing hair everyday) a lot. Al-Irfaa is not befitting for men, men should get used to living hard and difficult lives.

This does not invalidate that sometimes they can have comfort and that is why it is allowed for men to comb their hair every other day. This means combing every other day as we have said previously, so a person is not extravagant in luxury, preparing himself to be strong person so he can count himself for Jihad in the path of Allaah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala.

Whoever makes a regular practice that he beautifies himself and stands in front of a mirror everyday combing his hair then he resembles women and does not resemble men. This is why the Messenger –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– came with a methodology upon which is the nature of men and it makes them not resemble women. So, a woman is the one who stands in front of the mirror every day, as for a man then he should deem himself not to be like women in beauty and beautification.

This does not nullify that a Muslim should adorn himself and beautify himself, however it should be done day on day off. This is why the Messenger –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– prohibited combing one’s hair daily a lot, and the Messenger –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– would wear what was easy for him and beautify himself for the two Eids and the Friday day. This is how it is befitting for our exemplary to be our Messenger –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.

[Fatawa Jeddah & Jamia Turaath fee Fiqh 17/697]

Shaykh Albaani quoted Abul-Hasan as-Sindi from his book ‘Hasheeyah ala Nisa’ee’:

‘To comb it one day and to leave it the next’, the intent is the dislike of being constantly combing it. As for literally meaning combing it one day and leaving it one day is not the intent.’

[Silsilah Saheehah no. 502]

Hadeeth no. 29 – Da’eef

From a man from the Companions of the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam:

‘That the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– used to comb his hair every other day.’

[Albaani said: ‘Its Isnaad is Da’eef, in it is Yazeed Abu Khalid, he is Ibn AbdurRahman ad-Dalani, he is truthful but makes many mistakes. The hadeeth before this of Abdullaah bin Mughafal dispenses it.’ Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadiyyah p. 38]

[1] [Sharh shamial p.60]

[2] [Silsilah as-Saheehah No.493]

[3] [Saheeh Ibn Majah no.382 declared Saheeh by Albaani]

[4] [Taken from: ‘Silsilah Ahadeeth Saheehah’ No.1236]

[5] [Collected by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood & ‘Silsilah Ahadeeth Saheehah’ No. 1771]

[6] [Sharh Shamial an-Nabi p.62]

[7] [Al-Wasail fee Sharh ash-Shamail p.79]

[8] [Al-Wasail fee Sharh ash-Shamail p.79]

Part 4 – Characteristics & Descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad

Introduction to chapter four