‘Having grey hair is the change of colour of the hair from its original colour – black or any other colour to white. The author -Rahimahullaah- placed this chapter to explain what was connected to the grey hair of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam; was there any grey hair on the Prophet’s head or beard? If so how much?

What the authentic Ahadeeth show –and the author -Rahimahullaah- brought some of these in this chapter– that the grey hair which was found from the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– were very few, a small amount in three places. Anas -RadhiAllaahu anhu- indicated to them where he said:

‘The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– did not dye his hair, rather he had a few white hairs, on his sideburns, just under his bottom lip and a few on his head.’ [Saheeh Muslim][1]

The Virtue of having Grey Hair

From Abdullaah ibn Amr who said the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

الشيب نور المؤمن لا يشيب رجل شيبة في الإسلام إلا كانت له بكل شيبة حسنة و رفع بها درجة

‘Grey hair is light for the believer. A person does not have grey hair [becomes old] in Islam except that every grey hair is a good deed and he will be raised a grade by it.’

[Collected by al-Bayhaqi and Albaani said its Isnaad is Hasan in Saheehah no. 1243]

This hadeeth has a supporting hadeeth from Abu Hurairah from the Prophet with the wording:

“ لا تنتفوا الشيب فإنه نور يوم القيامة , من شاب شيبة … “

‘Do not pluck grey hair since it is light on the day of Judgement, whoever hair becomes grey ….’

similar to the previous hadeeth collected by Ibn Hibban and its Sanad is Hasan.[2]

The complete hadeeth of Abu Hurairah -RadhiAllaahu anhu- is:

( لا تنتفوا الشيب ، فإنه نور يوم القيامة ، ومن شاب شيبة في الاسلام ، كتب له بها حسنة ، وحط عنه بها خطيئة ، ورفع له بها درجة )

‘Do not pluck grey hair since it is light on the day of Judgement, whoever hair becomes grey in Islam then Allaah writes for him good deeds for the hair, and cancels his mistakes due to it and raises his grade due to it.’

[Collected by Ibn Hibban and its Sanad is Hasan.]

From Fadala bin Ubayd from the Prophet:

“ الشيب نور في وجه المسلم , فمن شاء فلينتف نوره “ .

‘Grey hair is light on the face of a Muslim, so whoever wishes to pluck his light.’

[Collected by Ibn Adee, al-Bayhaqi and graded Hasan by Albaani in Saheehah no. 1244]

Albaani commented:

‘It is authentic from the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, Abu Bakr and Umar that they dyed their grey hair. Furthermore, the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– ordered that hair should be dyed in more than one hadeeth in Bukhari and Muslim among other books. So would it be correct for someone who obeyed the command of the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– to do away with the light of grey hair!?’[3]

Hadeeth 30 – His grey hair did not reach to that much

عن قتادة قال: قلت لأنس بن مالك: هل خضب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قال: ((لم يبلغ ذلك، إنما كان شيبا في صدغيه)) ((ولكن أبو بكر، خضب بالحناء والكتم))

From Qataadah who said that he asked Anas ibn Malik:

“Did the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– dye his hair?”

He replied:

“His grey hair did not reach to that much, such that he would need to dye his hair, rather he had a few grey hairs on the side of his head (near his sideburns). However, Abu Bakr used to dye his hair with Henna and Katm (a dark dye).”

[Saheeh – Collected by Bukhari and it does not mention Abu Bakr. Muslim collected the same narration as in ‘Shamail’. Collected by Abu Dawood in ‘Kitaab at-Tarujjul’ with extra wording: ‘and indeed Abu Bakr and Umar dyed their hair.’ And in ‘Jama al-Wasail’: Collected by the six scholars of hadeeth. Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p.38]

Hadeeth 31 – except for fourteen white hairs

From Anas bin Malik who said:

“I did not count on the head of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– and in his beard except for fourteen white hairs.”

[Saheeh – Collected by Ibn Majah from Anas that he did not see that the Messenger had grey hair except for about seventeen or twenty grey hairs on the front part of his beard.

Bukhari collected a narration from Anas:

‘There was not on his head and his beard twenty white hairs.’

I say: it is also collected by Ahmad with the wording of Tirmidhi and its Isnaad is Saheeh upon the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim. Likewise, it was collected by Ibn Saad from different routes from Anas with numerous wordings and similar meanings. Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p.38-39]

AbdurRazzaq al-Abbad said:

‘What has been brought in Bukhari and Muslim by way of Rabeeatu bin Abu AbdurRahman from Anas –Radi Allaahu anhu– that he said:

‘Allaah caused the Prophet to pass away and there was not on his head or beard twenty grey hairs.’

Meaning that the amount of grey hairs on the head of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– and his beard did not amount to twenty hairs. This amount is regarded as very little and this is why Anas –Radi Allaahu anhu– said as preceded: ‘His grey hair did not reach to that much.’ Meaning that it did not reach to the amount that it needed to be dyed, due to only being a little.’[4]

Hadeeth 32 – About the grey hair of the Messenger

From Simak bin Harb who said I heard Jabir bin Samrah while he was asked about the grey hair of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– and he said:

‘When he -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, oiled his head you would not be able to see any grey hair and when he did not oil his head you could see a few grey hairs.’

In another narration, he said:

“The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– did not have except a few grey hairs which were located in the parting of his hair and when he oiled his hair, the oil would cause those grey hair to be hidden.”

[Saheeh – Collected by Muslim & Nisa’ee. I say: Tirmidhi collected it from narration of Abu Dawood at-Tayylisi in his ‘Musnad’ and it is researched in Saheehah no. 3004. The other wording is authenticated by al-Hakim and Dhahabi agreed with him and it was collected by Ahmad. Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p. 39]

Hadeeth 33 – Twenty white hairs

From ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar who said:

“The grey hairs of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– were about twenty white hairs.”

[Saheeh – Collected by Ibn Majah and Ahmad and it is authentic due to the previous hadeeth Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p.39-40 & researched in Saheehah no. 2096]

Hadeeth 34 – I have gone grey

From Ibn Abbas who said that Abu Bakr said:

“O Messenger of Allaah! you have developed grey hairs.”

He -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– replied:

“I have gone grey because of Soorah Hood, Sooratul Waaqi’ah, Sooratul Mursalaat, Soorah Amma Yata Saa Aloon and Surah Takweer.”

[Saheeh – Collected by Tirmidhi and he said it was Hasan Gharib and authenticated by al-Hakim according to the conditions of Bukhari and Dhahabi agreed with him and it is as they said it is according to the differences in its chain researched in Saheehah no. 955. Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p.40]

AbdurRazzaq al-Abbad said:

‘The point from the two Ahadeeth is the saying of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam: ‘I have gone grey because of Soorah Hood, Sooratul Waaqi’ah, Sooratul Mursalaat, Soorah Amma Yata Saa Aloon and Surah Takweer.’ And his -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- saying: ‘I have been made to go grey by Surah Hood and its sisters.’; meaning, its sisters from the Soorahs in the Qur’aan which mention the situation on the Day of Judgement and its hardships.

These mentioned Soorahs have in them description of the situations on that day and this is why it has been mentioned that the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Whoever wishes to see the Day of judgement as if he is seeing it with his own eyes then let him read: <<When the sun wound round and lost its light and is overthrown>>[5] and <<When the heaven is cleft asunder>> [6]and <<When the heaven is split asunder>>[7]. [collected by Tirmidh]

This is because these Soorahs describe those situations and great hardships which the people will confront on that day.

The few grey hair of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– was not due to giving importance with the worldly matters, or losing some benefits, or being attached to this world, or desiring an increase of it or similar to these matters as is the condition of many of the people who have grey hair due to these reasons but rather his concern was that of the hereafter.’[8]

AbdurRazzaq al-Abbad said:

‘In this is an explanation of the great effect of the Quraan and the great benefit of it for the one who reflects upon it, understands its meanings, and knows its proofs so whoever does this then he acquires a great effect in his being righteous, in his intelligence and being successful in his worldly matters and in his hereafter.

Whoever correctly reflects upon the Qur’aan then this connects him with the Day of Judgement and turns his importance and concern to that great day without him losing anything from worldly benefits. This is why from the supplications of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– was: ‘O Allaah do not make the world our greatest concern.’ [Tirmidhi]

The benefit from this is that there is no problem with a person having a concern for his worldly matters, that which benefits him, his livelihood, his needs and the needs of his children, however, the mistake is when he exceeds his worldly concerns above the matter for which he was created, which is Tawheed of Allaah Ta’ala, preparing to meet Him and taking provisions for the Day of Judgement.

We also benefit from this that the Qur’aan is medicine for hearts, a cure for souls, and a weapon for our situations. Therefore, every time a slave of Allaah has a concern for the Qur’aan by reflecting upon it and pondering its meanings and proofs, he finds in his own self a connection with Allaah and an importance with the day of judgement, preparation and readiness and gathering provisions for that great day. From the last of what was revealed to our Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– was the statement of Allaah Ta’ala: <<And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allaah>>[Baqarah: 281]’.[9]

Hadeeth 35 – go grey by Surah Hood

From Abu Juhaifah who said:

It was said: “O Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– we have seen that you have developed some grey hairs.”

He -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– replied:

“I have been made to go grey by Surah Hood and its sisters.”

[Saheeh – Collected by Tabraani and in Jama as-Sagheer. Its Isnaad is authentic with what was before it. Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p.40]

Hadeeth 36 – his grey hair was reddish

From Abu Rimthah at-Taymee Teem ar-Rabab who said:

“I came to the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– and with me was a son of mine.”

He continued:

“The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– was pointed out to me and I said when I saw him: “This is the Prophet of Allaah.”

He -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– was wearing two striped green garments and he had hair which had become grey but his grey hair was reddish.”

[Saheeh – Collected by Abu Dawood, Nisa’ee, Tirmidhi graded it Hasan. Also collected by Ahmad and its Isnaad is authentic. Mukhtasir ash-Shamail al-Muhammadeeyah p. 40-41]

Plucking Grey Hair from the Head & Beard is Prohibited

From Anas -RadiAllaahu anhu- said:

يكره أن ينتف الرجل الشعرة البيضاء من رأسه ولحيته – قال – ولم يختضب رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- إنما كان البياض فى عنفقته وفى الصدغين وفى الرأس نبذ.)

‘It is disliked for a man to pluck a white hair from his head and beard.’

Anas continued:

‘The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– did not get his hair dyed rather he had some white in the hairs under his lip, on his sideburns and a few scattered on his head.’

Collected by Muslim

Al-Mubarakfoori said in his book ‘Tuhfa’:

It is prohibited to pluck grey hair meaning white hair from the beard and head.

The Prophet said that it is light for the Muslim: this addition of light is specific for the believer, this means that his humility [of having grey hair] prevents becoming arrogant due to self-control against following desires and laziness, and all of this leads a person to the light of righteous deeds, so it becomes light in his grave and illuminates in front of him in the darkness of his seclusion.

Ibn al-Arabi said: what was prohibited was plucking grey hair rather than dyeing it, since in plucking grey hair is a changing of creation from its origin in contrast to dyeing the hair since this is not changing the Creation for the one who sees the hair. ‘[10]

Benefit

AbdurRazzaq al-Abbad said:

‘The Companions –RadiAllaahu anhu– described the grey hair of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– on his head as an evidence that he would uncover his head sometimes, rather it could perhaps be obligatory to uncover the head like for the one who wants to wipe over his head during Wudu, since one cannot complete an obligation except with another obligation and likewise in Hajj whilst in a state of Ihram.’[11]

[1] [Sharh Shamail an-Nabi p. 63]

[2] [Saheehah no.1243]

[3] [Collected in Saheehah no. 1244]

[4] [Sharh Shamail an-Nabi p. 64]

[5] Soorah at-Takwir:1

[6] Soorah al-Infitar:1

[7] Soorah al-Inshiqaq : 1

[8] [Sharh Shamail an-Nabi p.66]

[9] {Sharh Shamail an-Nabi p.68]

[10] [From Tuhfa al-Ahwaathi 7/238]

[11] [Sharh Shamail an-Nabi p.69]

Part 5 – The grey hairs of the Messenger of Allaah Characteristics and Descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad

Introduction to chapter five

The Virtue of having Grey Hair

Hadeeth 30 – His grey hair did not reach to that much

Hadeeth 31 – except for fourteen white hairs

Hadeeth 32 – About the grey hair of the Messenger

Hadeeth 33 – Twenty white hairs

Hadeeth 34 – I have gone grey

Hadeeth 35 – go grey by Surah Hood

Hadeeth 36 – his grey hair was reddish

Plucking Grey Hair from the Head & Beard is Prohibited