Length of men's hair

18-5-2001 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is the length of hair for men? I heard that Muhammad (SAW) hair was below the shoulders. Some Ulama said you should shorten your hair, I also heard that you should shave your head or grow your hair below shoulders? Please explain in detail.

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Al-Baraa'  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the hair of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) used to reach down to his shoulders and ear-lobes. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Moreover, ‘Aishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her narrated that the hair of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) did not reach his shoulders but it exceeded his ear-lobes. [At-Tirmithi]

Besides,Ibn Majah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) once had Ghusl (ritual bath) and he noticed that there was a small place which was not moistened, so he moistened it with the wet hair that was hanging over his shoulders. [Ibn Maajah]

However, it was not reported that the jurists  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them determined a given length to the hair as to how long or short it should be. Therefore, it is permissible to keep one’s hair long or short provided that one does not imitate the non-Muslims or dissolute people by doing so.

Allah knows best.

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