In this ongoing Friday sermon series titled “Clothing from the Perspective of Islam,” we have been discussing adornment and how to keep one’s hair. Regarding hair, there is another matter we should understand. Among our people, there is a common belief that when a person’s hair turns grey, they should leave it as it is and not conceal it. Many people think that dyeing grey hair and changing its color is not a good act.
However, the guidance of the Prophetﷺ is completely opposite to this belief. In Hadith number 3462 in Sahih al-Bukhari, it is mentioned that the Jews and Christians do not dye their grey hair. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah said: “You should differ from them.” That means when grey hair appears, it should be changed and concealed. But many religious scholars have told people as if concealing grey hair is wrong. In reality, the Prophetﷺ (peace be upon him) instructed that when grey hair appears, you should change its color. Because the Jews and Christians believed that when hair turns white, it must be left as it is without changing it. The Prophetﷺ instructed Muslims to act differently from them.
So, when asked what is best, it is better to change grey hair rather than leave it white. To follow the Sunnah of differing from the Jews and Christians, one should apply some coloring to grey hair. This is what is emphasized in the religion. At the same time, many people have misunderstood that only black dye is prohibited. Dyeing hair was not only permitted by the Prophetﷺ, but he also encouraged it. When he said, “Change it,” it means it is an emphasized Sunnah.
However, many people believe that applying black dye is wrong. But when we examine the hadiths carefully, there are hadiths that permit black dye and hadiths that seem to prohibit it. When both are analyzed, the hadith permitting it is the correct and acceptable one.
For example, when the Prophetﷺ migrated (Hijrah), he traveled with Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr had grey hair, but the Prophetﷺ himself did not have grey hair except for one or two strands, so he did not need to dye it.
Abu Bakr used to dye his hair using a plant called katam (indigo plant), similar to henna. Using the leaves of this plant, he dyed his hair black. From Makkah until reaching Madinah, Abu Bakr kept his grey hair concealed by dyeing it.
This indigo plant produces black color. Ink was also made from its leaves in those days. In Arabic, it is called katam. Abu Bakr used this plant to dye his hair black and migrated alongside the Prophetﷺ.
Anas (Raliallahu Anhu) narrates that when the Prophetﷺ arrived in Madinah, Abu Bakr was the oldest among his companions, and he had dyed his hair with henna and katam. This is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith numbers 3919 and 3920.
Abu Bakr traveled with the Prophetﷺ for several days. It is impossible that the Prophetﷺ did not notice his dyed hair. If dyeing black was wrong, the Prophetﷺ would have prohibited him. But he did not stop him. Similarly, another hadith in Sahih Muslim mentions that the Prophetﷺ himself did not dye his hair because he did not have grey hair. However, Abu Bakr and Umar both dyed their hair using henna and katam. When henna and katam are mixed, the color lasts longer and appears black.
Therefore, both Abu Bakr and Umar dyed their hair black, and this was done with the approval of the Prophetﷺ. The Prophetﷺ also said that among the substances used for dyeing hair, the best are henna and katam. This is recorded in Musnad Ahmad.
He not only said this verbally but also approved it in practice when Abu Bakr dyed his hair.Many companions also used black dye, including Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas(RA), Hasan(RA), and Husayn(RA).Therefore, black dye is not something that was prohibited.
However, some people quote a hadith that says black dye should be avoided. This hadith refers to Abu Quhafa, the father of Abu Bakr. He accepted Islam during the conquest of Makkah. When he was brought to the Prophetﷺ, his hair was completely white like cotton. The Prophetﷺ said: “Change this whiteness with something.” In another narration, it says: “Change it, but avoid black.”
However, the narrator himself gave conflicting reports. Sometimes he mentioned “avoid black,” and sometimes he did not. When questioned directly whether the Prophetﷺ actually said “avoid black,” he denied it. Since the narrator himself contradicted his own narration, this report is considered doubtful and unreliable.
Another hadith mentions that near the end of time, some people will dye their hair black like the color of a pigeon’s chest, and they will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. This narration is also problematic. Because black dye existed during the Prophetﷺ’s time and even before. Abu Bakr(RA), Umar(RA), Hasan(RA), and Husayn(RA) all used black dye. The Prophetﷺ saw this and did not forbid it.
How could the Prophetﷺ say that such people would only appear near the end of time when they already existed in his own time? Also, describing black color using the example of a pigeon’s chest is unclear, since pigeons have many different colors. Therefore, this narration is not reliable evidence to prohibit black dye.
From all this analysis, it becomes clear that there is no prohibition on using black dye. One may use black dye, brown dye, henna, or any other color. What is emphasized in Islam is to change the grey hair and not leave it white intentionally, especially to differ from the Jews and Christians. Both men and women are allowed to dye their hair.
In family life, appearance matters. If a husband looks very old due to grey hair, his wife may not feel attracted to him, and vice versa. Therefore, dyeing hair helps maintain attraction between spouses. However, modern hair dyes often contain harmful chemicals like ammonia, which can damage hair, cause allergies, or harm the eyes. Therefore, harmful substances should be avoided.
If natural dyes without harmful chemicals are available, they should be used. Anything harmful must be avoided in Islam, regardless of color. Therefore, leaving hair completely white is not the best practice. It is better to change it using a safe dye. This applies to head hair, beard, and mustache. Both men and women may dye their hair, whether young or old. There is no restriction that only young people may dye their hair.
Some people say dyeing hair is deception, but this is not supported by the teachings of the Prophetﷺ. Abu Bakr(RA) and Umar(RA) dyed their hair. If dyeing was deception, they would not have done it. When Islam permits something, people should not invent their own prohibitions.