Dying the beard

DanyalSAC said:

Asalaamu alaikum..

Though I'm a bit reluctant to post a question here, I find I'm in a bind and kinda have to.

Why can't Muslim men dye their beards black? I dye my beard but I won't use henna since to me that's a very unnatural tint (orange?) for my beard. A friend of mine - also Muslim - asked if I would ever dye it black. I told him I had read somewhere that it was haram to dye the beard black. When I tried to ask Shaykh Google why it was haram I got about 3 pages discussing Osama Bin Ladin's beard and I just can't be bothered with all that.

So I came here to ask.

I thought there was a hadith about it but as I mentioned above I can't find it. Thanks in advance.

D.

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Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that Abu Quhaafah was brought on the day of the conquest of Makkah, and his head and beard were white like "thaghaamah" (a plant whose flowers and fruit are white). The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: "Change this with something, but avoid black." (Reported by Muslim, no. 3962).

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Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: ‘At the end of time there will be people who will dye their hair black like the crops of pigeons. They will never even smell the fragrance of Paradise." (reported by Imam Ahmad, see also Saheeh al-Jaami‘, no. 8153).

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It was also reported from the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) that one should change grey hair, using any colour except black. Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: "The best things with which to change grey hair are henna and ‘katam’ (a plant similar to henna which is used as a dye)." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 1675; he said: This is a saheeh hasan hadith).

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ximkoyra said:

Here's what I found:






I couldn't really figure out why it would be haram. I don't put much stock in it, but ask for forgiveness if I'm wrong.

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Is it permitted to dye the beard black?

It is not permitted for a man to die his beard black because of the reports which command us to avoid that and forbid us to do it. Abu Dawood reported from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah who said: “Abu Quhaafah was brought on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, and his head and beard were like thughaamah (a plant whose leaves and flowers are intensely white) because they were so white. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Change this white hair, but avoid black.’” (Reported by Muslim, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah). Ahmad, Abu Dawood and al-Nisaa’i reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘There will be a people at the end of time who will dye their hair black like the crops of pigeons; they will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise.’” But it is encouraged to change grey or white hair by dyeing it any other colour except black, because of the hadeeth of Jaabir quoted above.

It is permitted to dye the hair with henna or any other substance that will give it a reddish or yellowish colour, because it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to dye his hair with yellow. Muslim reported that Abu Bakr dyed his hair with henna and katam and that ‘Umar used to dye his hair with henna. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said, “The best things with which you can change this grey hair are henna and katam.”

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