New Darul Uloom fatwas: Wearing wig during namaz, shaving others' beards un-Islamic

New Delhi: Muslim seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has advised the Muslim to shun wigs while offering namaz and said that shaving or trimming one's beard is 'un-Islamic'.

The seminary, while issuing a fatwa said that the namaz offered to Allah remains incomplete if one is wearing a wig or artificial beard while offering a prayer. 

Confirming the report, seminary spokesperson Ashraf Usmani said that the wig prevents water from reaching the scalp, which further defeats the purpose of 'vazu' and 'gusl', as the body remains impure. 

In the Muslim community, 'Vazu' is the mandatory washing of hands, face and head while 'Gusl' is cleaning of the entire body before offering namaz. 

However, Usmani said that there's a way out for people who still wants to don it. 

"If donning the wig is so important, then one must take it off while performing 'vazu'or 'gusl' and later put it on during the prayers," he said. 

The fatwa came in response to a query by two persons, who run a salon in Badjia-ul-Haq locality of Deoband in western Uttar Pradesh.

The seminary also issued a fatwa against cutting somebody's beard and termed it un-Islamic. 

"The sharia doesn't allow us to cut the beard of a person of any religion. If someone is in this business, then he should try to shift to some other work," it said.

After the fatwa was issued, some of the barbers in the area stopped shaving beards and pasted a copy of the fatwa on the doors of their shops. 

Earlier, the Darul Uloom of Deoband had said that shaving the beard or not growing a beard both are unlawful and a major sin.