Darul-Uloom Deoband bans Muslim women from plucking eyebrows, cutting hair; faces flak

Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband on Saturday issued a fatwa banning Muslim women from plucking, trimming, shaping eyebrows and cutting hair.

New Delhi: Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband on Saturday issued a new fatwa banning Muslim women from plucking, trimming, shaping their eyebrows and cutting hair. 

Darul Iftaa, which issues the Darul Uloom Deoband’s edicts, termed the act as “un-Islamic”.

The seminary issued the fatwa after a Muslim man from Saharanpur approached Darul Iftaa to explain Islamic laws about eyebrow trimming and hair-cutting. 

“Do Islamic laws allow my wife to go for eyebrow plucking and hair-cutting?” the man had sought to know from Darul Iftaa.

In response to his query, the Darul Iftaa issued a fatwa saying that both the acts are ‘unIslamic’ and are banned under the Islamic laws. 

“If a Muslim woman is involved in such acts then she is violating Islamic laws,” the fatwa, which was issued in Urdu, said.

Darul Iftaa clarified that there are ten acts, including eyebrow plucking and hair-cutting which are banned for Muslim women under Islam. 

“Hair adds to beauty of Muslim women and they should never get them cut, pointed the fatwa. Issuing the fatwa, the head of Darul Iftaa, Maulana L Sadiq Qasmi, said that “Muslim women should stay away from beauty parlours as Islam does not permit them to have make-up attracting other male members.”

“Like Muslim male are not allowed to shave under Islam, eyebrow trimming, hair-cutting and make-up like wearing lipstick, etc is also banned,” he said. “Trend of Muslim women going to beauty parlours has increased in the country. It is not a good sign and it should be stopped immediately. We should have issued a fatwa in this regard long ago,” said he.

However, majority of Muslim women have refused to follow the Deoband’s new fatwa. “They have no right to curtail our freedom. The world is changing. Muslim women are now allowed to drive in Gulf countries and they are issuing fatwas on eyebrow plucking. It is a shame on our Maulanas and scholars,’ said Sophia Ahmed, a victim of triple talaq.

“The fatwa also applies on Muslim men not to shave. Show me how many Muslim men in India are keeping beard these days, except for these fraudulent and fake Maulanas who wants us to cover in burqa. They should better watch ‘Lipstick under my burqa’ before issuing such ridiculous fatwas. Like me, majority Muslim women would defy the ban,” said Safia Begum.

With ANI inputs