Is Plucking Eyebrows Haram?

Plucking eyebrows is a major sin and considered haram in Islam and the Prophet Muhammad said that Allah cursed the one who plucks their eyebrows.

Plucking eyebrows may seem normal as it’s pretty standard these days but since the start, it has been haram in Islam. Muslims might wonder whether plucking the eyebrows is haram or trimming them is haram too. I have answered all the queries related to eyebrows and Islam.

Is Plucking Eyebrows Haram In Islam?

Quran doesn’t mention anything related to eyebrows but the plucking of eyebrows is directly mentioned in the hadith:

Narrated by Abdullah:

“Allah has cursed those women who practise tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those who remove their face hairs, and those who create a space between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, and such women as change the features created by Allah. Why then should I not curse those whom the Prophet (ﷺ) has cursed? And that is in Allah’s Book. i.e. His Saying: ‘And what the Apostle gives you take it and what he forbids you abstain (from it).”

[Sahih al-Bukhari 5931]

In the light of the hadith, Allah cursed women who tattoo themselves and the plucking of facial hair. The only hair that normally grows on women’s faces is their eyebrows, and plucking them was a custom at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Removing or plucking the eyebrows implies changing Allah’s creation. We are supposed to appreciate the way Allah has made us and don’t try to change that as Satan tries according to the following verses of the Quran:

“I will certainly mislead them and delude them with empty hopes. Also, I will order them and they will slit the ears of cattle1 and alter Allah’s creation.” And whoever takes Satan as a guardian instead of Allah has certainly suffered a tremendous loss.”

[Quran 4:119]

After this clear evidence plucking the eyebrows is considered totally haram in Islam.

Islam advises women to pluck away any facial hair that isn’t normal, such as hair on the chin, as women shouldn’t look like men. But eyebrows are normal and Islam makes it haram to pluck them.

This hadith is from Prophet (peace be upon him) and any ruling coming from hadith comes from Allah directly as the Prophet (peace be upon him) never gave ruling from his own.

I get that many women have been accustomed to plucking the eyebrows and it’s generally hard for someone to change but when there is clear hadith and ruling one Muslim should follow.

The best tip here is that if any women think that her eyebrows are wide or really long then bleaching them will be the best remedy as it’s totally safe and halal in Islam. Bleaching will only change the color of your hair, covering up the extra-long eyebrows that you wish to conceal.

Now let’s talk about some women who may have issues with unibrows. Normally eyebrows are separated apart and there is a gap between the two. In some cases, the eyebrows meet together and there is no gap. 

In this matter, she will be allowed to pluck the hair between the eyebrows as this hair won’t be counted as eyebrows and the ruling won’t apply here.

READ NEXT: Is Lottery Haram?

Is Shaping The Eyebrows Halal In Islam?

There is a difference of opinion among Muslim scholars here. Some say that shaping the eyebrows is halal as far as there is no plucking involved and the eyebrows were long in the first place. So shaping them will make them look normal like others.

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty of the Islamic Institute of Toronto says:

“it is permissible to shape or trim one’s eyebrows if they are excessively long or thick for the purpose of appearing neat and tidy.”

Others still consider shaping eyebrows haram. These scholars again refer to the hadith we read above about the curse of Allah on the one who plucks eyebrows.

I will suggest one should avoid shaping the eyebrows unless it’s absolutely necessary.

READ NEXT: Is Nail Polish Haram?

Final Thoughts

Plucking or trimming the eyebrows are haram in Islam and Prophet (peace be upon him) said Allah cursed the women who pluck the eyebrows. Further, all scholars agree with this statement with one exception – the eyebrows can be trimmed if they are too long.

Plucking hair between two eyebrows in case of unibrow is allowed.

The best tip will be to bleach your eyebrows and color them the same as your face to hide them.

And Allah Knows Best.