‫ﺣﻚ ﺍﻟﻌﻴﺐ ﰱ ﺣﺮﻣﺔ‬

‫ﺗﺴﻮﻳﺪ ﺍﻟﺸﻴﺐ‬
Erasing the Discoloration
Regarding The Prohibition
of Dying White Hair, Black
By
A’la Hazrat Ash Shah Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan
‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬

Translated into English through the blessings of

Ghaus-ul-Waqt Huzoor Mufti-e-Azam Hind
‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬

By a humble servant of ALLAH

Muhammad Afthab Cassim Razvi Noori

PUBLISHED FOR
FREE DISTRIBUTION

By: Imam Mustafa Raza Research Centre

Durban (South Africa)

1
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication May be produced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
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prior permission of the Copyright Owner.

First Edition
Islamic Date : SHABAAN 1431
English Date : AUGUST 2010

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2
 TRANSLATORS NOTE
All Praise is due to Allah, Durood and Salaams upon our Beloved Nabi ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬.
Peace and blessings upon his Noble Family and illustrious companions and all
those who shall adhere to the righteous path until the last day.

In recent times, many people have been querying regarding the permissibility and
impermissibility of dying the hair black, and there have been numerous views
regarding this topic. We have thus decided to translate into the English the book
‘‫’ﺣﻚ ﺍﻟﻌﻴﺐ ﰱ ﺣﺮﻣﺔ ﺗﺴﻮﻳﺪ ﺍﻟﺸﻴﺐ‬. This concise but well researched book clarifies
frequently asked questions related to this topic. It is another masterful work by the
great Mujaddid A’la Hazrat Ash Shah Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Qaadri Barkaati
‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬.

A’la Hazrat Ash Shah Imam Ahmed Raza authored more than 1200 books and
treaties in his life, and these were written on more than 54 different branches of
learning. There is no doubt that his knowledge and wisdom surpassed the
knowledge of those in his era and even today, the learned Scholars are astounded
by the in-depth research presented by the great Imam in his works. Scholars the
world over have regarded him as one of the greatest Jurists and Theologians of the
century. In ‘‫‘ ’ﺣﻚ ﺍﻟﻌﻴﺐ ﰱ ﺣﺮﻣﺔ ﺗﺴﻮﻳﺪ ﺍﻟﺸﻴﺐ‬Erasing the Discoloration Regarding the
The Prohibition of Dying White Hair, Black’ Imam Ahmed Raza Khan ‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬
has presented evidence from more than 30 authentic books, whereby he has clearly
proven that the use of black dye on the hair or anything else which causes the hair
to become black is not permitted in the Shariat. This is thus a very important topic
as many people unknowingly dye their hair black, without even having a clue that
it is forbidden in the Shariat-e-Mustafa ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬.

I must firstly thank Murshid-e-Kaamil Huzoor Taajush Shariah Rahbar-e-Tariqat

Allama Mufti Mohammed Akhtar Raza Khan Qadri Azhari Qibla for his kind and
blessed Duas, which I regard as the means of our success. We would also like to
thank all those who have assisted in any way possible in making the publishing of
this book a success. Special thanks to Haji Mohammed Amod; Haji Cassim
Goolam Rasool and Sheikh Omar and others who were responsible for the proof
reading, setting and printing of the book. We would also like to thank Brother Riaz
Shahid of Alahazrat Network for assisting us with the graphics and cover design.
Allah reward all of them through the wasila of Rasool-e-Akram ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬.

Sag-e-MUFTI-E-AZAM
Muhammad Afthab Cassim Razvi Noori

3
 DUA BY
HUZOOR TAAJUSH SHARIAH

4
 DEDICATION
I would like to dedicate this humble attempt to

MURSHID-E-BARHAQ, TAAJUSH SHARIAH

RAHBAR-E-TARIQAT, QAAZI UL QUZ’ZAT
JA NASHEEN HUZOOR MUFTI-E-AZAM HIND
HAZRAT ALLAMA MUFTI MOHAMMED AKHTAR
RAZA KHAN QAADIRI AZHARI QIBLA

&

MUHADITH-E-KABEER, MUMTAZ-UL-FUQAHA
JA NASHEEN HUZOOR SADRUSH SHARIAH
HAZRAT ALLAMA ZIA-UL-MUSTAFA
AL QAADIRI AMJADI QIBLA

Muhammad Afthab Cassim Razvi Noori

5
The Query:
What is the ruling of the learned Ulama-e-Deen in regards to whether
the use of ‘Neel’ (indigo) dye which causes the hair to become black,
is permissible or not; and if Henna (Mehndi) is mixed with this
‘Neel’, will its use be allowed or not? ‫( ا وا‬Clarify and attain the
reward)

From the City of Kohna, sent by Muhammad Shafi’Ali Khan Saaheb

23rd Rabi-ul-Awwal Shareef 1307 Hijri

Translators Note: ‘Neel’ here refers to a colour attained from the

Indigofera plant.

The Response (By A’la Hazrat): According to the authentic

doctrine, the use of black dye except in Jihad is absolutely Haraam
(forbidden), and its prohibition is clear from authentic and reliable
Hadith. So I pronounce, and the (true) guidance is from Allah:

First Hadith: Ahmed, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah
have reported from Hazrat Jaabir bin Abdullah ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬that Huzoor
‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬noticed the complete whiteness of the beard of Hazrat
Abu Bakr Siddique’s ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬father, Hazrat Abu Quhafa ‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬
and said:

‫اد‬ ‫اا‬ ‫وا‬ ‫وا ا‬

‘Transform this whiteness with something and

abstain from the use of black (colour)’
[Muslim, Vol 2, Pg 199]

6
Second Hadith: Imam Ahmed reports in his Musnad on the
authority of Hazrat Anas ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬that Huzoor Aqdas ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬
said:

‫اد‬ ‫اا‬ ‫وﻻ‬ ‫وا‬

‘Transform the whiteness (of the hair),

and do not go near the colour black’
[Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal, Vol 3, Pg 247]

Third Hadith: Imam Ahmed, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Hibban and
Haakim, with the advantage of it being resolved and Zia Mukhtara
and Baihaqi, have reported in Sunan from Hazrat Abdullah Ibn-e-
Abbas ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬that Huzoor ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫ا‬ ‫ون را‬ ‫مﻻ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫اد‬ ‫اا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ا‬ ٰ ‫ا‬ ‫ن م‬

There shall be some people in the last era that will use black dye,
like (i.e. that which resembles) the torso of pigeons. They shall not
even attain the fragrance of Paradise.
[Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal, Vol 1, Pg 273]

The upper body of a wild pigeon is usually a blackish blue colour.

Nabi ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬likened their hair and beards to this (colour of a
pigeons’ upper body)

Fourth Hadith: Ibn Sa’ad Aamir     reports ً ‘Mursalan’ (i.e.

directly narrating from the Prophet ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬by leaving out the
second top link in the chain of narrators) that the Leader of the
Universe ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫اد م ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ٰ ‫ان اﷲ‬

‘(Verily) On the Day of Qiyaamat, Allah ta’aala will not look

towards that person who uses black dye.’
7
 [Kanzul Umaal, Vol 6, Pg 671]
Fifth Hadith: Ibn Adi reports in Kaamil and Dailmi in Musnad-ul-
Firdous from Abu Hurairah ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬that Huzoor ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ٰ ‫ان اﷲ‬

‘Undoubtedly, Allah ta’aala dislikes an old show-off.’

[Al Firdous, Vol 1, Pg 153]

It is in the annotations of Allama Hafani that:

‫د‬ ‫ای ا ی‬ ‫ا‬

‘Al Gharbib ( ‫ )ا‬refers to that which changes

The (appearance) of old age.’
[Ta’leeqat Allama Hafani Vol 1, Pg 379]
It is mentioned in Azeezi:

‫ب‬ ‫د‬ ‫او ا ی‬ ‫ا یﻻ‬ ‫ا‬

‘Al Gharbib ( ‫ )ا‬refers to (one) who does not show his old-age,
or it is (one) who hides the (signs) of his old age, in other words,
dyes his white hair with black dye.’
[As Siraajum Muneer Vol 1, Pg 379]

Sixth Hadith: Tabrani reports in Mu’jimul Kabeer and Haakim in

Mustadrak from Abdullah bin Umar Farouq ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬that
Rasoolullah ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫با‬ ‫اد‬ ‫وا‬ ‫با‬ ‫ۃ‬ ‫وا‬ ‫با‬ ‫ۃ‬ ‫ا‬

‘Yellow (Saffron coloured) dye is that of the Mo’mins, and red dye
is that of the Muslims and black dye is that of the unbelievers.’
[Al Mustadrak lil Haakim Vol 3, Pg 526]

8
Seventh Hadith: Aqeeli, Ibn Hibban and Ibn Asakir report on the
authority of Anas ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬that Huzoor-e-Aqdas ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫م‬ ‫رﻻ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ا‬

‘Whiteness (Grey hair / old-age) is Light. Whosoever has hidden it,

has taken off the light of Islam.’

Allama Muhammad Hafani states as follows whilst commenting on this:

‫د‬ ‫اد‬ ‫ہ ن‬ ‫ای ازا و‬ ‫ا‬

‘The interpretation of ‫ا‬ is that he has ended (ruined) his

old-age, and he has hidden it by using black dye other
than in Jihad.’[Ta’leeqat Al Hafani Vol 2, Pg 352]

Allama Manaawi, then Allama Azeezi presenting the outcome of the

Hadith (say):

‫د ام‬ ‫ا‬ ‫اد‬ ‫وہ و‬

‘(In other words) To remove white (grey) hair is Makrooh and the
use of Black dye except in Jihad, is Haraam.’
[As Siraajum Muneer Vol 2, Pg 352]

Eight Hadith: Haakim in Kitaab-ul-Kuniya Wal Alqaab on the merit

of it being a ‘Hassan’(Sound) narration, reports on the authority of
Umm-e-Sulaim ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬that Huzoor Pur Noor ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫را‬ ‫م‬ ‫اﻻ‬ ‫ب‬

‘Whoever attains whitesness (old age) in Islam, it is Light for him,

for as long as he does not transform it.’
9
 [Kanzul Umaal Vol 2, Pg 681]
Ninth Hadith: Dailmi and Ibn Najaar report from Hazrat Anas bin
Maalik ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬that Huzoor Pur Noor ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫ن‬ ‫اد‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و اول‬ ‫ا ا‬ ‫ء وا‬ ‫اول‬

‘The very first person to use Henna and Katam was Hazrat
Ibrahim   and  the first person to use black dye was Firáwn
(Pharoah).’ [Al Firdous Vol 1, Pg 29/30]

Allama Manaawi writes (as follows) in the footnotes of this Hadith:

‫د‬ ‫اﻻ‬ ‫و وا‬ ‫ن اﻻول‬ ٰ

‘(In other words) It is for this reason that the first (type of) dye is
desirable (lawful), and the second (type) is Haraam, with the
exception of in Jihad.’ [At Tayseer Vol 1, Pg 396]

Tenth Hadith: Tabrani has reported in Mu’jim Kabeer and Ibn Abi
Aasim in Kitaabus Sunnah from Abu Dawud ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬that Huzoor
Sarwar-e-Aalam ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫ما‬ ‫اد د اﷲ و‬

‘On the Day of Qiyaamat Allah will blacken the face

of the person who uses black dye.’
[Majma’uz Zawa’id Vol 5, Pg 163 & Kanzul Umaal Vol 6, Pg 671]

Eleventh Hadith: It is also in Mu’jim Kabeer of Tabrani on the

merit of ‘Hassan’ from Abdullah ibn Abbas ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬that Huzoor
Pur Noor ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‫ق‬ ‫اﷲ‬

10
 ‘He who ruins the appearance of the hair shall have no share by
Allah.’ (Al Mu’jimul Kabeer Li Tibraani Vol 11, Pg 41]

The Ulama have mentioned that ruining the appearance refers to

shaving off the beard or dying the hair black. It has been mentioned
in ‘Tayseer’:
‫اد‬ ‫ہ‬ ‫ود او‬ ‫ا‬ ‫او‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ہ‬ ‫ای‬

‘(In other words:) to make Muthla of the hair. Muthla is read with a pesh
(Damma) on the (alphabet) meem (Here, the meaning of which is to ruin
the appearance and the colour of the hair). To ruin the appearance of the
hair is to pluck out (remove) the white hair or to shave them off from the
cheeks, and to abstain from leaving it white by dying it black.’
[At Tayseer Sharah Jaami’ us Sagheer Vol 2, Pg 444]

Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth Hadith: Abu Ya’la

narrates in Musnad and Tabrani in Mu’jim Kabeer from Waathila bin
Asqa’, and Baihaqi narrates in Sha’bul Imaan from Anas bin Maalik
and Abdullah ibn Abbas and Ibn Adi narrate in Kaamil from
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﻢ‬that Huzoor Aqdas ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬said:

‘The worst amongst your middle-aged persons, (is the one) who
makes his appearance like that of the youth.’
[Al Mu’jimul Kabeer Vol 22, Pg 84, Musnad Abu Ya’la Vol 6, Pg 475,
Sha’bul Imaan Vol 6, Pg 168, Al Kaamil Li Ibni Adi, Vol 2, Pg 721]

Imam Abu Taalib Makki states in Quwatul Quloob and Imam

Hujjatul Islam (Ghazaali) states In Ihya-ul-Uloom:

‫و‬ ٰ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫اد‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬

‫و‬

11
‘It is disallowed to dye the hair black, because Huzoor ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬
said, The best youth amongst you are those who resemble the
appearance of the old (elderly), and the worst old ones amongst
you, are those who make themselves resemble the youth.’
[Ihya-ul-Uloom Vol 1, Pg 103]

Sixteenth Hadith: Ibn Sa’ad reports in Tabaqaat from Abdullah ibn

Umar ‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬

‫اد‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ٰ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ر ل اﷲ‬

‘Rasool ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬forbade the use of black dye.’

[At Tabaqaatul Kubra]

It is sad that a person is willing to bear such intense calamities just

for satisfying some personal fancy.

It is in Muheet:
‫وہ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫اد ل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬

‘The general Masha’ikh (Scholars) have stated

that the use of black dye is Makrooh.’
[Raddul Muhtar Vol 5, Pg 482]

It is in Zakheera:

‫ا‬

‘The ordinary (general) Masha’ikh are of this view.’

[Raddul Muhtar Vol 5, Pg 271]

12
It is mentioned in Durr-e-Mukhtar:

‫ﻻ‬ ‫اد و‬ ‫ہ‬

‘The use of black dye is Makrooh, but it has also been mentioned
as not being Makrooh.’ [Durr-e-Mukhtar Vol 2, Pg 253]

The conclusion of all three statements is that according to the general

Masha’ikh and the majority of the learned A’ima (Religious
Doctors), the use of black dye is disallowed. When the Ulama
mention something to be Makrooh, then it is regarded as being a
Makrooh which is Tahreemi, and the one who commits such an act is
regarded as sinful and deserving of chastisement. ‫ﷲ‬

Allama Sayyid Hamwi and then Allama Sayyid Tahtaawi, then

Allama Sayyid Shaami ‫   ﷲ‬say:

‫ر ب‬ ‫ا اۃ وﻻ م‬ ‫ا‬

(In other words) Black dye is only haraam for one who is a non-
Ghaazi (i.e. one who is not a Muslim Soldier). It is not haraam for
Muslim Soldiers (fighting Holy War).
[Raddul Muhtar Vol 5, Pg 482]

Sheikh Muhaqqiq Maulana Abdul Haq Muhadith Dehlvi ‫ ﷲ‬ states

in Sharah Mishkaat:

‫ب‬ ‫در ب‬ ‫ وو‬،‫وہ‬ ٰ ‫را‬ ‫و‬ ٰ ‫ی را‬

ً ‫آ ہ اھ‬ ‫ہ‬

‘The whiteness of the hair is the Noor of Allah, and to transform

the Noor of Allah with blackness is Makrooh according to the
Shariah and there is severe warning in regards to those who use
black dye (summarised).’ [Ash’atul Lam’aat Vol 3, Pg 570]

13
It is mentioned in the same (i.e. Ash’atul Lam’aat):

                       

‘The use of black dye is haraam; and the Sahaba-e-Kiraam and

others except them used to apply red dye and sometimes they used
yellow as well.’ Summarised... [Ash’atul Lam’aat Vol 3, Pg 569]

In brief, this statement is regarded as being endorsed and prevailing,

based on the saying of Huzoor Pur Noor ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬, and there is no
doubt in the fact that the use of black dye has been absolutely
disallowed in the light of the Hadith and the narrations, so anything
which causes the hair to become black, be it purely indigo, or grime
(stain) of Mehndi or any oil, in other words, no matter what it may
be, the use of all these is impermissible and haraam and fall under
the category of those admonitions. If the books of Fiqh
(Jurisprudence) only disallowed the use of indigo purely and all other
black dyes would have been permitted, then definitely the mixture of
Mehndi would be (regarded) as useful.

Now that the use of black has been absolutely regarded as being
Haraam, then of what use would it be if there not is enough Mehndi
(in a mixture) which exceeds (is more prevalent) that of the indigo,
thus causing it blackness to fade away, because the reason for it
being forbidden, in other words the darkness (black) of the hair will
still remain; and as for that which has been mentioned in the Hadith,
that Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬used to make use of Mehndi
and Katam dye, is definitely not a beneficial argument, because
according to the clarification by the Ulama, that dye never used to
give off a black colour, but it used to bring out a reddish colour,
which had a reflection of black.

The principle of Red is that when it is very dark, it gives a brilliance

of darkness. This type of dye is undoubtedly permissible, but also
laudable, and it is that which has been praised in Sahih (Authentic)

14
Hadith by Huzoor ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬and this has been reported by Imam
Ahmed and the four other Muhaditheen and Ibn Hibban from Hazrat
Abu Zirr ‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬. [Sunan Abu Dawud Vol 2, Pg 222, Jami’ut
Tirmizi Vol 1, Pg 208, Sunan Nasa’i Vol 2, Pg 277, Musnad Ahmed
bin Hambal Vol 5, Pages 147, 150, 154]

Translators Note: Woad (or Glastum) is a flowering plant and is

also the name given to a bluish dye.

Sheikh Muhaqqiq ‫ﷲ‬ states in Sharah Mishkaat

                  ‫       ﷲ‬                
      ُ         ٓ

‘It has reached us through authentic means that Hazrat Abu Bakr
Siddique ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬used Mehndi and Katam (woad). Katam is the
name of a shrub and its colour is not black, but is reddish
going towards a black.’
[Ash’atul Lam’aat Vol 3, Pg 570]

It has been mentioned similarly by Allama Qaari in Jama’ul Wasa’il

Sharah Shama’il Shareef Tirmizi and Imam Ahmed Qastalani has
mentioned in Irshaad-us-Saari Sharah Sahih Bukhari Shareef, and
according to the stronger view and commentary of the majority,
‘Katam’ is not the same as ‘Neel’ (Indigo), but it is another kind of
leaf (shrub).

It is reddish in colour and its appearance is similar to leaf of the

olive, which people mix with Henna and Indigo to make a dye.

Allama Manawi says in Tayseer Sharah Jaami’us Sagheer:

‫و‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ورق ا‬ ‫ۃا‬ ‫ا ف وا‬ ‫ا‬

15
 ‘Katam is a word written with the small ‘Kaaf’ and with a zabar
(fatah) on the ‘Taa’. It is a type of grass (shrub) which resembles
the leaves of the olive, which is mixed with
woad and used as a hair dye.’
[Tayseer Shah Jaami’us Sagheer Vol 1, Pg 309]

It is mentioned in the same:

‫ء اوا‬ ‫ۃ‬ ‫ا‬

‘The first two alphabets of (the word) Katam have zabar (fatah) on
them. It is a type of grass, the colour of which is red. It is mixed
with mehndi and woad and used as a (hair) dye’
[Tayseer Sharah Jaami’us Sagheer Vol 1, Pg 392]

Just now the statement from Sharah Mishkaat has passed, (in which
it is said):
    ٓ 

‘Its colour is not black’

[Ash’atul Lam’aat Sharah Mishkaat Vol 3, Pg 570]

I pronounce: But this humble servant   ‫ ﷲ‬can himself prove from

many Hadith that the colour from the dye of Henna and Katam is red.

It is in Sahih Bukhari and Musnad Imam Ahmed and in Sunan Ibn

Majah from Uthman bin Abdullah bin Mawhib that:

‫ا‬ ٰ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ام‬ ‫لد‬

‫و‬ ٰ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ر ل اﷲ‬ ‫ء وا‬ (‫ان‬ ‫)زاد اﻻ‬

(In other words) ‘I presented myself before Hazrat Ummul

Mo’mineenUmm-e-Salma ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬so she brought out some of the
sacred hair of Rasoolullah ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬for us to see (which she had

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amongst the Holy Relics. When she dipped it in water and gave it to
any person who was ill, he was immediately cured). It was dyed
with henna and katam.’ [Sahih Bukhari Vol 2, Pg 857]

It is reported from the very same Uthman bin Abdullah regarding the
very same sacred hair in Sahih Bukhari Shareef (as follows):

۱ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ٰ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ار‬ ‫ان ام‬

(In other words) ‘Umm-e-Salma ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬showed them the reddish
coloured sacred hair of Nabi ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ‬.’
[Sahih Bukhari Vol 2, Pg 857]

It has been proven the henna and katam gave a reddish colour, and in
the same Hadith, there is a different narration of Imam Ahmed ‫  ﷲ‬
in this manner:

‫ء وا‬ ‫اا‬

(In other words) ‘Umm-e-Salma ‫ ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬showed (them) a reddish

sacred hair which had the dye of henna and katam on it.’
[Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal Vol 6, Pg 296]

So it has become evident that even though ‘katam’ may be the name
of something, but from narration mentioned regarding Hazrat Abu
Bakr Siddique ‫ﺭﺿﻰ ﺍﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻋﻨﻪ‬, to even consider that he used black dye and
to think that ‘Neel’ and ‘Katam mixed to that thing is totally
permissible, is merely erroneous.

It is sad that some persons in this era of ours have seen the narrations
regarding the dye of henna and woad, and yet they have not really
understood it. So woad (wasma) is not really indigo (neel), but it is
another plant (leaf) that when it is mixed with henna, it strengthens
its redness, otherwise just the mere redness of henna is not so deep

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(in colour). It is mentioned (as follows) in Qamoos and Taaj Al
Aroos:

‫ر‬ ٰ ‫ورق ا او ت ا‬ ‫ا‬

‘Wasma (woad) is a shrub like leafy plant.

Its leaves are used as a dying (substance).’
[Taaj Al Aroos Vol 9, Pg 93]

Maghrib has resolved to this meaning and it mentions that to regard

‘Wasma’ to be the same as ‘Neel’ is a weak view:

‫بو‬ ‫ۃ ور‬ ‫لا‬

‫واﻻ ن ا‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ء‬ ‫و‬

‘To say that ‘Wasma’ is ‘Neel’ is a weak statement (view). The

authentic statement is that in the Arabic language, ‘Wasma’ is the
name of a tree, the leaves of which are dried and then mixed into
mehndi, which causes its redness to become very bright otherwise it
will be a pale yellowish (in colour).’ [Al Maghrib]

In this manner with Praise to Allah, there is actually no sign in any

narration for those who (argue) the view regarding ‘Neel’ (Indigo).
And if according to Qamoos, both the meanings are held equal, then
too the arguments of those arguing the ‘Neel’ view will be baseless
as it is entirely speculative, that it refers to the leaf that strengthens
the colour of the henna and supposedly if we even acknowledge this,
for their sake, that ‘Wasma’ actually refers to ‘Neel’, then Allah
Forbid, those narrations do not mention that we should first dye the
hair with mehndi which itself will cause the hair to become clear,
(and then) lay ‘Wasma’ on to it, that the darkness is clearly visible,
and neither does it say that a few leaves of ‘mehndi’ (henna) should
be added (for names sake) to the ‘Neel’ so that the excuse of a
mixture can be used and so that this unlawful conduct can be
exhibited with pleasure; but the actual objective is that such an

18
amount of Henna should be added to the ‘Wasma’ that it should
overcome it and not allow blackness to appear in the colour, but it
actually means that the actual dying should be that of henna and a
few leaves of ‘Neel’ should be added to it, giving one fold its
strength to its redness.

Its precedent is precisely this that the Ulama have mentioned the
mixing of salt in alcohol to be the basis for its imbalance and
legalization, because now that it has become vinegar, its actuality
(actual composition) has changed and it has become lawful.

Now it is not regarded as alcohol any longer. (Now) after looking at

these narrations if someone first eats some salt and then drinks
alcohol over it, or if he puts a small piece of salt into a pot of alcohol
and then consumes it, saying that we drink it by mixing salt with it!

The objective was this, that its intoxication should be eradicated,

making it sour and turning it into vinegar. Of what use can such
excuses be in the Pure Shariah.

It can be concluded that (in the case of the dye) all depends on the
colour. Let’s assume that if mehndi by its self causes black colour,
then that too would have been regarded as haraam and if pure ‘Neel’
gave a yellowish or reddish colour, then that too would have been
regarded as being permissible. Similarly, if the mixture of ‘Neel’and
the grime of mehndi and anything else no matter what, gives black
colour, they are all regarded as haraam.           ‫ﷲ‬

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 REFERENCES
Sahih Bukhari Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah al-Bukhari

Sahih Muslim Abul Husan Asaakirud’deen Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj Qushayri al-Nishapuri

Ash’atul Lam’aat Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi

Jami’ut Tirmizi Imam Abu Isa Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Sawrah Tirmidhi

Sunan Nasa’i Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb ibn Ali ibn Sinan Abu Abdur Rahman Al Nasa’i

Sunan Abu Dawud Abu Dawood Sulayman ibn Ash’ath Al Azadi al Sijistani

Ibn Majah Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Yazid ibn Majah al Rab’i Al Qazwini

Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hambal Abu `Abd Allah
al-Shaybani

Durr-e-Mukhtar Allama Muhammad Amin Ibn Abidin Shaami

Raddul Muhtar Imam `Ala' al-Din al-Haskafi

Fatawa Shaami Ibn Abidin Shaami

Kanzul Umaal Ala' Uddin Ali al-Muttaqi ibn Hisam-Uddin

Musnad-ul-Firdous Imam Dailmi

Ta’leeqat Allama Hafani Imam Hafani

As Siraajum Muneer Allama Ali bin Ahmed Azeezi

Mu’jimul Kabeer Abul Qasim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad Al Tabrani

Al Mustadrak lil Haakim Imam Abdullah Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Haakim

Majma’uz Zawa’id Nurud’din Ali ibn Abi Bakr ibn Sulayman, Abul Hassan Al Haythami

Al Mu’jamul Kabeer Li Tibraani Imam Abul Qaasim Sulaiman bn Ahmed At Tabrani

Musnad Abu Ya’la Imam Abu Ya’la

Sha’bul Imaan Imam Abu Bakr Ahmed bin Husayn Ali Baihaqi

Al Kaamil Li Ibni Adi Imam Ahmed Abu Abdullah bin Adi

Ihya-ul-Uloom Imam Abu Haamid Muhammad ibn Muhamamd Al Ghazali

At Tabaqaatul Kubra Imam Abdul Wahab Ash She’rani

Ibn Hibban Imam Abu Haatim Muhammad bin Hibban Busti

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