Is Straightening Hair for One’s Spouse Permissible ?

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: I will soon get married but I would like to straighten my hair when for my spouse and style it. However, I heard it is impermissible as the iron damages the hair. Is it really impermissible?

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

It is definitely permissible for you to straighten your hair for your husband.

Those who are telling you it is impermissible are providing you with incorrect information that is based on faulty reasoning.

As you have mentioned, there are many things we do in our daily lives that may have negative side effects, even things as simple as shampooing our hair or applying lotion or stepping outside in a congested city. However, to say that anything that causes harm is impermissible under Islamic law is baseless. Rather, our tradition is practical and fully understands that “harm” has differing degrees some of which are inconsequential to legal rulings and others that are not.

It is in fact rewarding for each spouse to dress-up and look good for the other. This is a right that each spouse has upon the other. Ibn `Abbas (God be well-pleased with him) said, “I like to adorn myself for my wife just as she adorns herself for me because God has said, ‘they are owed rights similar to those due upon them’.” [Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf (4:196); Bayhaqi, Sunan al-Kubra (7:295)]

Therefore, this is in fact a means to draw closer to God and earn His pleasure if done with a sincere and lofty intention.

Salman

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani