Can I Make a Bun under My Hijab?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question: Assalamu alaykum

What does a camel hump hairstyle look like as reported in the hadith? Many people from India and Pakistan say that making hair buns is not allowed under hijab. Is it true? If someone has long hair, a bun is the most convenient thing to make. What should be done in this case?

Answer: Assalamu alaykum sister,

Thank you for this question. You will find the legal ruling to your question in the following link: Is My Volumised Hijab Like A Camel Hump and Therefore, Cursed?

The short answer is that there are various interpretations to the hadith of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and give him peace. Some scholars said he meant those who wrap a turban or the like around the head under the hijab. Others said he meant those who gather the hair on the top of the head. Other interpretations didn’t take the hadith literally at all. In conclusion, the scholars have not deemed a certain way of wearing the hijab as prohibited.

Most importantly, a woman needs to ask herself whether she is donning her hijab in a way that will attract attention or not. Know full well that Allah knows her intention. I recommend that when one wants her hijab to be the talk of the town, she should instead tone it down.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and give him peace, said, “Verily, you will never leave anything for the sake of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, but that Allah will replace it with something better.” [Musnad Ahmad]

If one wants to try something different with one’s hair underneath, they could braid it or use a jaw clip. This is also more comfortable than having a bun because she can rest the back of her head on the headrest of her car seat, for example. And Allah knows best.

Shazia Ahmad

Wassalam,
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafseer and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterwards, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.