Is Nams forbidden for men?

31-8-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissible for men to remove eyebrow hair?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The prohibition of eyebrow hair removal for women is highly emphasized. It is known as Nams. Ibn Mas‘ood said:

"May Allaah curse the women who practice tattooing, those who get tattooed, those who remove hair from their eyebrows, and those who make spaces between their teeth for beauty, the women who change the features created by Allaah. Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has cursed when it is in the Book of Allaah (what means): {... And whatever the Messenger has given you—take...} [Quran 59:7]?"

Nams is also forbidden for men for the same reason, namely, that it consists in changing the Creation of Allaah, the Exalted, for beautification purposes.

However, some Muslim jurists, including the Hanbalis, considered it allowable for men to remove eyebrow hair with scissors if they grow long. Nevertheless, it is better for men not to remove the eyebrow hair with scissors because some scholars say that Nams includes plucking, shaving, or cutting the hair. Undoubtedly, complete removal of eyebrow hair is forbidden.

Allaah Knows best.