His parents forbid him from keeping his hair long

23-2-2006 | IslamWeb

Question:

Since when I was small I used to have short hair, and now when I am 20 I had kept long hair, not that long. It used to reach till my ears and from back it used to just curl around and wanted to grow it till shoulders. My parents did not like me growing the hair, used to scold me and say it does not look good and decent. All the lop hers which means showing off people or movie stars and all keep like this hair. They also used to tell you should not keep long hair. Is it not permissible in Islam? I have read Hadeeth Prophet himself having hair till shoulder or ears. This time they made me cut the hair. But in future if they ask me to cut my hair when it is long can I tell them that I am following the Sunnah of Prophet. If I grow my hair keeping in mind that I am following one Sunnah of Prophet will I get reward or should I cut my hair on my parents saying.
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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) had long hair till his shoulders; this is confirmed in a narration reported by Imaam Muslim may Allaah have mercy upon him but this was in accordance with people's customs and traditions and was not done an act of worship. Anyway, if one performs an act done by the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) that has a relation with the customs, but he did it with the intention of imitating the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) then he will be rewarded for doing so.

Nonetheless, it is not permissible to keep one's hair long in order to imitate the non-Muslims and dissolute people, or other evil purposes. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Whoever imitates a people, he is one of them." [Abu Daawood] Also, Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with him said: "The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) cursed men who imitate women." [Al-Bukhari]

As regards the order of the parents to their child to keep his hair short out of fear to imitate dissolute people, then the child is obliged to obey them since they did not order him to commit a sin, and since this does not cause him any harm. Ibn Taymiyyah may Allaah have mercy upon him said: 'A person is obliged to obey his parents even if they are dissolute as long as they do not order him to disobey Allaah; this is also the view of Imaam Ahmad may Allaah have mercy upon him. This is if there is an expected benefit for them and no expected harm as a result, and he is obliged to obey them even if it is difficult for him but it does not cause any harm on him, otherwise no [if he is harmed].'

It might be that Allaah will reward you more for obeying your parents than for imitating the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) in a matter related to the customs or he did habitually. 

Allaah Knows best.

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