Question:
Some people who live a lifestyle of using home remedies or organic and natural things (rather than commercial products that contains countless harmful chemicals) put coffee in their shampoo to darken their hair. For people who have black hair it makes it much more dark. Is this a way of cheating the Sunnah? As it is not permissible to colour hair black. Some may use molasses to darken grey hairs.
My question is, is it permissible to use natural products to darken hair?
Answer:
If one is using coffee to make the hair dark brown, not black, then it is fine to use. This is because dying the hair purely black is what is prohibited.
Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah said:
“Then there is something that suffices from this and it is to dye the hair with a dye that is not purely black nor purely red, rather is brown between black and red. So like that, he will be safe from falling into sin and he will be able to change the grey hair which the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam ordered”
[Liqaa Bab al-Maftooh no. 60]
And from what is mentioned on various websites, it seems that the coffee makes the hair dark brown, not black [See here]
Likewise, it is permissible for the one who is not grey-haired to use natural products which benefit the hair even if it may blacken the hair. This is because the one who uses these natural products is not intending to blacken the hair, but for its other benefits.
Shaikh Bin Baz rahimahullah was asked:
Question:
Oh Virtuous Shaikh Abdul-Aziz ibn Baz rahimahullah Assalamu Alayki wa Rahmatulllahi wa baraktuhu. As for what follows, some women use a mix to soften their hair. This mix contains henna and a combination of herbs. From these herbs is a herb that dyes the hair black. So what is the ruling on using this mix knowing that it is used to soften the hair and not to dye it black in terms that some of the women already have black hair. So what is the ruling on using it for a woman with black hair? Also, she may have some white hair growing, but she is not old in age and only using it to soften the hair? Benefit us by that and may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum wa rahmatulllahi wa baraktuhu. As for what follows, “there is no harm in using the paste mentioned to soften the hair if the woman using that is not grey-haired. As for if the woman is grey-haired, then it is not allowed to use what will make the grey hair black due to the statement of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam said:
غيروا هذا الشيب واجتنبوا السواد
Change it with something but avoid black.
[Saheeh Muslim no.2102]
May Allah facilitate for everyone. Was-Salamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa baraktuhu
And Allah knows best
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
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Question:
I have black hair. When I first started to use coffee in my hair I did it with the intention of promoting new hair growth. However, after I realized it darkened my hair, my intention changed.
Was that blameworthy?
Answer:
It means that if one using it is not intending to darken the hair but to soften the hair or grow it, then it is fine according to the Shaikh. As for intending later to use it for the black color, then that is not allowed since it is opposing the Ahaadith that prohibit dying black. So if this occurred, one would have to repent and not intend this in the future. And Allah knows best.
Answered by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
