Islamic marriage advice and family advice

Is it haram to have your hair styled, dyed or cut by a hermaphrodite?

Transgender and Islam

Transgender and Islam

Salaam,

I'm new to this so I don't know if this is how I'm supposed to use this or not, but I recently moved to an Asian country and there are a lot of  hermaphrodites here, I went to a hair salon and there was one working there too. I was wondering if it would be haram for me to get him to cut my hair if he has no  gender, or in this case if he has both genders?

Najma


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28 Responses »

  1. All I can say is that if Allah has created that person then how can he or she be harram? May Allah forgive you for your thought, I suppose your forgetting one day you could have a child who may not be normal, you should never think of Allah's creation as haraam.

    • Actually, she's asking if its haram for them to cut her hair and not whether they are haram.

      @OP- I'm clueless too on how you found out that they are herma... In most cases they can be gays which makes it haram for them to cut your hair. I remember last year when I went to philippines, I visited a place for massage. The person who was going to massage me was a guy it seems, but then their voice is like a girl, they talk too much and they have body shape which put me in a state of confusion and so me and my friend told them we don't need massage and just left. So sister Najma, avoid falling in confused state and ask them for a female worker.

      • If you are not aware, most massage parlors are fronts for prostitution - and it does not matter if the person performing the massage is male or female. Typically, they will try different moves to see if you are interested in something more than massage.

        • Yea, I heard of it. If thats true then not 'most' massage parlors, I guess it depends on country, place and time maybe. Maybe its common in US, Europe and far-east Asia. Here in middle-east, I've been going to various massage parlors since like 3 years and there are no any suspicious activities. And on top of that we have male massagers who won't do anything stupid and also we have the 'shu'on' and/or 'taftish' (I don't know whats it in english) that comes to investigate/check any business places for corruption or malpractive or violence or fraud etc here in mid-east.

          • Ali, "the Middle East" is a big place, and you did not specify the country you are living in. I can tell you, though, that massage parlors are commonly used for prostitution, even in the Middle East. If you have found a legitimate place, then okay...but I would not personally step inside one to find out.

          • I guess there is a high possibility in Dubai. I live in Kuwait. Is it common in your country ? I mean, can't the police find out ?. Here in Kuwait, there are many shisha bars, and the workers of some bars are asian women who wear highly inappropriate clothes and so some people call the cops and complained, and so once the 'shu'on' or 'taftish' came along with the cops, they shut it down and deport those female workers just like they did a few weeks back. The best thing here in Kuwait is that if we see any suspicious activity, one call to 112 will do the job for us. Like all countries, Kuwait is not free from prostitution but they do not take business areas as far as I'm aware and the police are very strict against them that many were deported when home raid was done.

      • @Ali He isn't gay, and he told me so himself. It's better business for him if people know he isn't a full man because a lot of womens husbands feel more comfortable knowing that fact.

        @Zobia, yes please read my question properly and then judge what I'M asking. And we're close friends so I'm not saying anything bad about him.....

  2. Salaams,

    The above poster is right. People cannot help how they are born. In any case, I can't help but wonder how you know these individuals are hermaphrodites, assuming they are clothed regularly? You can't tell by looking at someone (unless they happen to be naked) if they have one set of genitals, or two, or none, or the right one, or the wrong one.

    I am wondering if you are seeing homosexual or transgender hairdressers and assuming they are hermaphrodites?

    My best advice to you is to try and find a sister who cuts hair to come to your house and do the trims. The bigger issue with a lady who is getting her hair cut is that it often has to be done in public at a salon, where she is revealing her awra to others (even if the hairdresser is female). I've also heard that any salon that offers services for plucking/waxing eyebrows or weaving in extensions of hair or fitting for wigs could possibly be cursed, because those activities are cursed. It's much better to avoid places that may be under the wrath of Allah, so that's why it's better to have a sister come to you for haircuts than go looking for a salon.

    -Amy
    IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  3. assalam'alaikum,
    Im not too sure if u really mean who hermaphrodite really are. No offence but u could b a bit confused hence ill give u my opinion on the basis of my experience.

    I dont know if its true or a myth but a lot of guys who work in the fashion industry or as hair dressers or makup artists are gay men (not all). many men behave like women even if they dress like men and they are extremely prefessional as believed. A lot of women feel comfortable working in close proximity as their clients or their collegues as we assume that they have different sexual preference than 'men' in general. i.e they r homosexuals. One such gay man was my hair stylist many yrs ago and i felt very safe and comfortable with him until my husband objected to it and i had change my hair dresser. His argument was, how did i just assume that he preffered men and women just by the way he spoke or behave in general or that he wasnt a bisexual? so my perseption that it is halal to allow a gay person touch ur hair was actually challenged for good.

    if u really know what hermaphrodite are ( people with both male and female genitals) then firstly i dont know how u figured that out unless they told u which is odd and secondly yes it is haram anyway coz he is technically half male. i could b wrong, but sis to b on the safe side find urself a female hairdresser.

  4. Salam Najma,
    Why not just avoid this problem by seeing a female hairdresser?

    • Salaam,

      I'm currently in Islamabad, and they cheat here a lot. My auntie went to a salon and they ruined her hair. This the only salon I've found that has the hair dye i used to use in Australia. If I had the option of going to a female I would've.

  5. Salam sister,

    I think you should consider going to female stylist, this will make you feel more comfortable. He is not mehram so I guess it is not right to get him to touch your hair etc. But a female stylist will be best in your case.

    • Salaam

      I'm currently in Islamabad, and they cheat here a lot. My auntie went to a salon and they ruined her hair. This the only salon I've found that has the hair dye i used to use in Australia. If I had the option of going to a female I would've.

  6. How on earth can you know if they are a hermaphrodite? They are only cutting your hair, this is their job, this is how they earn their money. Maybe you should consider being less judgemental unless you know a person.

  7. To all the people who think I'm being judgemental. I'm not. I recently started wearing hijaab so I'm very cautious now as to who sees my hair and who doesn't.

    I know he is a hermaphrodite because he told me himself and he has breasts while he looks and talks like a man, I know he isn't just gay because I have had gay freinds before and know the difference.

    I wanted to know if it would be okay to take off my hijaab because in Islamabad there isn't a lot of places that know the styles and colours I want. And he is the only one who has Paul Mitchell hair dye and his female colleages don't dye hair they just style them........

    • Y dont u ask a local imam? or even better ask a female alim (alima) she will b able to guide u better. As far as i have heard hair extensions r haram just like eyebrow plucking and tattoo making. so just in case if u doubt that ask an alima ir check other authentic sources where u can read the hadith on it.

      i can see how eager u are to get ur beauty treatment done so i hope u find a good experienced female haidresser who would b able suit ur requirements soon or get a correct guidance on this matter insha Allah.
      Good luck for the rocking new look.

      • Thank you, but I can't find any here, also with the language barrier (I know english and they speak Urdu) I can't find the help I need. But what if the hair extensions are clip ons? Is it still haraam then?

        • salaam Najma ,

          Any source of fake hair extensions is haram to wear ..

          It is said that to join one’s hair with the hair of another human is unlawful (haram), whether it is one’s own (removed) hair or someone else’s hair.

  8. Assalamualaikum sister Najma,

    Do not feel bad about people thinking you were judgemental. Your question was valid and very much Islamic. It was something that was a concern with the mothers of the believers - Radiyallahu Anhunna, wives of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

    He actually observed them (the hermaphrodites), so as to see whether they can be allowed to enter upon women or not. Read these Ahadeeth:

    It was narrated that `Aishah Radiyallahu Anha said: ``A hermaphrodite used to enter upon the wives of the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ and they regarded him as one of those who are without desire. The Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ came in one day when he was with one of his wives, and he was describing a woman. He said: ``She shows four folds when facing you and eight when she turns her back.'' The Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ said: ``I see that he knows about these things. He should not enter upon you.'' She said: ``(After this) they observed Hijâb before him.'' (Muslim)

    And in Sunan Abu Dawood:

    It was narrated from Umm Salamah Radiyallahu Anha that the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ entered upon her, and there was a hermaphrodite with her, who was saying to her brother `Abdullâh: ``If Allâh grants victory over At-Tâ'if tomorrow, I will show you a woman whose front has four, and whose behind has eight.'' The Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ said: ``Expel them from your houses.'' ( Sahih ) Abu Dâwud said: That woman had four rolls of fat in her midsection.

    There were also instances where men imitating women were banished from the city, during the time of Rasoolullah Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam.

    So if a hermaphrodite is such that he observes a woman in this way, a woman must not be alone with him and you must not have your hair styled by him.

    However, it depends on how important your requirement is. For example, if there is no female doctor for delivery, a male doctor is allowed to come in picture. Hair style and beautification are not something if you do not do, you won't survive. And if you take care of this for the sake of Allah, then in sha Allah, your Lord May also be Pleased.

    I advise you to look elsewhere for a female alternative. If you look for a particular product, can you not buy it from the market and ask someone to help you use it? I am sure there will be alternatives, in some way or other.

    Abu Abdul Bari
    IslamicAnswers.com Editor

    • Thankyou so much! This is the exact answer I needed. Although if I do still go what would be the largeness of the sin?

      • That is not a question you should ask, my dear sister. Sins are sins, and we must strive to keep away from them to the extent possible, even if it seems insignificant. Many small sins can make it a big sin, so we must worry about that and fear Allah.

        However, I forgot to mention that hermaphrodites are of two kinds: those inclined to femininity and those inclined to masculinity. I personally understand from the hadith quoted above that the hermaphrodite in question was inclined to masculinity due to the way he described the woman and hence the women observed hijab from him like they did from other men.

        But if a hermaphrodite is inclined to femininity, there is no problem, but we must see what signs we find, to ascribe them to a particular gender.

        Bear in mind that this is my personal opinion, as I understand it myself.

        Abu Abdul Bari
        IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  9. I dont think you have to go there.
    Find someone else who is a real girl

    our Prophet Mohammed (Peace upon him) says
    "The true and wrong is clear however there are other things suspicious who doesn't come close to suspicious protects his religion"

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