Makruh Tucking Up and Tying His Hair in Solah

Makruh Tucking Up and Tying His Hair in Solah

There are some who keep long hair would tuck up the hair and tied it back during congregation solah.  Some says it is prohibited for men to do so. Does this include the women?  Please enlighten us on this issue.

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-‘ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, is His Messenger

Firstly:  The fuqaha' view it as makrūh for a man to perform Solah with his hair tucked up, which means that he gathers his hair together and ties it back, thus preventing it from prostrating with him. 

The prohibition in this case means that it is disliked according to the opinion of the majority of scholars; it does not mean that it is harām or prohibited.

It says in al-Mawū‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (26/109): “The fuqaha’ are unanimously agreed that it is makrūh to tie back the hair when performing solah. What is meant by tying back is wrapping the braid around the head as women do, or gathering the hair and tying it at the back of the head. This is makrūh but if a person performs solah in such way, his solah is still valid”.  

Imam An-Nawawi (rahimahullāh) said: “The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is not permissible to perform solah with one's sleeves or garment rolled up and the like, or with one's hair braided or with one's hair wrapped up beneath the turban and so on. All of that is not permissible according to the consensus of the scholars, and it is makrūh in the sense of being discouraged and not proper. If a person performs that way, he has done something wrong but his solah is still valid.”  [Sharh Sahih Muslim, 209.] 

Secondly: This ruling applies only to men, not women, because when praying the woman is commanded to cover herself and if we were to tell the woman to undo her hair when praying or let her braids prostrate with her, as we tell men to do, that might lead to it (her hair) becoming uncovered whilst praying, and it is not permissible to uncover it because it is ‘awrah. But the hair of a man is not ‘awrah, as is quite obvious. 

Imam Al-Ghazali (rahimahullāh) said: “A man should not pray with his hair tied back. This prohibition applies only to men.”  [Ihya’ ‘Ulum ad-Deen, 1/156]

 Ash-Shawkāni (rahimahullāh) said:  Al-‘Iraqi (rahimahullāh) said that this applies only to men, not women, because women’s hair is ‘awrah and must be covered when praying; if a woman were to leave her hair undone, it might come loose and become difficult to cover, which would render her solah invalid. Moreover, it is difficult for a woman to undo her hair for the solah, and we know that the Prophet  (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) granted them a concession allowing them not to undo their braids when doing ghusul, even though there is a need to make all of the hair wet, as stated above. [Nayl al-Awtaar, 2/393]

Az-Zarkashi (rahimahullāh) said: We should note that this issue (tying back the hair when praying) applies only to men. With regard to women, the command to undo the braid causes hardship and is contrary to beautification.  [Asna ul-Matālib, 1/163] 

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) said about a man who was praying with his hair tied [i.e. tied up or plaited.] behind him: “His example is surely like that of someone who observes solat with his hands bound (behind his back)”. [Muslim, Abu ‘Awānah and Ibn Hibban. Ibn al-Āthir says, “The meaning of this hādith is that were his hair loose, it would fall on the ground when in sajdah; hence, the man would be rewarded for the prostration of the hair. However, if the hair is tied, it is effectively as though it did not prostrate, for he compared him to someone whose hands are shackled together, since they would then not lie on the ground in sajdah.”

It would seem that this instruction is limited to men and does not apply to women, as Shawkāni has quoted from Ibn al-‘Arabi.] He (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) also said: “That is the saddle of the devil, i.e. where the devil sits, referring to the knots in the hair”. [Abu Dawud and Tirmidzi, who declared it hasan; Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban, declared it sahih. See Sāhih Abi Dawud (653).]

Based on that, there is nothing wrong with a woman tucking her hair or tying it back when she is praying; she is not required to undo her braids.

In a hadith from  ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (radiyallāhu‘anhu) who reported: The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) used to supplicate: “Allāhumma inni as ‘alukal-Huda, Wat-Tuqa, Wal-‘Afafa, Wal-Ghina (O Allāh! I beseech You for Guidance, Piety, Chastity and Contentment).” [Muslim]. 

This du’a contains four words, the meanings and implications of which constitute its essence. These words are guidance, piety (fear of Allah), chastity and sufficiency.Guidance here means guidance at every turn of life and steadfastness on the path of truth. Fear of Allah is the greatest means of piety and strongest defense against sins. Chastity is the state of being free from what is unlawful. Self-sufficiency is the antonym of poverty and here it means the self-contentment. What it implies is that one should not care for what people possess. In view of all these qualities, the prayer of the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) mentioned in this Hadith is very comprehensive and valuable.

And Allah Almighty knows best.

[Via Islam Q&A (191300)]