Shamâ´il al-Muhammadiyyah [Part 20] - The Prophet Dyeing his Hair

2/46 Sufyân ibn Wakî` narrated to us; my father narrated to us; from Sharîk; from `Uthmân ibn Mawhab who said that Abû Hurayrah was asked,

'Did the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) dye his hair?' He replied, 'Yes.'[1] Abû `isâ said, 'This hadîth was also reported by Abû `Awânah; from `Uthmân ibn `Abdullâh ibn Mawhab who said; from Umm Salamah.' [2]

"Abû `خsâ said, 'This hadîth was also reported by Abû `Awânah; from `Uthmân ibn `Abdullâh ibn Mawhab who said; from Umm Salamah.'" (Q) Bukhârî also records on the authority of `Uthmân ibn `Abdullâh ibn Mawhab who said, 'I entered upon Umm Salamah and she brought out a hair of the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) which was dyed.' Ibn Mâjah and Ahmad add, "…with henna and al-katam." al-Ismâ`îlî records that 'a hair from the beard of the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) was in the possession of Umm Salamah and it had on it the traces of henna and al-katam.'


(Q) The fact that they were in the possession of some Companions, dyed, is not a proof that the Prophet (SAW) himself dyed them. (MS) ad-Dâruquţnî records in Rijâl Mâlik, and it is also to be found in his Gharâ´ib Mâlik, on the authority of Abû Hurayrah that when the Prophet (SAW) passed away, whoever had any of his hairs would dye them so as to preserve them and make them last longer.[3]


3/47 Ibrâhîm ibn Hârûn narrated to us; an-Nadr ibn Zurârah informed us; from Abû Janâb; from Iyâd ibn Laqîţ; from al-Jahdamah, the wife of Bashîr ibn al-Khaŝâŝiyyah who said,

I saw the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) leaving his house while wiping his head after having had a bath. He had dyed his head with saffron (rad`) henna or a thick smearing of henna (radgh). [4] The doubt arose from the Shaykh [i.e. the narrator of the hadîţh].

(Q,M) an-Nadr: ibn Hajr said he was mastûr. Abû Janâb: some declared him da`îf because of his frequent tadlîs.


4/48 `Abdullâh ibn `Abdur-Rahmân narrated to us; `Amr ibn `Aŝim narrated to us; Hammâd ibn Salamah narrated to us; Humayd narrated to us; from Anas who said,

I saw the hair of the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) dyed. [5]

5/49 Hammâd and `Abdullâh ibn Muhammad ibn `Aqîl said,

I saw the hair of the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) with Anas ibn Mâlik, and it was dyed. [6]

"I saw the hair of the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) with Anas ibn Mâlik, and it was dyed." (MS) This hadîth of Anas contradicts an earlier hadîth from him stating that the Prophet (SAW) did not dye his hair. In some narrations of that hadiţh the wording is, "The Prophet (SAW) never dyed his hair." The reconciliation of these two ahâdîth can be found in the report which mentions that 'Anas ibn Mâlik came to Madînah when `Umar ibn `Abdu-l-`Azîz was its governor. `Umar sent a messenger to him to ask him if the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) had dyed his hair for he had seen some of his hair coloured. Anas replied, "The Messenger of Allâh (SAW) was blessed with black hair, and if I had wished to count what had appeared in his head and beard of white hairs, I would not have counted more than eleven. This colour that you saw came about because of the perfume that he (SAW) would employ." Recorded by al-Hâkim who said it had a ŝahîh isnâd and adh-Dhahabî agreed.[7] Bukhârî records on the authority of ar-Rabî`ah who said, 'I saw one of his hairs and it was red so I asked about it and it was said: it was red on account of perfume.'[8]


However this negation of Anas contradicts the affirmation of his (SAW) dyeing his hair narrated from other Companions, and these are reconciled by the words of an-Nawawî that have preceded. A similar reconciliation was mentioned by al-Hâfiz, al-Fath and before him by ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâyah.[9]

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1. The author was alone in recording it.
2. Bukhârî.
3. Ibn Hajr [6/708].
4. The author was alone in recording it. (A) The isnâd is da`îf: it contains an-Nadr who is mastûr and Abû Janâb who is a mudallis.
5. he author was alone in recording it.
6. Hadîth #48.
7. Albânî, Mukhtaŝar Shamâ´il
8. Bukhârî.
9. Albânî, Mukhtaŝar Shamâ´il