Why is eyebrow plucking (al-namṣ) forbidden in general, when it is mentioned in Lisān al-ʿArab that al-namṣ is "shortening the feathers and making the hair thin and fine until it looks like down (al-zaghab), and a man is anmaṣ, meaning he has no eyebrows"? Does this mean that the forbidden al-namṣ is thinning the eyebrows to the point of down, while removing scattered hairs – expressed as al-tazjīj – is not forbidden?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The linguistic meaning of the word "namṣ" is not limited to the fineness and thinness of hair, but also includes plucking hair from the face. "Tanammus" is the act of removing eyebrow hair with a thread for plucking. The disagreement among jurists regarding the ruling on "namṣ" depends on other matters, such as hair removal by means other than plucking, their distinction between a married and an unmarried woman, and between what is for adornment or for treatment.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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