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Is the use of "kohl al-ithmid" considered part of the Sunnah, and what is its definition, where can it be found, and is the red kohl labeled "ithmid" truly the ithmid mentioned in the Hadith?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

First, Ithmid is a type of kohl, a black stone with a reddish tinge, found in several regions, and considered the best quality.

Second, it is stated in the noble Sunnah of the Prophet that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used kohl and encouraged applying kohl with Ithmid. The hadiths mentioned its benefits, such as: "It clears the vision and grows hair." Scholars have clarified that Ithmid strengthens the eyesight, cleanses the eye, and removes impurities from it.

Third, kohl is an adornment for women, so it is not permissible for a woman to display it in front of non-mahram men. As for men, it is recommended to use it to strengthen vision and cleanse the eye, not for beautification. A young man is prohibited from using it if there is a fear of temptation.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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