How can one verify the soundness of the ijtihad that prohibits plucking eyebrow hair, especially with questions surrounding this prohibition, such as: 1. If plucking eyebrows is not altering Allah's creation and is permissible with the husband's permission, then why is it not permissible for a woman to remove it for herself without her husband's permission, especially since the justifications may be personal and relate to her comfort and beauty? And how is this matter linked to marriage while it concerns both single and married women alike? 2. Does the ruling of prohibition apply to all forms of eyebrow plucking, including the removal of scattered hairs that cause discomfort to a woman, taking into consideration that this is considered cleaning and not altering the thickness or original shape of the eyebrow? 3. How can it be believed that the majority of Muslim women who remove eyebrow hair—which is a common practice—are considered cursed and expelled from Allah's mercy, including virtuous women who are committed to the rituals of faith?
Plucking (al-Namṣ) is forbidden for both married and unmarried women, even if the husband gives permission. It is a change in Allah's creation sought for the sake of beauty, and this is the correct ruling on the matter. What the questioner mentioned, that refraining from plucking diminishes a woman's femininity, is a reckless and fallacious claim. True beauty is that which conforms to the Sharia, not personal taste. If eyebrow hair is thick or long in a way that disfigures and causes harm, it is permissible to remove from it only the amount that eliminates the disfigurement and harm.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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