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What is the ruling on removing hair that grows between the hair of the head and the eyebrows?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Scholars divide hair removal into three categories:

1. That which is commanded to be removed or shortened: These are the Sunan al-Fitra (practices of natural disposition) such as pubic hair, trimming the mustache, plucking armpit hair, and shaving or shortening the hair of the head during Hajj and Umrah. The proof for this is the Hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "Ten are the acts of Fitra: trimming the mustache, letting the beard grow..."

2. That which is commanded to be forbidden from removal: Such as eyebrow hair (al-Nams) and beard hair. The proof for this is the Hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him): "May Allah curse the tattooists... and the namisat (those who pluck eyebrows) and the mutanammisat (those for whom eyebrows are plucked)..." and the Hadith of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): "Be different from the polytheists; let your beards grow and trim your mustaches." Al-Nams is forbidden unless a woman grows a beard or mustache, in which case it is recommended to remove them.

3. That which is left unmentioned: Such as hair on the legs, arms, cheeks, and forehead. Scholars differ on this; some forbid its removal, considering it an alteration of Allah's creation, while others permit it because it is among that which is left unmentioned. The latter is the choice of the Permanent Committee and Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen, so it is permissible for a woman to remove hair from her mustache, thighs, legs, and arms, and it is permissible to pluck hair between the eyebrows because it is not part of them. The forbidden Nams is specifically the removal of hair from the eyebrows.

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

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