Dyeing Beard

Question:

Assalamu Alykum, There are some premature white hairs on my beard, and – Allāh willing – my wedding is in the following month, so am I allowed to dye them so that they don’t stand out as much?

Answer:

Wa alaikum Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

You may apply orange, yellow, saffron or brown colouring to your beard, however one is prevented from colouring it black. It is stated in a Hadīth of the renowned Sahīh Muslim,

“غَیِّرُوا ھذا بشیٍ واجْتَنِبُوْا السوادَ”

“Change it with something (i.e. red henna) and avoid black.”

[Sahīh Muslim, p. 1164, Hadīth no. 2102]

Moreover, it is stated in a Hadīth of the respected Sunan Nasā’ī,

“یَاتِیْ نَاسٌ یَخْضَبُوْنَ بِالسَّوَادِ کَحَواصِلِ الْحَمَامِ لَایُرِیْحُوْنَ رَائِحَۃَ الْجَنَّۃِ”

“There will be some (people) who will dye their hair black like the chests of pigeons at the end of time, but they will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise.”

[Sunan Nasā’ī, vol. 8, p. 138]

And Allah knows Best

Mufti Umer Farooq Saleem