Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah
Question:
What’s the ruling of men braiding their hair?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Sayyidatuna Umm Hani (رضى الله عنها) is reported to have said that:
رأيت رسول الله ﷺ ذا ضفائر أربع
I saw the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) of Allah, whilst he had four braids (on his hair)”.1
The Ahadith point out that the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had four braids is usually explained in the context of travel, which is the state of being busy and the like, (where it was burdensome to care for his صلى الله عليه وسلم hair). 2
The condition for braids for men is that they cannot imitate the braids of women or of non-Muslims in any way.
In the aforementioned case, it is permissible for a man to braid his hair.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Syed Johir Miah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 Ash-Shamail Muhammadiyyah, Tirmizi, Hadith Number 31, 50/1, Al-Maktabatut Tijariyyah, Makkatul Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia, 1413 H.
2 فَحاصِلُ الخَبَرِ أنَّ شَعْرَهُ طالَ حَتّى صارَ ذَوائِبَ فَضَفَّرَهُ أرْبَعَ عَقائِصَ وهَذا مَحْمُولٌ عَلى الحالِ الَّتِي يَبْعُدُ عَهْدُهُ بِتَعَهُّدِهِ شَعْرَهُ فِيها وهِيَ حالَةُ الشُّغْلِ بِالسَّفَرِ ونَحْوِهِ واللَّهُ أعْلَمُ
Fathul Bari, Ibn Hajar, 360/10, Darul Ma’rifah, Beirut, Lebanon. 1379 H.