I read you said it is permissible for a female to apply relaxer to strighten her hair. but my question is for an african woman, the nature of her hair is curled so if she applies a cream or relaxer to straighten it, wouldnt that be changing the nature of what Allah has created,which is what is alluded to in Q Nisaai : 119. please i would appreciate you answer this question with adeqate references because i am confused about this.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The verse of the Qur’an you refer to is:
وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمۡ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمۡ وَلَأَمُرَنَّهُمۡ فَلَيُبَتِّڪنَّ ءَاذَانَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ وَلَأَمُرَنَّہمۡ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلۡقَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ وَلِيًّ۬ا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ خَسِرَ خُسۡرَانً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا
“And I (Shaitan) will lead them astray, and I will tempt them with false hopes, and I will command them, whereby they shall slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them, whereby they shall alter the creation of Allah.” Whoever the Shaitan as a friend instead of Allah incurs an obvious loss. (Surah Nisa: Ayah: 119)
Hazrat Mufti Taqi Usmani Saheb explains Taghyeer (altering) as follows:
“Any changes made to the body, by the removal of something or addition of something, in a way that it is permanent and giving an impression that it is part of the original creation, is considered changing (the creation of Allah) and is prohibited. As for the adornment a women adopts for the sake of her husband, like reddening the hands [with henna], the lips, or cheeks [with makeup, etc.], which does not create a confusion with the real creation, it will not come under the prohibition according to the overwhelming majority (jamhur) of scholars.” [1]
Accordingly, straightening the hair with the aid of various hair products is temporary and does not fall under the prohibition of the verse in reference.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Abdullah ibn Mohammed Aijaz
Student Darul Iftaa
Baltimore, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.