Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
Are dreadlocks permitted in Islam?
Answer:
In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for your question.
Dreadlocks are matted coils of hair.
Islamically, braids, plaits and dreadlocks for women are permissible. However, it is considered disliked (makrūh) or not suitable for Muslim men. There are also issues with islamic cleanliness and purity.
If the dreadlocks have a religious connotation to them, it will be prohibited.
The narrations that point out the Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings upon him) having four braids is usually explained in the context of travel, military expeditions or difficult scenarios where it was cumbersome to care for his long hair. (See: Fatḥ Al-Bārī)
And Allāh Knows Best