Can I use black hair dye to cover my white hair at 16?

You may dye your hair in colours besides black.

The use of black dye to conceal grey/white hair is makrooh-e-Tahrimi (severely reprehensible and sinful). Imam Muslim has reported a Hadith in his ‘Sahih’ on the authority of Hazrat Jabir (R.A) that when Abu Quhafah (father of Abu Bakar (R.A) embraced Islam at the conquest of Makkah, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) commanded him to dye his white hair but at the same time prohibited him from using black dye.

The underlying reason for it’s prohibition is that it resembles the original black colour of the hair. In other words it is a form of deception and delusion.

Another Hadith with regards to the prohibition of black-dye, narrated in Abu Dawood and Nasa’ee – Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said,

“In the latter era (i.e. prior to Qiyamah) many people will use a black dye which resembles a dove’s crop. Such people won’t even smell the fragrance of Paradise.”

Allah (SWT) Knows Best.

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(Mufti) Abdullah Patel
Halal Food Guide