Did Prophet Muhammad Have Long Hair? Read This! - Guidelines Islamic Law

Did Prophet Muhammad Have Long Hair?

Hi all readers! Are you looking for an explanation about "did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?"? If your answer is “Yes”, congratulations! Now you are reading the right article. Why? Because that is what I will explain in this article. As Muslims, we must understand that. That's why I wrote this article. So, you should read it to the end!

Specifically, there are three important points about “did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?” which I will explain in this article. The three important things I mean are as follows:

Did Prophet Muhammad Have Long Hair?

The first important thing about “did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?” what I'm going to explain now is a specific answer. So, I hope you guys read the explanation below very well.

Before I give you the answer, I would like to quote two hadiths that are specifically related to this discussion. The two hadiths I am referring to are as follows:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِى شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيْدُ بْنُ هَارُوْنَ أنْبَأَنَا جَزِيْرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ كَانَ شَعْرُ رَسُوْلِ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَعْرًا رَجِلاً بَيْنَ أُذُنَيْهِ وَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ

Ibn Majah narrated from Abu Bakr bin Abu Syaibah, from Yazid bin Harun, from Jazir bin Hazim, from Qatadah, from Anas, "The hair of Allah's Messenger (Prophet Muhammad) was straight and curly, and fell between his ears and shoulders". This hadith was narrated by Ibn Majah.

عَنِ الْبَرَّاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ يَقُوْلُ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ ذِيْ لِمَّةٍ أَحْسَنَ مِنْهُ وَفِيْ رِوَايَةٍ كَانَ يَضْرِبُ شَعْرَهُ مَنْكِبَيْهِ

From Bara' bin Azib, he said, "I have never seen a hair that goes beyond the tips of anyone's ears that is better than the (hair) of Allah's Messenger (Prophet Muhammad)." In another narration it is explained, "The hair of the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) reached his shoulders."

All readers! If we understand the two hadiths above, we can conclude that the Prophet Muhammad had long hair. So, if you ask me, "did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?", the answer is "Yes. He has long hair." There are several important things about it which I will explain at the end of the discussion in this article.

That's a brief explanation of "did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?". As Muslims, we must understand that.

Is it Sunnah to Have Long Hair?

The second important point about “did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?” what I will explain now is "is it sunnah to have long hair?". I want you to understand that because it is one of the important questions about long hair in Islam that must be well understood. In addition, there are some Muslims who do not understand it well.

Before I explain about "is it sunnah to have long hair?", I want you to understand the meaning of sunnah in Islam first. The goal is for you to understand this discussion very well.

Meaning of Sunnah in Islam

In Islam, in general, sunnah is everything related to the Prophet Muhammad. We can find this explanation in the description below:

كُلُّ مَا نُقِلَ عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ - صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مِنْ أَقْوَالٍ وَأَفْعَالٍ وَتَقْرِيْرٍ ، وَصِفَاتٍ خَلْقِيَّةٍ وَخُلُقِيَّةٍ، سَوَاءً أَكَانَ ذَلِكَ قَبْلَ الْبِعْثَةِ أَمْ بَعْدَهَا

Everything that is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, such as sayings, deeds, decisions, attributes of creation and ethics, either before he was sent as a Prophet and Messenger or after that.

That is one of the definitions of sunnah according to hadith experts.

You can find an explanation of the sunnah in the hadith below:

مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَلَهُ أَجْرُهَا وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَوِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْءٌ

Whoever sets an example of good habits in Islam, then he will get his reward and the reward of those who imitate that deed, without reducing their reward in the slightest. And whoever gives an example of a bad habit, then he will get his sin, and the sin of those who follow him without reducing their sin in the slightest.

If we understand some of the explanations above, then we can conclude that having long hair is a sunnah. Why? Because the Prophet Muhammad had long hair. One important thing that we must understand is that having long hair is not an obligation for Muslims. So, if they don't have long hair, they are not sinful.

That's a brief explanation of "is it sunnah to have long hair?". As Muslims, we must understand that.

Long Hair or Short Hair: Which Is Better for Muslims Today?

The third important point about “did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?” what I will explain now is “long hair or short hair: which is better for Muslims today?” I want you to understand that at the end of this discussion because it is one of the important questions that must be well understood.

In the previous few paragraphs, I have explained that Prophet Muhammad had long hair and that having long hair is a sunnah. But one important question that is often asked by some Muslims is: is it better for Muslim men today to have long hair or short hair?

To be honest, if we read some Islamic legal literature on this subject, we will not find a specific answer about it. Personally, when I was studying at Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, I saw the male lecturers there have short hair. I also see the majority of Islamic scholars in various countries, especially in Indonesia, my country, have short hair.

So, if you ask me, "are Muslim men today better off having long hair or short hair?", the answer is what is better where they live. If in their place long hair is considered a good thing, a polite thing, and a beautiful thing, then they are allowed to have long hair. But if in their place short hair is considered a good thing, a polite thing, and a beautiful thing, then they are allowed to have short hair. Beauty should be the standard.

We can find the obligation to make beauty the standard to answer the question (are Muslim men today better off having long hair or short hair?) in the hadith below:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ :‏ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَجُلٌ : إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏:‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ ‏

From Abdullah bin Mas'ud, from the Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. He said, "He will not enter Paradise in whose heart there is an arrogance as heavy as a grain of dust." Someone asked, "Indeed, everyone likes (to wear) beautiful clothes and good footwear, (is this considered arrogant?). He (Prophet Muhammad) said: "Verily Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty, arrogance is rejecting the truth and demeaning others.

That's a brief explanation of “long hair or short hair: which is better for Muslims today?” As Muslims, we must understand that.

All readers! That's a brief explanation of "did Prophet Muhammad have long hair?" and some important things about it. Do you understand? If you want to ask, please ask!

I think that's enough for this article. Hope it is useful. Amen.

See you again in the next article!