Is It Haram to Dye Your Eyebrows?

Dying the hair and eyelashes

It is permissible to dye the hair and eyebrows any colour except black , with substances that do not cause harm, such as henna and the like. It is permissible to dye the eyelashes black .

Is permanent dye of the eyelashes changing the creation of Allah?

If this dye is permanent and will last, then it comes under the heading of changing the creation of Allah , may He be exalted, and in that case it is haram.

Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“With regard to all of these matters, the hadiths indicate that the one who does them is cursed, and that they are major sins.

There was a difference of opinion concerning the reason for which it is forbidden.

It was said that it is because it comes under the heading of deception,

and it was said that it is because it comes under the heading of changing the creation of Allah, may He be exalted, as Ibn Mas‘ud said. This is more sound, and it includes the first reason.

Moreover, it was said that what is prohibited is only that which is permanent, because it comes under the heading of changing the creation of Allah, may He be exalted. As for that which is not permanent, such as kohl which is used by women for the purpose of beautification, the scholars deemed it permissible.” (Tafsir al-Qurtubi (5/393)

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:

It is very common among people – especially women – to use some chemical substances and natural herbs which change the colour of the skin so that, after applying those chemical substances or natural herbs, the dark skin becomes white, and so on. Are there any shar‘i reservations concerning that? Please note that some husbands demand their wives to use those chemical substances and natural herbs, on the grounds that it is obligatory for a woman to beautify herself for her husband.

He replied:

“If this change is permanent, then it is haram and is in fact a major sin, because it is worse in terms of changing the creation of Allah than tattooing. It is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he cursed the woman who does hair extensions and the woman who has that done, and the woman who does tattooing and the woman who has that done. In as-Sahihayn, it is narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: May Allah curse the women who do tattoos and those for whom tattoos are done, those who pluck their eyebrows and those for whom that is done, and those who file their teeth for the purpose of beautification and alter the creation of Allah. And he said: Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed?

What is meant by the one who does hair extensions is one who adds hair or something that resembles it to hair that is short.

What is meant by the one who does tattoos is the one who makes tattoos on the skin by pricking the skin with a needle or similar tool, then filling it with kohl or similar substances that change the colour of the skin.

What is meant by the one who plucks eyebrows is one who plucks any hair from the face, either for herself or for someone else.

What is meant by filing the teeth is creating gaps between them. All of the things mentioned here come under the heading of changing the creation of Allah.

What is mentioned in the question is worse in terms of changing the creation of Allah , may He be exalted, than that which is mentioned in the hadith.

But if this change is not permanent, such as henna and the like, then there is nothing wrong with it, because it will fade. This is like using kohl, rouge or lipstick .

What we must do is avoid and warn against changing the creation of Allah, and spread this warning among the ummah, so that evil will not spread and become established, after which it will be difficult to change it.” (Majmu‘ Fatawa ash-Shaykh al-‘Uthaymin, 17/20)

He (may Allah have mercy on him) was also asked: Recently there have appeared medicines which make a dark-skinned woman look white. Is using them or similar medicines haram on the grounds that it is changing the appearance?

He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied:

“Yes, it is haram so long as the changing of the colour of the skin is permanent, because it is akin to tattooing , and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed the woman who does tattoos and the woman who asks for that to be done…”  (Fatawa Nur ‘ala ad-Darb)

And Allah knows best.