There is no connection between fasting and cutting one’s nails or shaving one’s pubic hairs

Is there any truth that one should not cut their nails or shave the pubic hairs while fasting?

Praise be to Allaah.

These actions are not things that are obligatory for the fasting person in particular, but they are not things that go against fasting either. Rather the fasting person refrains from eating, drinking and having intercourse, which are things that invalidate the fast. He should also keep away from sins and bad things, such as backbiting and spreading slander, which reduce the reward for fasting. But with regard to cutting the nails and shaving the pubic hair, these are matters that pertain to the fitrah (natural state of man), which the Lawgiver said should not be left for more than forty days. They have nothing to do with the soundness of one’s fast.

And Allaah knows best.

Defining the extent of the pubic hair (al-‘aanah)

As Muslims we are required to shave pubic hair.
For a man, is this all the hair between his navel and his knees ? (i.e. all hair on the lower abdomen and thighs)

Praise be to Allaah.

Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath (10/343):

Al-Nawawi said: what is meant by al-‘aanah is the hair which is above and around the man’s penis, and the hair around the woman’s vagina. It was reported from Abu’l-‘Abbaas ibn Surayj that it is the hair that grows around the back passage. From all of this, we may understand that it is mustahabb to shave all the hair from the front and back and all around them. Shaving is mentioned because this is the most common method, but it is also permissible to remove hair by waxing, plucking, etc.

Abu Shaamah said: al-‘aanah is the hair that grows on the rakab, which is what is underneath the bulge of the abdomen and above the private parts. Or it was said that it is the exterior of the private parts; or the private part itself, whether of a man or a woman. It is mustahabb to remove the hair from the front and back, indeed it is more important to remove the hair from the back, lest any faeces get stuck to it and cannot be removed by cleaning it with water or with stones, tissues, etc. Depilatory agents (waxing, sugaring, etc.) may be used instead of shaving, or the hair may be plucked or cut. Ahmad was asked about removing the pubic hair with scissors. He said, “I hope this will be good enough.” He was asked, “What about plucking?” He said, “Could anyone do that?” Ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eed said: the scholars of the Arabic language said: “al-‘aanah is the hair that grows around the private part, or it was said that it is where the hair grows. This is what was meant in the report. Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi said: The pubic hair is the body hair which it is most important to remove, because it grows thick and dirt gets trapped in it. Ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eed said: it is as if those who said it is mustahabb to shave the hair around the back passage mentioned this by way of analogy.

And Allaah knows best.

Prayer of one who does not shave his pubic hair

Will the prayer of one who leaves his pubic hair and does not shave it for a month be accepted?

Praise be to Allaah.

Shaving the pubic hair – the hair that grows around the private    parts – is part of the sunan al-fitrah (actions that befit the natural state of man). They should not be left without shaving for more than forty days because of the proven hadeeth to that effect. However, leaving them for more than forty days does not have any effect on the validity of a person’s prayer, and to say that it does reflects ignorance of the pure sharee’ah.

Ruling on having pubic hair removed with a laser by a female doctor

I have too much hair in my armpits and around the private parts. Is it permissible to uncover it in the presence of a female doctor to remove it with a laser? Please note that the hair is very thick and it is too difficult to remove with a razor or by plucking, which irritates the skin.

Praise be to Allaah.

A woman is obliged to cover her ‘awrah before those for whom it is not permissible to see it. The woman’s ‘awrah with regard to other women is the area between the navel and the knee, according to the majority of fuqaha’.

It is permissible to uncover the ‘awrah in cases of necessity, such as medical treatment, but that is conditional upon the treatment being absolutely necessary in the case of the most private part of the ‘awrah.

Based on that, there is nothing wrong with removing armpit hair with a laser, so long as that will not cause any harm.

With regard to having pubic hair removed by a female doctor, that is subject to the condition that there be a real need for that, such as if there is a lot of hair, and other methods such as plucking or shaving will not work, and you cannot remove it yourself by using a laser under the doctor’s instructions, so as to avoid her looking at your ‘awrah.

Al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Covering the ‘awrah and pudenda is obligatory and is one of the best of customs, especially for non-mahram women. But it is permissible in cases of necessity and need. Examples of need include each spouse looking at the other, or doctors looking in the event that medical treatment is required. Examples of necessity include treating severe wounds. The condition of extreme necessity is  stipulated with regard to looking at the pudenda that are not stipulated with regard to looking at any other part of the ‘awrah, because of the abhorrence of looking at it, and the conditions of necessity and urgency are stipulated with regard to looking at the pudenda of women that are not stipulated with regard to looking at the pudenda of men, because of the fear of fitnah that is connected to looking at women’s pudenda. By the same token, looking at the part of the thighs that is near the knees is not like looking at the buttocks. End quote from Qawaa’id al-Ahkaam (1/165).

Al-Sharbeeni al-Khateeb said: It should be noted that what is forbidden with regard to looking and touching is that for which there is no need. But in the case of need, looking and touching are permissible for cupping and treatment, even in the private area, because of extreme need, because prohibition in that case would cause a great deal of hardship. The Hanbalis regarded as a case where it becomes permissible to uncover the ‘awrah: shaving the pubic hair for one who is unable to shave it himself, as was mentioned by Ibn Muflih (may Allaah have mercy on him) in al-Furoo’ (5/153).

And Allaah knows best.

There is no one who can shave her pubic hair for her and she is in her 80s; can her female servant shave her?

There is an old lady who is over eighty and she is physically weak with poor eyesight. She lives with a servant and her husband has died. Is it permissible for her servant to shave her pubic hair for her?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Yes, it is permissible for her servant to shave her pubic hair for her, because there is a need for that. This was stated by the fuqaha’ (may Allaah have mercy on them).

Al-Mardaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Insaaf (8/22):

If a person is serving a sick man or woman by helping them to do wudoo’ or istinja’ (washing the private part after relieving oneself) etc, the ruling is the same as that on a doctor with regard to looking and touching. This was stated by Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him). The same applies if (the servant) shaves the pubic hair for one who is unable to do that. This was stated by Imam Ahmad and by Abu’l-Wafa’ and Abu Ya’la the younger. End quote.

And it says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (5/13):

A doctor may look at and touch whatever he needs to look at and touch, even a woman’s private part and the inside of it, because this is a case of necessity… But that should be in the presence of a mahram or husband, because when two people are alone together (khulwah) there is always the risk of something wrong happening. And anything other than the part that needs to be examined should be covered, because the basic principle that it is forbidden remains in effect.

The same applies to the one who is serving a sick man or woman by helping them to do wudoo’ or istinja’ (washing the private part after relieving oneself) etc, or who is saving someone who is drowning or trapped in a burning building and so on, or by shaving the pubic hairs of one who is not able to do that. End quote.

For a male doctor to treat a female patient is subject to certain conditions, e.g. if there is no female doctor available, even if she is a non-Muslim.

See the answer to question no. 5693.

Does a woman have to shave her pubic hair after every period?

Does a woman have to shave her pubic hair after every period?

Praise be to Allaah.

Removing the pubic hair, whether by plucking, using a depilatory agent, shaving or cutting, is one of the actions dictated by the fitrah and encouraged by Islam, but it is not restricted to or required at the end of every period. Ahmad, al-Bukhaari, Muslim and the authors of Sunan reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Five things are part of the fitrah: removing the pubic hairs, circumcision, trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and trimming the nails.” It was reported that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “A time limit was set for us with regard to trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and shaving the pubic hair – we should not leave it for more than forty days. (Reported by Muslim, Ibn Maajah, Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Abu Dawood). They said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set a time limit for us…”

Ruling on removing pubic hair for an old man who is unable to do this for himself

When my father became very old and was no longer able to take care of his own personal hygiene needs, I used to trim his moustache and shave his pubic hairs for him, but this meant that I saw his ‘awrah (private parts, which should remain covered) without intending to. Is this a sin on my part or not? I heard that the person who sees his parents’ ‘awrah has to fast for two months – is this correct or not?

Praise be to Allaah.

There is no sin on you if you remove your father’s pubic hair when he cannot do this for himself. What you have heard about having to fast for two months is not correct.

Ruling on making the shape of a heart in the pubic hair as an adornment for one’s husband?!

Is it permissible for a woman to make the shape of a heart in her pubic hair when shaving it, as an adornment for her husband?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Removing the pubic hair by plucking or shaving is one of the sunnahs of the fitrah which are encouraged in Islam, as al-Bukhaari (5441) and Muslim (377) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Five things are part of the fitrah: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, clipping the fingernails, plucking the armpit hair and trimming the moustache.”

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set a time frame for his ummah, that they were not to leave doing that for more than forty days, as it is narrated by Muslim (379) from Anas: He set a time for us to trim our moustaches, cut our nails, pluck our armpit hair and shave our pubic hair; we were not to leave that for more than forty days.

Al-Mubaarakfoori said in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: al-Nawawi said: what this means is that we should not leave it for more than forty days, not that he set the time for leaving it as forty days. And he said: What is preferred is to do it according to need and length; if it grows long then he should shave it. End quote. Al-Shawkaani said: Rather what is preferred is that it should be limited to forty days as days set out by the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and it is not permissible to go beyond that. It is not regarded as contrary to the Sunnah if one does not trim the moustache and so on after they grow long until the end of that period. End quote.

Is it permissible for a woman to remove the pubic hair of another woman?

Is it permissible for a very close friend of mine to remove pubic hair for me? I am very afraid and I am having problems because of this hair. If my friend removes it for me there will be a pact between us that she will never speak of anything that she sees, and I need to remove it, but I feel too shy to ask my mother to remove it for me?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Shaving the pubic hair is one of the sunnahs of the fitrah, and Islam has stipulated that it should not be left without shaving for more than forty days. The basic principle is that every accountable person should shave his pubic hair himself, unless he is unable to do that because he is too old or is sick.

What the sister who is asking this question wants to do is a haraam action, and is an evil deed that it is not permissible for any Muslim woman to do except in cases of necessity. The fact that she is afraid to remove the hair is no excuse. This is not something that requires bravery and courage. There are many ways of removing it, some of which are easy.

It does not make it permissible if her friend swears an oath not to tell anyone of what she sees. If it is permissible to do this because of necessity, her mother is a better person to shave her pubic hairs.

The saheeh texts state that it is haraam for a man to look at the ‘awrah of another man, or for a woman to look at the ‘awrah of another woman, and the scholars are unanimously agreed on this prohibition.

It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No man should look at the ‘awrah of another man, and no woman should look at the ‘awrah of another woman.”

Narrated by Muslim (338).