Question
I am not the type of woman who likes or is interested in getting all these cosmetic stuff. I really am not the woman who has little bit of hair & is like “oh no that needs to be removed”. I am naturally genuinely born with alot of hair on my legs specifically with no exaggeration. for many years i over looked it 2 years before i got married i started getting laser hair removal done – hoping itl reduce my leg hair as you must be aware the treatment is pretty expensive but then i stopped as i found out above the knee no matter what its a womans awra and must not be exposed in between the sessions we had to use razor which i noticed was growing my leg hair back thick! Which is something i definitely didnt want & i had to do it twice a week! thats how fast the hair growth was.. so i tried to wax myself & i noticed that because of the pain, the amount , length & thickness of the hair I was finding it really difficult to remove the hair myself above the knees it would make me really faint and light headed & it would take me ages.
So once/ twice in the year i would go to the salon to get my hair waxed. i would wait out for the hair to be grown alot where i would reason myself for me to go and get it waxed as there was a part of me stopping me after i found out about the awra masla – but i still couldnt come to terms with my condition as i felt my situation was different Recently i stopped as My husband is saying if its part of awra not to go anywhere until i ask someone knowledgeable and senior He has been very supportive & compromising all this time but through out i know he wants clearer legs when we spend time together he has asked me many times too even when i used to wait inbetween for the hair to be a good amount before i would go & get removed he has bought many things to help me but i cant remove the hair above my knees myself its just really painful & takes me over 2 hours – i have little children and its just not practical for me with work & children etc I have been to the doctors a few times regarding this too, but because of my pregnancies they have been telling me to wait a certain period where my hormones are balanced before they test my condition
Allow me to further explain what i have used over the years.
From the age of 19 up until now i have tried various methods
•razor
•Sand Mitten
•Waxing
•Epilating
•Laser
•IPL home device
Razor was growing my hair back really quickly & growing thick.
In order to keep my legs clean i had to do them twice a week.
Subhanallah i just about have time to do whats fardh in terms of hair removal – let alone twice a week doing my legs. Its really inconvenient & causing me even more trouble by growing my hair back thick & fast
Sand mittens – didnt work
Professional Laser hair removal Treatment- very expensive, worked to some extent, but was told its not allowed as im exposing awrah so i stopped.
Salon Waxing – id go twice a year. Let my hair grow out alot so i wasnt exposing my awrah to someone too often.
Job was done within 1 hr whilst i bared the pain . This i have stopped until someone senior understands my situation and guides me.
Home Waxing – I cant wax my upper legs myself its very painful for me, i mean i cant pull the wax strip without feeling light headed.
Its not normal length of hair , its long & thick.. it takes me ages for that reason over 2 hrs, its painful & not practical for me i have young children
I would never agree for My husband to do it, he doesnt even look at my legs when i have hair there, let alone pulling them off for me.
He would strongly dislike that – id fear his disinterest towards me.
Epilating – this is very painful, my hair is long m thick – my hair tangling in the tweezers inside the epilator kills!! Again takes me over 2 hours cause im covering little areas at a time cause of the pain
Ipl home device – my husband has bought me this.
Theres 3 options there
Shave , epilate or wax before using the device.
I have explained my issues with shaving, epilating & waxing.
Which leaves me with Salon waxing.
In conclusion i have excessive hair growth on my legs, im hairier than my husband, its really painful & very time consuming for me to physically remove the hair myself in specific above my knees & all these years it has had a knock of effect on my confidence & self esteem infront of my husband
My intention is this , if i am given ijazah then id get waxed by the salon and after every treatment use the ipl device – which will start working to reduce my hair growth.
Which would eventually mean i no longer have to go to the salon to get the hair removed by someone to use the IpL device.
Id be able to hopefully Insha’allah remove the hair by waxing myself & use the IPl machine.
Even if im given ijazah to go to a salon to get them waxed to an extent until i am able to myself remove the hair
Using waxing & Ipl device hand in hand – i am willing to accept that.
I really hope you can understand me. Iv spent thousands of pounds until this day. If it wasnt much of a problem for me & i didnt care about the laws of Islam i wouldnt be reaching out for guidance – please understand this isnt a normal woman situation.
Answer
Yes, you are correct in being told that there are ‘awra issues in acquiring hair removal services at a salon.
The ‘awra of a Muslim woman to another Muslim woman is from her navel to knee.[1] Therefore, you are not permitted to uncover this area to another Muslim woman except in matters of necessity.[2] Furthermore, the ‘awra of a Muslim woman in front of a non-Muslim is akin to the ‘awra of a Muslim woman in front of a strange man: from her head to toe, excluding the face, hands and feet.[3]
If a female Muslim beautician treats your leg from below the knee, this would be permitted. However, reading your predicament, I assume the hair growth will include your ‘awra, i.e., upper thighs and above the knee, and you also wish to treat this area. Based on the circumstances you have described, your ordeal does not amount to the necessity legislated by Islamic law. Therefore, it is not permissible to get this upper thigh area treated by a female Muslim beautician; thus, a fortiori, a non-Muslim female.
This is due to several reasons, though primarily because there are various alternatives available for you, albeit not as desirable in your opinion/experience. Take the example of unlawful medicine in Islamic law. One is permitted to take such medicine so long as there are no lawful alternatives. If there is a lawful alternative available, there is a strong opinion that one is not permitted to take the unlawful medicine, even if the ḥalāl alternative is far less effective.[4] This is because the availability of an alternative thoroughly inhibits the scope for “necessity”. A core legal maxim in cases of necessity is: “necessity is determined by the extent thereof” (al-darurat tuqaddaru bi-qadriha). In your circumstances, the availability of alternatives inhibits your case for the necessity of uncovering your ‘awra to a Muslim or non-Muslim female beautician.
I have noted all the circumstances you have listed – such as having young children, being limited for time, your pain tolerance, and having explored most of the hair-removal consumer market. Shaving your legs would still appear to be the most time-efficient and tolerable method. While you have submitted your concerns about the hair coming back with more coarseness, again, with continuity and regularity, the process of shaving can be more time-efficient and just as effective. The process should not take longer than 5-10 minutes in the morning. If this is a daily procedure, it is merely a process of passing a blade over the legs for a couple of minutes.
As for having to shave twice a week, this appears to be standard practice for women. Having looked at various resources, articles, and forum posts, it seems that shaving daily is very common, and shaving at least twice a week is the norm. A survey of 540 women conducted by American Laser Centers found that 58% of their respondents shaved instead of other hair removal methods.[5]
Based on the above, there is no recourse for a woman to acquire hair removal services at a salon for the section above her knee. Of course, if one uses the services of a Muslim female beautician, there is scope for the area below the knee. May Allah reward you for your efforts. I appreciate that this process may not be easy for you. Insha’Allah, with the intention of beautifying yourself to your husband, this entire process will be a means of immense reward for you in the hereafter.
And Allah knows best.
[1] الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي (4/ 370) قال: “وتنظر المرأة من المرأة إلى ما يجوز للرجل أن ينظر إليه من الرجل” لوجود المجانسة، وانعدام الشهوة غالبا كما في نظر الرجل إلى الرجل، وكذا الضرورة قد تحققت إلى الانكشاف فيما بينهن. وعن أبي حنيفة رحمه الله أن نظر المرأة إلى المرأة كنظر الرجل إلى محارمه، بخلاف نظرها إلى الرجل؛ لأن الرجال يحتاجون إلى زيادة الانكشاف للاشتغال بالأعمال. والأول أصح
[2] مجمع الأنهر في شرح ملتقى الأبحر (2/ 538) (وَيَحْرُمُ النَّظَرُ إلَى الْعَوْرَةِ إلَّا عِنْدَ الضَّرُورَةِ كَالطَّبِيبِ) أَيْ لَهُ النَّظَرُ إلَى مَوْضِعِ النَّظَرِ ضَرُورَةً فَيُرَخَّصُ لَهُ إحْيَاءً لِحُقُوقِ النَّاسِ وَدَفْعًا لِحَاجَتِهِمْ (وَالْخَاتِنُ وَالْخَافِضَةُ) بِالْخَاءِ وَالضَّادِ الْمُعْجَمَةِ هِيَ الَّتِي تَخْتِنُ النِّسَاءَ (وَالْقَابِلَةُ وَالْحَاقِنُ) الَّذِي يَعْمَلُ الْحُقْنَةَ (وَلَا يَتَجَاوَزُ) كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ (قَدْرَ الضَّرُورَةِ) فَإِنَّهُ يَلْزَمُ أَنْ يَغُضُّوا أَبْصَارَهُمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَوْضِعِ الْمَرَضِ وَالْخِتَانِ وَالْحُقْنَةِ. وَفِي التَّبْيِينِ وَيَنْبَغِي لِلطَّبِيبِ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَ امْرَأَةً إذَا كَانَ الْمَرِيضُ امْرَأَةً إنْ أَمْكَنَ؛ لِأَنَّ نَظَرَ الْجِنْسِ إلَى الْجِنْسِ أَخَفُّ وَإِنْ لَمْ يُمْكِنْ يَسْتُرُ كُلَّ عُضْوٍ مِنْهَا سِوَى مَوْضِعِ الْمَرَضِ ثُمَّ يَنْظُرُ وَيَغُضُّ بَصَرَهُ عَنْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ؛ لِأَنَّ مَا يَثْبُتُ لِلضَّرُورَةِ يَتَقَدَّرُ بِقَدْرِهَا.
[3] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 371) (وَتَنْظُرُ الْمَرْأَةُ الْمُسْلِمَةُ مِنْ الْمَرْأَةِ كَالرَّجُلِ مِنْ الرَّجُلِ) وَقِيلَ كَالرَّجُلِ لِمَحْرَمِهِ وَالْأَوَّلُ أَصَحُّ سِرَاجٌ (وَكَذَا) تَنْظُرُ الْمَرْأَةُ (مِنْ الرَّجُلِ) كَنَظَرِ الرَّجُلِ لِلرَّجُلِ (إنْ أَمِنَتْ شَهْوَتَهَا) فَلَوْ لَمْ تَأْمَنْ أَوْ خَافَتْ أَوْ شَكَّتْ حَرُمَ اسْتِحْسَانًا كَالرَّجُلِ هُوَ الصَّحِيحُ فِي الْفَصْلَيْنِ تَتَارْخَانِيَّةٌ مَعْزِيًّا لِلْمُضْمَرَاتِ (وَالذِّمِّيَّةُ كَالرَّجُلِ الْأَجْنَبِيِّ فِي الْأَصَحِّ فَلَا تَنْظُرُ إلَى بَدَنِ الْمُسْلِمَةِ) مُجْتَبًى
[4] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 210) مَطْلَبٌ فِي التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ (قَوْلُهُ اُخْتُلِفَ فِي التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ) فَفِي النِّهَايَةِ عَنْ الذَّخِيرَةِ يَجُوزُ إنْ عَلِمَ فِيهِ شِفَاءً وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ دَوَاءً آخَرَ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 228) مَطْلَبٌ فِي التَّدَاوِي بِالْمُحَرَّمِ (قَوْلُهُ وَرَدَّهُ فِي الْبَدَائِعِ إلَخْ) قَدَّمْنَا فِي الْبَيْعِ الْفَاسِدِ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ وَلَبَنُ امْرَأَةٍ أَنَّ صَاحِبَ الْخَانِيَّةِ وَالنِّهَايَةِ اخْتَارَا جَوَازَهُ إنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءً وَلَمْ يَجِدْ دَوَاءً غَيْرَهُ قَالَ فِي النِّهَايَةِ: وَفِي التَّهْذِيبِ يَجُوزُ لِلْعَلِيلِ شُرْبُ الْبَوْلِ وَالدَّمِ وَالْمَيْتَةِ لِلتَّدَاوِي إذَا أَخْبَرَهُ طَبِيبٌ مُسْلِمٌ أَنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءَهُ وَلَمْ يَجِدْ مِنْ الْمُبَاحِ مَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُ، وَإِنْ قَالَ الطَّبِيبُ يَتَعَجَّلُ شِفَاؤُك بِهِ فِيهِ وَجْهَانِ، وَهَلْ يَجُوزُ شُرْبُ الْعَلِيلِ مِنْ الْخَمْرِ لِلتَّدَاوِي فِيهِ وَجْهَانِ، وَكَذَا ذَكَرَهُ الْإِمَامُ التُّمُرْتَاشِيُّ وَكَذَا فِي الذَّخِيرَةِ وَمَا قِيلَ إنَّ الِاسْتِشْفَاءَ بِالْحَرَامِ حَرَامٌ غَيْرُ مُجْرًى عَلَى إطْلَاقِهِ وَأَنَّ الِاسْتِشْفَاءَ بِالْحَرَامِ إنَّمَا لَا يَجُوزُ إذَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءً أَمَّا إنْ عُلِمَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ دَوَاءٌ غَيْرَهُ يَجُوزُ وَمَعْنَى قَوْلِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – لَمْ يُجْعَلْ شِفَاؤُكُمْ فِيمَا حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ يَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَالَ ذَلِكَ فِي دَاءٍ عَرَفَ لَهُ دَوَاءً غَيْرَ الْمُحَرَّمِ لِأَنَّهُ حِينَئِذٍ يَسْتَغْنِي بِالْحَلَالِ عَنْ الْحَرَامِ وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ تَنْكَشِفُ الْحُرْمَةُ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ فَلَا يَكُونُ الشِّفَاءُ بِالْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّمَا يَكُونُ بِالْحَلَالِ اهـ نُورُ الْعَيْنِ مِنْ آخِرِ الْفَصْلِ التَّاسِعِ وَالْأَرْبَعِينَ
[5] https://www.glamour.com/story/are-you-normal-about-shaving-c
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-often-should-you-shave#armpits
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/1405892/how-often-should-you-shave-your-legs-daily-evg
Answered by:
Maulana Ikramul Hoque Miah
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel