QUESTION:
1. Is it mandatory for a 12-15 year-old who isn’t yet Baaligh, to remove unwanted hair?
2. Does the minimum of every 40 days apply?
3. Does the 40 day ruling also apply to Baaligh males and females who have gone for IPL sessions, and hair growth is very minimal to no growth?
4. A 12 year-old who isn’t Baaligh yet, needs to remove unwanted hair due to it having already grown over a centimetre but his parents do not want to allow him to shave saying that he’s too small and that he can hurt himself; or that he is not yet Baaligh so it is not necessary, amongst other similar remarks. What would be the best for the youngster to do? Is he compelled to obey his parents in this situation?
5) If the parents/father’s of the children in this age group do not believe or accept what the boy’s say regarding their pubic hair growth, and they request to see the hair growth, would this be allowed?
ANSWER:
1. The Hadith of Bukhari Sharif states that shaving unwanted hair is a Sunnah of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam:
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه مرفوعا الفِطرة خَمْسٌ: الخِتَان والاسْتِحدَاد وقَصُّ الشَّارِب وتَقلِيمُ الأَظفَارِ ونَتْفُ الإِبِط (صحيح البخاري # 5890)
Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu reports that Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said: “Five things are acts of Fitrah (Sunnah): to circumcise, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, clipping the nails, and plucking the hair of the armpit.”
The objective of shaving the pubic hair, clipping the nails, removing hair from the armpits, etc. is to remain clean and beautiful. Hence, it is not only applicable to those that are Baaligh, but if a Naa-Baaligh boy or girl finds pubic hair or hair under the arms, then it should be removed as well.
وَيُسْتَحَبُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَتَفَقَّدَ فِطْرَةَ جَسَدِهِ مِنْ قَصِّ شَارِبِهِ وَأَظْفَارِهِ وَنَتْفِ إبْطِهِ وَسِوَاكِهِ وَاسْتِحْدَادِهِ إنْ احْتَاجَ إلَيْهِ وَوَجْهُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ التَّجَمُّلَ فِيهِ مَشْرُوعٌ وَهَذِهِ كُلُّهَا مِنْ بَابِ التَّجَمُّلِ وَالتَّنَظُّفِ(المنتقى شرح الموطأ 1/186)
2. Yes, it is Makrooh-e-Tahreemi to allow the pubic hair to grow beyond 40 days.
(قَوْلُهُ وَكُرِهَ تَرْكُهُ) أَيْ تَحْرِيمًا لِقَوْلِ الْمُجْتَبَى وَلَا عُذْرَ فِيمَا وَرَاءَ الْأَرْبَعِينَ وَيَسْتَحِقُّ الْوَعِيدَ اهـ وَفِي أَبِي السُّعُودِ عَنْ شَرْحِ الْمَشَارِقِ لِابْنِ مَلَكٍ رَوَى مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ «وُقِّتَ لَنَا فِي تَقْلِيمِ الْأَظْفَارِ وَقَصِّ الشَّارِبِ وَنَتْفِ الْإِبِطِ أَنْ لَا نَتْرُكَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً» وَهُوَ مِنْ الْمُقَدَّرَاتِ الَّتِي لَيْسَ لِلرَّأْيِ فِيهَا مَدْخَلٌ فَيَكُونُ كَالْمَرْفُوعِ (الدر المختار ص407 ج6)
3. If hair grows in the areas of impurity, then it should be removed before the elapsing of forty days, even though it may not be extremely long.
4. Boys at the age of 12 are generally able to clean themselves and take care of themselves, hence in the queried scenario the youngster will be required to adhere to the teachings of Shariah and remove the unwanted hair. If the hair is not removed and retains any impurity, then the Salaah, Tilaawat, etc. of the youngster will not be in order.
5. No, it will not be permissible for the parents to look at the private parts of the young boy.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: – 23 Safar 1445 / 09 September 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
