Q588: Dying the hair

Question: Can I dye (colour) my hair?

Answer: Dying your hair will be permissible if it does not form a coating on the hair and also if it’s not with black colour.

It is stated in the hadeeth of Saheeh Muslim:
وَحَدَّثَنِى أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ عَنْ أَبِى الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ أُتِىَ بِأَبِى قُحَافَةَ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ وَرَأْسُهُ وَلِحْيَتُهُ كَالثَّغَامَةِ بَيَاضًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « غَيِّرُوا هَذَا بِشَىْءٍ وَاجْتَنِبُوا السَّوَادَ
Translation: It has been narrated that Hazrat Jabir (RadhiyallahuAnhu) said: “Abu Quhafa was brought on the day of the conquest of Makkah, and his hair and beard were white like white hyssop(a small bushy plant of the mint family). The messenger of Allah SallalahuAlayhiwasallam said ‘change this with something, but avoid black’.”

Similarly it will not be permissible to dye the hair with those colours which are deemed to be unnatural i.e. pink, purple, bright green.

So you can colour your hair if there is a need e.g. hair going grey prematurely, however, stick to the natural colour, that is better. (Muhsin/G2/12)