Removing hair from eyebrows.
Q. I heard that you are allowed to remove hair from eyebrows when it resembles that of a man. Is it when they are joined in the middle? Could you give an explanation as to the ruling concerning this?
A. The ruling is with regards to a woman who has hair on her face like that of a man. This means that if hair like that of the beard, moustache or at the side of the face (cheeks), begin to grow on the face of a woman, then it is permissible for her to remove these since they resemble that of a man.
With respect to the hair of the eyebrows, there is no allowance to remove these, since these grow differently on different women, based on their race, country, tribe etc. Having hair on the eyebrows itself is common to both men and women, and they grow differently even among women. Some women in different countries have hairs of the eyebrow joined together, and this is normal and common to these women. Others of another country (or race) may have eyebrow hairs as being thick, and this is normal and common to these women. As such, it is extremely difficult for anyone to say what should the eyebrow hair of a woman look like, or when does it resemble the eyebrow of a male.
In addition to this explanation, there is the authentic tradition which states, ‘The Prophet of Allah (S.A) cursed the woman who plucked hair and those who were employed to pluck the eyebrows’. (Abu Dawood)
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan