Hair loss affects 85% of men [1] and 55% of women [2] of all faiths and cultural backgrounds at some point in life. However, different religions have varied notions regarding which hair growth treatments are allowed and which are considered sinful. That is why many Muslim people wonder if a hair transplant is haram (forbidden) or halal (permitted).
If you are a Muslim person experiencing alopecia, you will be happy to know that most modern-day scholars of Islamic law deem surgical hair restorations halal [3][4][5]. However, some conditions need to be respected. This article will tell you all you need to know about the way Islamic scholars position themselves regarding permanent hair transplants, including:
Since it was written almost 1500 years ago, the Quran does not mention or address modern realities such as hair transplants. No such procedures are mentioned in any other holy texts Islamic law draws on, such as the Sunnah.
However, Islamic holy texts do contain some overarching principles that scholars have been using to glean whether modern-day cosmetic procedures, such as hair transplants, are halal.
The Quran and the Hadiths stress that Allah’s creation is perfect. So any desire to alter the human body so it appears more beautiful carries the sins of vanity and arrogance. That is why tattoos, eyebrow hair removal or wearing artificial hair extensions are considered haram [6].
However, procedures done to restore the natural appearance or function of a body part that has been damaged are permitted by Islamic law. They are regarded as a way of rebuilding that which Allah has granted rather than an attempt to improve one’s physical form [7][8].
Most Islamic scholars agree that hair transplants are not haram (provided some rules are respected – to be discussed) [3][4][5][9]. This consideration relies on the fact that people who get a natural-looking hair transplant are restoring their original, healthy appearance.
Darul Ifta, the Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence that offers religious advice and guidance to UK Muslims, specifically states that a hair transplant using your own hair is halal when treating baldness [3]. The scholars see this procedure as a redistribution of your hair follicles across your scalp. They also approve of using non-surgical hair restoration treatments, such as Minoxidil or Finasteride.
Most Muslim scholars see alopecia as a medical condition which can cause social rejection and psychological distress in people who experience it. So treating it surgically is seen as a way to reduce this harm, by restoring one’s hair growth function to normal.
Permanent hair transplants are not viewed as a way to enhance the patient’s attractiveness (which would be haram, as it is considered arrogance and vanity). Instead, it is viewed as a removal of the hair loss condition that stands in the way of maintaining one’s Allah-given appearance.
Position regarding hair transplants expressed by prominent Islamic scholar, Dr. Muhammad Salah. Dr. Salah holds a PhD in Comparative Fiqh and he is a lecturer for the Al-Azhar University, Islamic University of North America and London College online.
A fatwa is a non-binding opinion or ruling issued by recognised Islamic scholars with the purpose of clarifying an aspect of Islamic law [10]. It is usually issued when there are questions or points of contention among Muslims regarding matters insufficiently addressed by the holy texts. Modern realities, such as cosmetic surgery, are good examples of practices that may require a fatwa to determine if and under what circumstances they are halal.
There is an explicit fatwa issued by the Fatwa Department of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan regarding hair transplants. It states the following [4]:
“If the hair transplant meets these conditions, then it is permissible. Regarding cosmetic surgery, Resolution No. (173/2007) issued by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy states: “It is permissible to do cosmetic surgery, which is daruriyyah (Necessities) and hajiyyah (Comforts, as being complementary or secondary to necessities), such as removing an urgent defect due to a burn, an accident, a disease and the like. For example, skin grafts and hair transplant for women suffering from hair loss.”Therefore, it is permissible for a person to do a hair transplant using his or her own hair. Resolution No. (26/1988) issued by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy states, “It is permissible to move an organ from one place to another in the same body so long as the benefit expected from this procedure outweighs the harm resulting from it. This is also provided that the aim is to bring back a missing organ or remove a defect causing physical or psychological harm.”
“If the hair transplant meets these conditions, then it is permissible. Regarding cosmetic surgery, Resolution No. (173/2007) issued by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy states: “It is permissible to do cosmetic surgery, which is daruriyyah (Necessities) and hajiyyah (Comforts, as being complementary or secondary to necessities), such as removing an urgent defect due to a burn, an accident, a disease and the like. For example, skin grafts and hair transplant for women suffering from hair loss.”
Therefore, it is permissible for a person to do a hair transplant using his or her own hair. Resolution No. (26/1988) issued by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy states, “It is permissible to move an organ from one place to another in the same body so long as the benefit expected from this procedure outweighs the harm resulting from it. This is also provided that the aim is to bring back a missing organ or remove a defect causing physical or psychological harm.”
Other Islamic scholar bodies, such as the Mufti of the Federal Territory’s Office in Malaysia [9], or the Darul Iftaa (see above) have also issued similar fatwas, stating the same arguments.
While a hair transplant is generally considered halal, some strict rules must be followed to make it permitted. Here are the main transgressions that would make surgical hair restoration haram [3][4][5][9]:
Artificial hair transplants (such as Biofibre hair transplants) are haram, based on Hadiths Al-Bukhari 5933 and Muslim (2122) which state: “May Allah curse the one who adds hair extensions and the one who has them added, the one who does tattoos and the one who has them done.” [11]
While these Hadiths don’t really address hair transplants, scholars interpreted them as a ban on using artificial and donor hair for this procedure.
While it is halal to get hair restoration surgery to recover hair growth lost to alopecia (e.g. male pattern baldness), it is haram to have a hair transplant to enhance a healthy hairline. If you are not experiencing hair loss, but want a hair transplant to lower your hairline because you are unhappy with your forehead size or shape, it can be considered haram. Islamic law sees this as an attempt to alter your Allah-given appearance for prideful reasons.
It is haram to get a hair transplant with the intention of deceiving others. For example, getting hair restoration surgery to misrepresent your age is forbidden. This doesn’t mean that it is haram to get a hair transplant because it makes you look younger. It means that you shouldn’t get one for the sole purpose of tricking others (such as potential romantic partners) into thinking you are younger than your actual age.
The main reasons why some Muslims consider hair transplants haram are twofold. On the one hand, they associate all cosmetic procedures with vanity and immodesty. On the other hand, they believe that having surgery to correct baldness is a way of surgically altering Allah’s creation.
However, modern-day Islamic scholars argue that hair loss is a medical condition which can cause significant distress. There is mounting evidence that different types of alopecia (such as male or female pattern baldness) can lead to depression, anxiety and social isolation [12]. In this case, the surgery is necessary for the patient’s psychological health.
Moreover, scholars explain that when using one’s own hair for a transplant, the surgeons are merely correcting a condition that has already altered Allah’s creation. Nothing is added or removed. Existing parts of the body (hair follicles) are simply moved around on the scalp to restore one’s natural appearance.
Yes, according to the existing fatwas cited above, all Muslims, regardless of their gender, are allowed to get surgical hair restoration under Islamic law [4]. Of course, women have to respect the same conditions as men. For example, the purpose of this surgery must be to correct distressing hair thinning, rather than to make the female patient look younger or as a form of aesthetic forehead reduction surgery. Thus, the reason behind this surgery is central to its halal status in men and women alike.
However, Muslim women should be aware that they won’t be able to wear a hijab (or any other kind of hair cover) for 10 days after their hair transplant. Wearing anything on your head, no matter how light, during this period can endanger your sensitive hair grafts.
Both follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) procedures are considered halal when necessary to treat alopecia. However, FUE would be the closest to the ideals of Islamic law. That is because it involves harvesting each hair graft individually, causing minimal damage to the scalp and virtually no scarring.
FUT is slightly more invasive – it involves harvesting an entire strip of skin from the back of your head and cutting it up into hair grafts. This leaves a fine scar on the back of your head and leads to a longer hair transplant recovery. Islamic law generally recommends the procedures which bring the most benefit to a patient while producing the least amount of harm and the fewest permanent changes (e.g. scarring) to their body.
While hair transplants are generally considered halal, you are the only one who can determine if you are comfortable getting this procedure from a religious point of view. Deciding what is spiritually right for you is a very intimate act that every Muslim needs to engage in for themselves. However, if you feel the need for insight or guidance on this matter, you can always seek it from a trusted spiritual advisor, such as your Imam or Mufti.
One thing you can do to make this decision easier is to ask yourself some questions regarding this surgery and try to answer them honestly:
Moreover, discussing the procedure with a surgeon can help you determine whether you are a good candidate for a hair transplant and whether it would bring you sufficient benefits to outweigh hair transplant risks.
If you are relieved to learn that a hair transplant is not haram and are interested in getting this procedure, we are here to help. The Wimpole Clinic has a 50-year legacy of hair restoration excellence and a success rate that borders on 100% for both FUE and FUT techniques. Book a free hair transplant consultation with one of our experienced surgeons and they will gladly answer all of your questions and determine the results you can achieve.
Unlike hair growth medications that you need to keep taking to keep hair loss at bay, a hair transplant can last forever. This means a single surgery is likely to bring your hair as close as possible to its natural, pre-alopecia state. See the results other patients achieved in our before and after hair transplant photo gallery.
If there are still things left unanswered about whether hair transplants are halal or haram, you may find further insight in the answers to these frequently asked questions.
The same principles that apply to the hair on your scalp can largely be used to determine when a beard transplant is haram and when it is halal. If you have developed beard bald spots or had an accident that left your chin scarred, surgical beard restoration is considered halal [13].
However, if you have always grown a patchy beard due to your genes or young age, getting a beard transplant to improve it can be considered an act of vanity and may be haram. Your spiritual advisor should be able to help you navigate your specific situation.
Since your body hair is also a natural part of you, a body to scalp hair transplant should be halal if you don’t have enough hair left in your donor area. Only using artificial hair is considered haram when it comes to hair transplants. It isn’t possible to use donor hair from another person.
Generally, Islamic law allows surgeries that restore your body (in this case, your scalp) to its natural condition. This means a halal hair transplant should only aim to restore your hairline to the way it looked before the first signs of hair thinning and balding. Efforts to make it fuller, give it a more attractive shape or set it lower than it used to be can be considered haram, as a sign of vanity and a desire to improve on Allah’s creation. Consulting your Imam or Mufti can help you get more clarity on this matter.
Some restrictions will apply to your prayer ritual for the first 10-14 days after getting a hair transplant. For example, your hair transplant aftercare instructions will advise against bowing your head to touch the floor with your forehead for 7 days after your hair transplant.
Bending over deeply can make the blood rush to your head and cause bleeding. And touching the floor with your sensitive grafts can cause hair transplant folliculitis or mechanical damage.
Moreover, it is recommended to wait 10-14 days before you wear a head covering after a hair transplant. While Muslim men are not mandated to cover their heads during prayer, some choose to wear a Taqiyah or a Kufi. Muslim women are required by Islamic law to cover their hair while praying. However, a temporary exemption from this rule can be obtained, as long as it is for a medical reason (such as preventing hair transplant failure).
Simply fill in your details and we’ll get in touch with you shortly.
Δ
Simply fill in your details in the form below and we'll get in touch with you shortly.
