With regard to the kinds of hairstyles that are forbidden, they are characterized by the following:
1 – al-Qaza’ (lit. tufts), which is where part of the head is shaved and part is left.
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade al-qaza’.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5466; Muslim, 3959.
One of the narrators of this hadeeth defines al-qaza’ as shaving part of a child’s head and leaving some of his hair.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to shaving part of the head and leaving part, this is of varying degrees.
The worst is shaving the middle of the head and leaving the sides, as the Christian monks do.
After that comes shaving the sides and leaving the middle, as many of the foolish and worthless people do.
After that comes shaving the front of the head and leaving the back.
These three types all come under the heading of qaza’ which was forbidden by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but some of them are worse than others.
Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 3/1294
2 – Imitating the kaafirs or immoral people.
There are many such hairstyles, some of which come under the heading of qaza’ – such as the “Marines” haircut, which is forbidden for two reasons, the fact that it is a kind of qaza’ and the fact that it is an imitation of the kuffaar. Some of them do not involve qaza’ but they are styles that belong to the kuffaar, such as making some of the hair stand up and letting the rest hang down, and so on.
This also includes every hairstyle that belongs to the kaafirs or immoral people, because it is not permissible for a Muslim to resemble them in that, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4031. Classed as hasan by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari, 10/271. its isnaad was classed as jayyid by Shaykh al-Islam in Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, p. 82.
Shaykh al-Islam said:
The least that we can say about this hadeeth is that it implies that it is haraam to imitate them, although the apparent meaning is that the one who imitates them is a kaafir, as in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa’), then surely, he is one of them”
[al-Maa’idah 5:51]
Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, p. 83.
Imitating foolish people.
These are hairstyles worn by some of the foolish people, which may be included in the categories mentioned above.
