The Hair of the Prophet ﷺ (Baal Mubarak)

by Asma bint Shameem

QUESTION

People claim to have the hair of the Prophet ﷺ with them. They treat it with great honor and seek barakah from it. They even hold special ceremonies to “view” this hair.

How genuine is that claim?

ANSWER

There is NO PROOF that this “hair” that they claim actually belongs to the Prophet ﷺ.

Yes, the Prophet ﷺ and his being was BLESSED and so it was allowed to seek barakah (tabarruk) with the relics of the Prophet ﷺ such as his hair, his saliva, sweat, wudhu water, clothes etc.

But that applies when it is SURE that the relics TRULY belonged to the Prophet ﷺ.

🍃 Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“The Sahaabah used to seek barakah from the sweat of the Prophet ﷺ and they used to seek barakah from his saliva, and they used to seek barakah from his garment, and they used to seek barakah from his hair.

Umm Salamah radhi Allaahu anhaa had some of the hairs of the Prophet ﷺ in a vessel of silver, and if anyone fell sick he would come to her and she would pour water on it and collect the water, then he would drink it.

But in the case of anyone other than him ﷺ, no barakah is to be sought from any of these things.

So one cannot seek barakah from a person’s garment, hair, nails or anything else of his, except in the case of the Prophet ﷺ.”

(Sharh Riyaadh as-Saaliheen 4/243)

That was back THEN.

But nowadays, there’s NO ONE who can HONESTLY and TRULY claim that they have the ACTUAL hair of the Prophet ﷺ without a valid proof.

🍃The scholars said:

“There is no proof that any of the relics of the Prophet ﷺ exist now. Anyone who claims that any such thing exists has no proof to that effect. Based on that, it is not permissible for anyone to claim to have in his keeping any of the relics of the Prophet ﷺ unless he has definitive evidence, and how could he have that?

The great scholar and historian Ahmad Pasha Taymoor said:

“There is no valid proof for the hairs that were kept by people after that. Something of that which was shared out among the Companions radhi Allaahu anhum may have reached them, but it is difficult to know what is genuine and what is not.”

(Al-Athaar an-Nabawiyyah 91)

🍃 Shaikh al-Albaani said:

“But we know that his ﷺ’s relics, such as his garment, hair and so on, have been LOST, and it is NOT POSSIBLE for anyone to prove that any such thing exists on a DEFINITIVE and certain basis.

As that is the case, seeking barakah from these relics has become IRRELEVANT in our times and it has become a purely theoretical matter, so we should not speak at length about it.”

(at-Tawassul: Anwaa‘uhu wa Ahkaamuhu 144)

🍃 Someohe asked Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen:

“What is the ruling on seeking barakah from the relics of the Prophet ﷺ after his death, such as his hair and the like?”

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“It is NOT POSSIBLE to PROVE that this is a hair of the Messenger ﷺ at all.

What is said about it being in Egypt in a place where relics were collected is not sound, and it does not exist.

The most important “relics” are the TEXTS and REPORTS in Islaam (as opposed to physical relics).

As for the physical relics, they are mere relics to which the heart may incline and love them, but what REALLY matters is the TEACHINGS of Islaam that he left behind.”

(Duroos li’sh-Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen 2/64)

🍃 And Shaykh al-Albaani said:

“Although the Prophet

‎ﷺ approved of the Sahaabah

radhi Allaahu anhum, seeking barakah from his relics and touching them during the campaign of al-Hudaybiyah and on other occasions, that was for an important PURPOSE, especially on that occasion;

that purpose was to scare the kuffaar of Quraysh and to highlight the extent of the Muslims’ devotion to their Prophet and their love for him, and their willingness to strive hard in serving him and showing him respect.

But what we cannot overlook or conceal is the fact that after that campaign, the Prophet ﷺ DISCOURAGED the Muslims, in a wise and gentle manner, from seeking barakah in this way, and he instructed them to do RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, which would be better for them before Allaah, Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala and more beneficial.

This is what is indicated by the following hadeeth:

It was narrated from ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi Qarraad radhi Allaahu anhu that the Prophet ﷺ

did wudhu’ one day, and his Companions began wiping themselves with his wudhu’ water.

The Prophet ﷺ said to them:

“What made you do that?”

They said:

“Love for Allaah and His Messenger.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever wants to love Allaah and His Messenger, or wants Allaah and His Messenger to love him, let him be TRUTHFUL when he SPEAKS, and let him FULFIL his TRUST when he is trusted, and let him be KIND to his NEIGHBOR.”

This is a proven hadeeth with several chains of narration and corroborating evidence in the Mu‘jams of at-Tabaraani and elsewhere.”

(At-Tawassul p. 145)

🔺 Bottom line:

If a person really truly loves the Prophet ﷺ and wants barakah in his life, then he should FOLLOW the TEACHINGS of the Prophet ﷺ and OBEY him, instead of just “keeping” relics that are almost certainly not genuine.

And he should stay away from all that the Prophet ﷺ forbade instead of innovating in the Deen and doing things he ﷺ never said or taught.

THAT’S true love.

THAT’S true devotion.

And Allaah knows best.