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Wasl al-sha'r (hair extensions: the ruling on joining hair)

وَصْل الشَّعر

A wasila is a woman who joins her hair to another's, and a mustawsila is one for whom this is done at her request. 1 The majority hold joining human hair forbidden, whether a woman's or a man's, on the reports of Asma bint Abi Bakr (may God be pleased with her), Ibn Umar and Mu'awiya, since human hair is held in honour. 2 3 A Hanafi view and a Hanbali view dislike it, and one Hanbali view permits it with the husband's leave. 3 On joining animal hair the jurists differ: the Hanafis and one Hanbali view allow it, the Malikis and the Hanbali school forbid it, and the Shafi'is distinguish clean from unclean hair and a married woman from an unmarried one. 3 4 On joining with material other than hair, such as cloth, the Hanafis and Hanbalis allow it, the Malikis forbid it, and the permission is attributed to Ibn Abbas, Umm Salama and Aisha. 3 4 The Malikis hold the prohibition is not limited to women, since it alters God's creation. 4

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Early Abbasid Caliphate
Region
Arabia
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

WomenEthics and characterHalal and haram

Summary

A wasila is a woman who joins her hair to another's; a mustawsila is one for whom this is done at her request. 1

Joining human hair

Most jurists hold that joining human hair is forbidden, whether a woman's or a man's, on the reports from Asma bint Abi Bakr, Ibn Umar and Mu'awiya. 2 3 A Hanafi view and a Hanbali view dislike it, and one Hanbali view permits it with the husband's leave. 3

Animal hair and other material

The jurists differ on joining animal hair: the Hanafis and one Hanbali view allow it, the Malikis and the Hanbali school forbid it, and the Shafi'is distinguish clean from unclean hair and a married woman from an unmarried one. 3 4 The Hanafis and Hanbalis allow joining with material other than hair, such as cloth; the Malikis forbid it; the permission is reported from Ibn Abbas, Umm Salama and Aisha. 3 4

People and things also explored

Naw' (kind or species, and its effect on zakat and exchange)· Raqs (dancing): its ruling, its conditions, the dancer's testimony, and the hire for it· Sawm (pasturing livestock, and bidding in sale)· Shariid (a strayed animal, and its sale, hire and slaughter)· Shubha (doubt that averts a penalty, and avoiding doubtful matters)· Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)· Ada' al-shahada (performing testimony: the duty on request, the excused witness, and the wording)· Manners of the Qur'an bearer

Sources

  1. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.16600
  2. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.16601
  3. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.16602
  4. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.16603
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Wasl al-sha'r (hair extensions: the ruling on joining hair)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/wasl-al-shaar-fiqh/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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Ideas

Beliefs, concepts, sciences and schools, explained in plain words. Related

Naw' (kind or species, and its effect on zakat and exchange)

Naw' in the lexical sense is a kind or class; the Jurist al-Jurjani defined it as a term for many different things by their individuals. Kind matters for zakat: if the animals are of one kind, the zakat is taken from that kind; most jurists allow substituting a sheep for a goat and the reverse, taking value into account, while the Hanafis require the same kind. If the kinds differ, the Hanbalis and the sounder Shafi'i view let the owner give what he chooses, proportioned by value, while the Hanafis join the kinds together. For crops and fruit, kinds are joined to complete the threshold; joining gold and silver is disputed. The exchange of ribawi goods of different kinds is referred to the chapter on usury.