Plucking Eyebrows = HARAM!
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Topic: Plucking Eyebrows = HARAM!
Posted By: hastye
Subject: Plucking Eyebrows = HARAM!
Date Posted: 25 March 2010 at 1:18pm
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Asalamu alaikum wa ramatu Allah wa barakatu Ladies, We all love to look beautiful, but I am so tired of seeing "Muslim" women with plucked/waxed eyebrows who follow the Sunnah. I asked myself, "these women should know it is haram, right?!" "How can they not know their religion?! This is a big deal!" So with that said: Bismillah ArRahman, IrRahim, It is not permissable, it is haram, to pluck, wax, touch the eyebrows. Bukhari (4886) and Muslim (2125) narrated that �Abd-Allah ibn Mas�ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: May Allah curse the one who does tattoos and the one who has a tattoo done, the one who plucks eyebrows and the one who has her eyebrows plucked, and those who file teeth for the purpose of beautification, changing the creation of Allah. Sheikh Ibn Jibreen said: �It is not permissible to cut the hair of the eyebrows, or to shave it, reduce it or pluck it, even with the husband�s approval. This is not the matter of beauty, rather it is altering the creation of Allah Who is the Best of creators. A warning has been narrated against doing that and the one who does it is cursed; this implies that it is forbidden. So, with that said....what do you ladies do to your eyebrows? I myself just lighten the hair above my arch with a little hair bleach and also a little below the arch. |
Replies:
Posted By: martha
Date Posted: 25 March 2010 at 4:20pm
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Salams,
Well, I am cursed as I pluck mine. 
------------- some of us are a lot like cement:- all mixed up and permanently set |
Posted By: Hayfa
Date Posted: 25 March 2010 at 6:47pm
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I don't look at mine... LOL
------------- When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. Rumi |
Posted By: hastye
Date Posted: 25 March 2010 at 8:58pm
Martha you could change that....  |
Posted By: Chrysalis
Date Posted: 26 March 2010 at 6:13am
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I heard a lecture by Bilal Assad, during the Q & A he received a similar question and said that in arabic, "brows" refers only to the curved part. . . so it is okay to clear out the hair above your nose (where the brows meet i.e. part that causes your "unibrow" ). But it is not allowed to "shape" your brows and make them thin and curvy. Would post the link of the lecture, but its approx 30-40minutes and the eyebrow question is in the middle of the video somewhere. Furthermore: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235477843556&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar - http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235477843556&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar "The exception to this rule is if the hair of her eyebrows is excessively long or thick. In this case, some Muslims scholars are of the opinion that it is permissible to trim them as this is enhancing Allah�s creation rather than changing it. Also, it is permissible to remove the hair from between the eyebrows because it is not part of the eyebrows." and, "What is prohibited is an-Nams, which denotes removing the hair of the eyebrows by plucking in order to make it thin" Read more: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503543976&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar#ixzz0jHuazdCN - http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503543976&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar#ixzz0jHuazdCN "Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding whether one is permitted in Islam to shape or trim one�s eyebrows. ------------- "O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young." |
Posted By: Hayfa
Date Posted: 26 March 2010 at 8:31am
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Salaams, Thanks Chrysalis.. I will look at mine now  ------------- When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. Rumi |
Posted By: hastye
Date Posted: 26 March 2010 at 9:31am
| Yes it is permissable to clean the hair between your actual brows. |
Posted By: martha
Date Posted: 26 March 2010 at 10:54am
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"In light of the above, according to these scholars, it is considered permissible to shape or trim one�s eyebrows if they are excessively long or thick for the purpose of appearing neat and tidy"
Oh thats OK then. I don't over pluck so they look thin, and I don't wax or shave them, so I guess I'm OK. BUt isn't it frustrating to hear so many different views! ------------- some of us are a lot like cement:- all mixed up and permanently set |
Posted By: Hayfa
Date Posted: 26 March 2010 at 5:52pm
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Its interesting about what you say Martha about the frustration.. so it comes back to intentions.. to look neat and tidy but not alluring to men.. ------------- When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. Rumi |
Posted By: dayare
Date Posted: 04 April 2010 at 3:39am
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Assalaamu Alikum Sister... I heard shaping Eyebrows is like enhancing the beauty to look neat and tidy...
pls tell me trimming the eyebrows is permissable or not ?
|
Posted By: Chrysalis
Date Posted: 04 April 2010 at 6:16am
Wa'alaikum salaam Sis, Well, the articles above sum it pretty well. If the brows are too thick (a bit on the hairy side) then according to scholars, its okay to trim them to make them look feminine. (since we are supposed to differentiate ourselves from men in our appearance) As long as we don't "shape" them into thin curves. I think we all know what that means, there are "thin curvy" brows, and then there are "neatly trimmed brows" - which don't even look "made". ------------- "O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young." |
dayare wrote:Posted By: hastye
Date Posted: 04 April 2010 at 7:52pm
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What is the difference in plucking a few eyebrows to look "neat and tidy" and to look "feminine"? You will still be plucking! If that is done by means of plucking, then it is haram, and indeed it is one of the major sins, because it is the �namas� for which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who does it. But if it is done by cutting or shaving, then it was regarded as makrooh by some scholars and forbidden by others who regarded it as a kind of �namas�. They said: � �Namas� does not only mean plucking, rather it is a general word which includes all ways of changing the hair for which Allah has not granted permission, if it is on the face.� But what we think is that women should not do that unless the hair of the eyebrows is so thick that it hangs down over the eyes and affects her vision, in which case it is o.k. to remove that which is causing the problem. Shaykh Ibn �Uthaymeen Prophet Mohammad (saws) has cursed the women who plucks her eyebrows and the women who do the plucking for another woman. And Allah (subhanna wa taala) has said in the Quran that we must obey our Prophet (saws). It is OK for a woman to remove hair on the upper lip, thighs, calves and arms. This is not the same as plucking (eyebrows), which is forbidden. �Abd al-�Azeez ibn Baaz, �Abd al-Razzaaq �Afeefi, �Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, �Abd-Allaah ibn Qa�ood And Allah knows best. |
Posted By: Chrysalis
Date Posted: 05 April 2010 at 1:12am
So a Sister whose brows are too bushy (as explained in the articles above) can trim rather than pluck . . . . since some scholars allow it.
I don't think such cases even exist . . . And Allah knows best. ------------- "O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young." |
Posted By: Hayfa
Date Posted: 05 April 2010 at 9:33am
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But what we think is that women should not
do that unless the hair of the
eyebrows is so thick that it hangs down over the
eyes and affects her
vision, in which case it is o.k. to remove that
which is causing the
problem.
Has this ever happened?? I read tons about medical conditions never heard of it.. ------------- When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. Rumi |
Posted By: Chrysalis
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 11:35pm
Heheh, although honestly it is more of a headache for middle-eastern or asian women. Since not only is our hair generally darker, but erm, inclined to grow thicker. (Too bad it doesn't always apply to our scalp!). A lot of women can get away without touching their brows at all, since Allah has blessed them with tamer brows  Martha, yes you are right. Sometimes it can get confusing to hear so many views. But then again, it is only foreseeable and well, logical. You cannot have a billion plus population of varying ethnicities, cultures, backgrounds and have one conforming point of view. Think of it as a blessing (infact I think I have heard some scholars speak of it as this way) - that Allah gave us the flexibility to an extent to formulate opinions in matters of deen. Even the sahaba used to have degrees of variability in their opinions. Some like Umar (r.a) took a stricter approach, whereas others like Abu Bakr & Usman (r.a) would take a softer approach. Yet no one was wrong, and they all were right in their approaches - islamically speaking. ------------- "O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young." |
Posted By: Zaheya11
Date Posted: 17 May 2010 at 11:02pm
| I get extremely irate when I see young women wearing hijab, and they have plucked eyebrows as well. Unfortunately, theres not much we can do except try to lead them to the right path. Alhamdullilah, I was blessed with good looking eyebrows, so i dont touch mine. But my mom used to pluck hers until she realized she was committing a sin. So now she bleaches the stray hairs with hair bleach, and its just as effective. |
Posted By: hastye
Date Posted: 21 May 2010 at 9:48pm
| yes bleach works just as well!!! :) |
Posted By: ctenophora
Date Posted: 20 September 2010 at 3:52am
| I agree that plucking your eyebrows is forbidden, but is cutting them forbidden? And cutting in the term of enhancing the shape, not changing it. Because I've always known namas means plucking, but is cutting cursed too? Please gimme an answer. ): |
Posted By: bluepen03
Date Posted: 06 May 2012 at 1:51am
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Salam,
I don't under stand why eyebrow plucking is haram. If eye brow shaping is haram, then so is wearing eyeliner and makeup. but since this is not explicitly mention in any Hadith or the Qur'an it's ok? I understand that men and women can be captivated by beauty of ones eyes. so, if someone was born with perfect eyebrows where it looks really neat and well groomed, it's ok, even if their eyebrows look attractive. but others who weren't blessed with good looking eyebrows have to leave them be? I understand that the purpose of the Hadith is so that we don't alter what we are born with. 'shaping the teeth.' does braces account for that??? and I know my dentist has trimmed my teeth before...why? i never questioned. And I know women who actually alter their appearance by shaving off the eyebrow and tattooing it completely. this i can see why it's haram, because u r literally changing whats on your face, but shaping your eyebrow is like giving yourself a haircut..... unless that too is haram... |
Posted By: Chrysalis
Date Posted: 07 May 2012 at 12:16am
You can get the part b/w your brows cleaned up - there is a hadith (Saying of Prophet Muhammad) that tells muslim women (and men) not to get tattoos and piercings, and space their teeth or shape their brows because this is what the non-muslim women used to do. (In summary).
Wearing eye-liner and makeup is not haraam - it depends on how you use it. If you are using these products to show-off or attract the attention of un-related males, then it can be haraam. Depends on the use. There is nothing wrong with women using make-up or eye-liner for their husbands, family-members or in female gatherings. Practically speaking if you want to use make-up in your daily life, to hide scars/acne or to look more presentable, best to do it in an under-stated manner without looking too ostentatious. (Heavy eye-makeup, colorful lips etc). Many women don't realise it is for the general betterment of women. As Muslims, we are encouraged to dress up and display our ornaments to our men (spouses) and family-members, not the general public. This is better rather than have a society where women dress to the nines when they go out in public, creating an environment of female competition where women are judged based on looks and their beauty is being rated and judged by random people. Also, there IS a hadith that talks about eye-brow plucking - scholars say it is okay to clean up the part above the nose, (which causes the unibrow) because it is not part of the actual brow. Also, if a woman is excessively hairy, so much so that it makes her look very unattractive and hinders suitors, she is allowed to even neaten her brows (because hers is an exceptional case).
People come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, skin colors etc. Some are deemed more attractive by society and some are not. Its not just about eye-brows... if one has that mentality, where does one stop? What about hair? Skin? Weight? Ok, so its not 'fair' that not everybody was created the same physically - but thats life. And as Muslims we believe that Allah in His infinite wisdom created everybody the way they are.
Since you are not sure "why" this hadith was saying this, you need to look at the explanation of the Hadith by Scholars. You are not allowed to create artificial spaces in b/w the teeth like the hadith says. I have not heard anywhere that getting braces is haraam. You should take these concerns to a reliable scholar or read-up... Anyway, getting braces is perfectly fine Islamically. What would NOT be fine is getting gold-teeth or things like that. Also, I don't know if "altering one's natural state" is the reason for the hadith... because as Muslims we are allowed to do a lot of things that �lter our natural state' like get haircuts, remove body hair, cut our nails, dye our nails, dye our hair - etc etc. There are SOME things that are explicitly prohibited and we stay away from them (like tattoos etc).
You sound really frustrated.... I think that as Muslims before we can be comfortable implementing Islamic tenets into our lives, we need to be comfortable with our Deen. I think it would be a good idea to get in touch with the Qur'an, read the explanation, listen to/attend some beneficial talks/lectures etc. If we don't even know why we do/or don't do certain things in Islam, we find it harder. The issue is not as simple as 'plucking eyebrows" I''m sure even if somebody did say u can pluck, there would be something else that would bother you. That can happen if we aren't really in touch with Allah and the Qur'an. The issue is deeper, not as simple as eye-brows. May Allah help us all implement deen and find it easy. Anyway: You CAN neaten ur brows by removing the hair above ur nose and trimming hairs with a scissor that stick out. I would still be careful about plucking the brows into a shape, unless you ask a scholar. If this issue is REALLY bringing down your imaan, and thats all you can think about and you are feeling really frustrated, maybe I'm not supposed to say it, but my advise would be - do it then. I mean, if you are not plucking, but thinking all the time about how its so unfair, and why this is so - then there really is no point to not-plucking is there? Because you are not doing it for the right reasons... ------------- "O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young." |
Posted By: truebeliever510
Date Posted: 08 May 2012 at 8:14pm
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I have been having my eyebrows waxed just to make them look neat for many years. I'm glad I read this! I also wear makeup every day, not to attract a man, but because I think it contributes to my overall appearance. I like to look very neat and polished. I am newly reverted to Islam. I believe it is the intent of the makeup that makes the difference. I will however stop having my brows waxed! Unfortunately if I don't get my upper lip waxed, I grow a thick mustache! So I will keep getting that waxed... ------------- Salaam, Fatima :) |
Posted By: Chrysalis
Date Posted: 09 May 2012 at 8:13pm
You can thread/wax your upper lips and any sort of body hair. There is no harm in that. Infact if one is married it would actually be encouraged. Its the eye-brows that should not be messed with (the middle part of the eye-brows above nose is still okay). You can remove any body-hair, anyway you want. ------------- "O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young." |
Posted By: joyful85
Date Posted: 20 May 2012 at 6:20pm
| While I can understand the reasoning behind this, I still find it rather hilarious. |
Posted By: HalaHala2012
Date Posted: 31 May 2012 at 6:23am
I color mine back to their original color. I do that only because of an illness I had years ago (alhamdulilah,I fully recovered,but was left with completely gray eyebrows!). I'm too lazy to do all that 'plucking' anyway. It hurts! 
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Posted By: HalaHala2012
Date Posted: 31 May 2012 at 6:25am
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Posted By: HalaHala2012
Date Posted: 31 May 2012 at 6:28am
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Posted By: Idil
Date Posted: 21 November 2012 at 12:06pm
| May ALLAH guide us all as many of us can be hold accountable for this. |
Posted By: krazzy1
Date Posted: 30 January 2013 at 9:25am
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Salam,
I am fairly new to this forum and this topic on eyebrows does have me confused on a daily basis. So is cleaning of the eyebrows permitted then? Not shaping, i mean removing the extra hair/unibrow..... I know that some scholars say it is allowed whilst others say its haram, but what if a womans eyebrows resemble a mans? Thank you for taking your time in reading and replying to this post Allah hafiz |
Posted By: Runaa
Date Posted: 07 February 2013 at 8:40am
Don't get confused sister Allah is great and merciful |
Posted By: abosait
Date Posted: 02 September 2013 at 11:13pm
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Women Plucking their Facial Hairs Responses Dr. Shehzad Saleem Response: In one of your answers you have stated that there is nothing wrong with women plucking their facial hairs. I have some reservations about your deduction as I have contrary evidence: ` Abdullāh Ibn Mas`ūd has reported: Allah curses those ladies who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those ladies who remove the hair from their eyebrows and faces and those who make artificial spaces between their teeth in order to look more beautiful whereby they change Allah's creation. His saying reached a lady from Banī Asad called Ummi Yāqūb who came (to `Abdullāh) and said: I have come to know that you have cursed such-and-such (ladies)? He replied: Why should I not curse these whom Allah's Apostle has cursed and who are (cursed) in Allah's Book! Ummi Yāqūb said: I have read the whole Qur'ān, but I did not find in it what you say. He said: Verily, if you have read it (i.e. the Qur'ān), you have found it. Didn't you read: And whatsoever the Apostle gives you take it and whatsoever he forbids you, you abstain (from it). (59.7) She replied: Yes, I did. He said: Verily, Allah's Apostle forbade such things. She said: But I see your wife doing these things? He said: Go and watch her. She went and watched her but could not see anything in support of her statement. On that he said: If my wife was as you thought, I would not keep her in my company. (Bukhārī, Kitābu'l Libās) The opinion here in Saudia is that the word plucking/removing is used and with special reference to face; therefore any form of removal of hair from face is cursed according to this hadīth. Now as my wife practices Hairdressing, Electrolysis and Beauty Therapy she is a bit confused at your reply. She has been studying Islam at her college for the past four years. She has been taught that such a practice is strictly forbidden. She has since then stopped doing so, but when we read your view, the subject has come up again. We would like to know the proof of your deduction. Comment: In my opinion, one must always keep in consideration two fundamental principles while studying and interpreting Ahādith: Firstly, to determine, as far as possible, the context and the background, all Ahādith on a particular subject should be collected and then analyzed as to ascertain the overall picture which emerges. Secondly, they must be related to the Qur�ān and Sunnah. This means that they must have a base in these two primary sources of Islam. They cannot and must not be taken independently. Applying these principles to the hadīth you have referred to shows that there were a number of practices (only some of which have been mentioned in this hadīth) which the Arab ladies used to undertake which entirely changed their natural physical appearance and some of which actually gave a false impression of their outward looks. Almost all the major books of hadīth mention the various texts in which these practices have been is narrated. The initial part of the hadīth you have alluded to `... whereby change Allah's creation' itself suggests the relationship of this hadīth with the Qur�ān:. Verse 31 of Sūrah Rūm, reads thus: Follow the nature upon which Allah has created mankind. It is not proper to change this nature. (31:31) It is in accordance with this principle mentioned in the Qur�ān that the Prophet (sws) forbade a number of such practices. In other words, the nature -- physical as well as spiritual -- of a human being must be preserved in the shape Allah has created. Consequently, anything which may become a means of changing or modifying this nature is undesirable. However, a fine distinction exists between beautification to quench one's aesthetic sense and alteration, the former being a permissible thing. These Ahādith also mention a practice called "Tannamus" which means removing the hair which extends on to the forehead in a particular style. This again was forbidden by the Prophet (sws). The hadīth you have mentioned contains this word; however it has been erroneously translated as `to remove hair from the face'. In the light of this analysis, it is evident that removing hair from the face is something which the Prophet (sws) never did forbid. REf: http://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=752 |
Posted By: Moose_ika
Date Posted: 18 September 2013 at 11:07am
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Hello,
I am very, very new to Islam, and prior to my decision to actually start practicing, I routinely plucked my eyebrows. Am I ok if I just stop! I know that I'm not identifiable as a Muslim because I don't wear hijab yet, but I don't want to sin, either. |
Posted By: Chrysalis
Date Posted: 03 October 2013 at 5:19am
Welcome Moose! You may find this helpful: http://www.daruliftaa.com/node/7167?txt_QuestionID - http://www.daruliftaa.com/node/7167?txt_QuestionID The article is very detailed, and here is the summary: SUMMARY: ''To sum up, according to the majority of classical jurists, it is permitted for married women to pluck, trim and neaten their eyebrows �slightly� for their husbands, provided they do not expose them in front of non-Mahram men. As for non-married women, this remains impermissible. However, if the eyebrows look deformed and defected then it is permissible for even non-married women to turn them into a more normal size. Trimming the eyebrows excessively into a thin fine line is not permitted for both married and not married women, since it distorts one�s appearance and results in imitating immoral women. And Allah knows best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK '' ------------- "O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they showed mercy to me when I was young." |
Posted By: mhptsc
Date Posted: 15 November 2013 at 5:58am
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This is exactly how I would understand it. If your husband requests it then I thought it would be allowed.
Obviously this would only stand for certain requests such as this? |
Posted By: BintAhmed
Date Posted: 12 February 2014 at 3:40am
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My dear Sisters Please do not be under ANY illusions- removing ANY hair from the actual eyebrows is haraam. Yes some jurists may try to distort Hadith to suit their own opinions, but they are authentic hadith clearly stating that Allah's curse is one those women who remove eyebrow hair/shape their eyebrows like a bow. But if you do want to try to reconcile these opinions, just remember the Hadith that states you should stay away from unclear matters. This is definitely one of those so please please do not do it. And if your husband requests it??? lol Obey Allah above all else- your Lord and Creator. There is no obedience to creation in disobedience to Allah. Please sisters, do not try to cling on to ridiculous reasons to commit this trivial thing. I see it as I will have enough to be accountable for on the Day of Judgment. I don't want to add this sin, which is so easy to avoid, to my record too. |
Posted By: x06112010x
Date Posted: 27 March 2014 at 5:44pm
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I do the unibrow. My husband asks me why because I am naturally a blonde so my eyebrows can't be seen (I don't wear make up, so I always look eyebrow-less). I could care less about having arched eyebrows. If someone wants to judge me for my eyebrows, they have some serious issues. |
Posted By: Martha Adam
Date Posted: 19 June 2023 at 2:21am
| I was facing such a problem, but my friend suggested blonde eyebrow microblading to me. Now I'm happy with my brows but i don't know it is halal or haram in Islam.. If anyone know please guide me. |