Custom and Style RE: Do women have to undo their locks or braids for a valid ghusl?

Locks are not necessarily a distinctively non-Muslim style, however many of the hair styles that many Muslim women with straight hair use may as well have come from Europeans and at any rate if it is attractive to one's husband then what is the harm. Sheikh Muhsin al-Najjar gave evidence for some of the Sahaba having similar hair-styles and he approved of it though he prefers the way of Sayyid Ali-Short/bald hair if I am not mistaken. I have little or no ilm, but I believe the Muslim culture to be very wide and encompassing such like the Malikis when they accepted the 'urf of the people of the maghrib. Rastas and Locks should be differentiated.

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Sidi, Jazak Allah khayr… I was not saying that locks themselves are the styles of non-Muslims but that,

One should, of course, avoid styles that are uniquely and distinctively those of non-Muslims…

As such, following the latest trends and fashions of non-Muslims has little to do with the Islamic concept of `urf, and is best to avoid (and can be disliked or blameworthy). On the other hand looking as people in a particular land do, while keeping one’s Muslim identity, is fine.

I think we’d agree on this.

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani
faraz@sunnipath.com
hanafi@sunnipath.com