27/66. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3537 — Eye Treatment and Grooming During Iddah
Concession Allowing A Woman In Mourning To Comb Her Hair With Lote Leaves
Eye Treatment During Iddah: Kohl, Henna and Lote Leaves
Sunan an-Nasai : 3537
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3537
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ السَّرْحِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مَخْرَمَةُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْمُغِيرَةَ بْنَ الضَّحَّاكِ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمُّ حَكِيمٍ بِنْتُ أَسِيدٍ، عَنْ أُمِّهَا، أَنَّ زَوْجَهَا، تُوُفِّيَ وَكَانَتْ تَشْتَكِي عَيْنَهَا فَتَكْتَحِلُ الْجِلاَءَ فَأَرْسَلَتْ مَوْلاَةً لَهَا إِلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ فَسَأَلَتْهَا عَنْ كُحْلِ الْجِلاَءِ فَقَالَتْ لاَ تَكْتَحِلُ إِلاَّ مِنْ أَمْرٍ لاَ بُدَّ مِنْهُ دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ تُوُفِّيَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ عَلَى عَيْنِي صَبِرًا فَقَالَ " مَا هَذَا يَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ " . قُلْتُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ صَبِرٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَيْسَ فِيهِ طِيبٌ . قَالَ " إِنَّهُ يَشُبُّ الْوَجْهَ فَلاَ تَجْعَلِيهِ إِلاَّ بِاللَّيْلِ وَلاَ تَمْتَشِطِي بِالطِّيبِ وَلاَ بِالْحِنَّاءِ فَإِنَّهُ خِضَابٌ " . قُلْتُ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ أَمْتَشِطُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " بِالسِّدْرِ تُغَلِّفِينَ بِهِ رَأْسَكِ " .
Umm Hakim bint Asid Narrated from:
Umm Hakim bint Asid narrated from her mother that her husband died and she had a problem in her eye, so she applied kohl to clear her eyes. She sent a freed slave woman of hers to Umm Salamah to ask her about using kohl to clear her eyes. She said: "Do not use kohl unless it cannot be avoided.The Messenger of Allah entered upon me when Abu Salamah died and I had put some aloe juice on my eyes. He said: 'What is this, O Umm Salamah?' I said: 'It is aloe juice, O Messenger of Allah, there is no perfume in it.' He said: 'It makes the face look bright, so only use it at night, and do not comb your hair with perfume or henna, for it is a dye.' I said: 'With what can I comb it, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'With lote leaves -cover your head with them.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3537In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 151English translation : Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3567
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3537
This hadith discusses eye treatment and grooming during a widow's mourning period. A woman with an eye problem asked Umm Salamah about cleansing kohl. Umm Salamah said it should not be used unless it could not be avoided, then shared her own experience after Abu Salamah died. She had placed aloe juice on her eyes because it contained no perfume. The Messenger of Allah explained that it brightened the face and told her to use it only at night. He also told her not to comb her hair with perfume or henna because henna is a dye. When she asked what she could use, he told her to use lote leaves and cover her head with them. The report balances need with limits on adornment.
What we learn from this hadith
- Eye treatment was limited to a case that could not be avoided.
- Aloe juice was allowed only at night because it brightened the face.
- Perfumed hair products and henna were not to be used.
- Lote leaves were given as an alternative for the hair.
