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Writer's pictureAsma Bint Shameem

Are women allowed to wear makeup?

by Asma bint Shameem


ANSWER


Basically everything is permissible in Islaam unless there’s a specific text prohibiting that from the Qur’aan or authentic Sunnah. 


So there’s nothing wrong with wearing any kind of makeup as long as you do it in front of your husband, or among women and mahrams.


In fact it’s encouraged to wear makeup for your husband in the privacy of your home, as that’s part of beautifying yourself for him and that’s something liked in the Sharee’ah. 


🍃The scholars of the Standing Committee said:


“There is no reason why a woman should not adorn herself by wearing makeup on her face, or kohl, or doing her hair in a manner that does not make her resemble kaafir women, but it is also essential that she cover her face in front of men who are not her mahrams.”

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (17/129)


🍃And Al-Manaawi said: 


“As for putting on perfume and adorning oneself for one’s husband, it is required and recommended. 


Some of the scholars said: The wife’s adorning herself and putting on perfume for her husband are among the strongest causes of love and harmony between them and keeps dislike and resentment at bay, because the eye is the way to the heart, so if the eye sees something and likes it, it goes straight to the heart and thus love is generated. 

If it looks at something ugly or something that it does not like of clothing or garments, it will go to the heart and thus resentment and hatred will be generated. 

Hence the Arab women used to advise one another: 

Beware of letting your husband see you in a way that he does not like or smell something from you that he finds off-putting.”

(Fayd al-Qadeer, 3/190)


However it is NOT allowed to use “obvious” makeup like lipstick etc in public because it adds to the natural beauty of a woman.

But there’s nothing wrong with using lotions, moisturizers or other skin care products because such things are not visible.


A Muslim woman is required to cover her beauty in front of non-mahram men.


🍃 Allaah says:


“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their ”adornment” except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful”

[al-Noor 24:31]


“Adornment” includes makeup, jewellery, etc.


🍃 Ibn Katheer said:


“she should not show anything of her adornment to non-mahrams, apart from that which cannot be hidden.

Ibn Mas’ood said: Such as the rida ‘ (cloak) and clothes, i.e., what the Arab women used to wear of a miqna’ (a kind of outer garment) and what appears below from the garment.

There is no sin in that, because this is something that cannot be hidden. That is like what appears of a woman’s lower garment, and what cannot be hidden.”

(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/274)


🍃 The scholars of the Standing Committee said:


“It is not permissible for a woman to show any of her adornment, whether that is kohl or anything else, to anyone other than her husband or mahrams, because Allaah says: “and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands…”

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah 17/128)


And Allaah knows best

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