Dread Locks, an Evil Hair Style

AD-Dawa Al-Bayyin

Dread Locks, an Evil Hair Style

Here is the daleel (proof and evidences) for the impermissibility of dreadlocks because it's an imitation of the kufaar, Dreadlocks also are a symbol representing religions of shirk. Many Muslims in the west wear this hair style not knowing the evil in it.

 The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever imitates a people is one of them. (Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Libaas, 3512. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh Abi Dawood, (it is) hasan saheeh. No. 3401).

Those that say that they did not start dread locks because other people are doing it are lying to themselves. Unless you were the originator of dread locks then you have followed another people in their way. Dread locks are not a practice of the Muslims of old or new. Those that say, "I did not start my dread locks with the intention of imitating the Kufar." See the hadeeth above; the Messenger (peace be upon him) did not say that the intention to imitate a people is part of the prohibiting of imitating another people. 

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: `Whoever has hair, let him look after it properly.'" [Dawud]

"The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was in the mosque, when a man with unkempt hair and an untidy beard came in. The Prophet (PBUH) pointed to him, as if indicating to him that he should tidy up his hair and beard. The man went and did so, then returned. The Prophet (PBUH) said, `Is this not better than that any one of you should come with unkempt hair, looking like the Shaytan?''

There is no doubt that the people that wear the dreads look like shaytans. Their heads look mantels with snakes coming out from every direction.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came to visit us, and he saw an unkempt man whose hair was going in all directions, so he said, `Could he not find anything with which to comb his head?'" [Muwatta]

Here is some of what has been said regarding the history of dreadlocks:

The History Of Dreadlocks

Left to its own devices, hair will naturally knot together and form mats or
"dreadlocks". Upon seeing Dreadlocks, most people think of Bob Marley,
reggae, and Rastafarianism, unaware that the roots of Dreadlocks go back
much further, to at least 2500 BCE with the Dreadlocked Vedic deity Shiva
and his followers.

Dreadlocks are a universal phenomenon in the East as well as in the West.
Spiritualists of all faiths and backgrounds incorporate into their paths a
disregard for physical appearances and vanity. And so, throughout the world,
such seekers often cease to comb, cut, or otherwise dress their hair: This
is how "dreadlocks" are born.

In the West, the Nazarite is most widely known for developing Dreadlocks. In
the East, Yogis, Gyanis, and Tapasvis of all sects are the most famous
bearers of Dreadlocks.

Dreadlocks, then, are universally symbolic of a spiritualist's understanding
that vanity and physical appearances are unimportant. The counterpart to
Dreadlocks is the shaven head, which has the same aim: disregard for vanity
associated with physical appearances. Usually we find that spiritualists
whose religious path includes elaborate rituals tend to embrace the shaven
head technique as it affords a level of ritual cleanliness, while those
mystics who adopt meditative or otherwise non-ritualistic paths prefer to
disregard the hair altogether and thus develop Dreadlocks.

Dreadlocks are more than just a symbolic statement of disregard for physical
appearance. Both Eastern and Western Traditions hold that bodily, mental and
spiritual energies mainly exit the body through the top of the head and the
hair. If the hair is knotted, they believe, the energy remains within the
hair and the body, keeping a person more strong and healthy.



As the world moved into the Industrial Era, Dreadlocks were rarely seen
anywhere outside of India. However, at the turn of the Twentieth Century, a
socio-religious movement started in Harlem, NY by Marcus Garvey found an
enthusiastic following amongst the Black population of Jamaica. This
eclectic group drew their influences from three primary sources (1) the Old
and New Testaments, (2) African tribal culture, and (3) The Hindu culture
that had recently become a pervasive cultural force in the West Indies.

The followers of this movement called themselves "Dreads," signifying that
they had a dread, fear, or respect for God. Emulating Hindu and Nazarite
holy men, these "Dreads" grew matted locks of hair, which would become known
to the world as "Dreadlocks" - the hair-style of the Dreads.

Soon after, this group would focus their attention on the Ethiopian Emperor
Ras Tafari, Haile Selassie, and thus became known as Rastafarians. But the
term "Dreadlocks" stuck.

Ever since becoming connected with the Rastafarians in the early 1900's,
Dreadlocks have taken on, in addition to their original religious and
spiritual significance, a potent social symbolism as well. Today, Dreadlocks
signify spiritual intent, natural and supernatural powers, and are a
statement of non-violent non-conformity, communalism and socialistic values,
and solidarity with less fortunate or oppressed minorities. 

It was narrated that `Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would not leave anything in his house on which there was a cross but he would alter it." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5952.

 Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This at the very least indicates that it is haraam to imitate them, although the apparent meaning is that the one who imitates them is a kaafir. Iqtida' al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, 1/237. 

 It was narrated that `Abd-Allaah ibn `Amr ibn al-`Aas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw `Ali wearing two garments dyed with safflower and he said: "These are garments of the kuffaar, do not wear them." Narrated by Muslim, 2077. 

Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  "Imitating them in outward matters leads to imitating them in attitude and actions, hence we are forbidden to imitate the kuffaar, the Persians and the Bedouin, and both men and women are forbidden to imitate the opposite sex, as it says in the marfoo' hadeeth: `Whoever imitates a people is one of them.'" Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 22/154. 

The Standing Committee was asked to issue a fatwa concerning the type of imitation of the kuffaar that is forbidden. They replied: 

What is meant by the type of imitation of the kuffaar that is forbidden is imitating them with regard to those things that are unique to them, such as customs and beliefs and acts of worship that they have innovated in religion, such as imitating them by shaving off the beard… and the festivals that they have adopted; and exaggerating about the righteous by seeking their help, circumambulating their graves, offering sacrifices to them; ringing bells; wearing crosses around one's neck or hanging them up in houses or having a cross tattooed on one's hand…  

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 3/429. 

They were also asked about a Muslim who wears a cross. They replied: 

If he is told of the ruling on wearing a cross and that it is a Christian symbol, and he is told of the evidence that the one who wears it is happy to be regarded as one of them and approves of their ways, and he still persists in that, then he is to be regarded as being a kaafir, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

"And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa'), then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allaah guides not those people who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)"

[al-Maa'idah 5:51] 

It also implies that one agrees with the Christians and their claim that `Eesa (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was killed, but Allaah denies that as He says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning): 

"but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them"

[al-Nisa' 4:157] 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 2/119