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Is a Henna Event Permissible?

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Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: I am getting married soon and had two questions:

1. Is a Henna event permissible? It will be an only women’s gathering in which girls will put henna on their hands and there will be food.

2. There is a tradition in which the sisters of the bride hide the groom’s shoe until he gives them a mutually agreed on sum of money. Is this ok to do?

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

1. There’s no harm in specifying a day to have a Henna event for your upcoming wedding as long as what is taking place during the event is permissible (applying henna and serving food is).

Similarly, there is nothing wrong in calling this event a Mehndi.

2. The groom may, of course, give a monetary gift to his in-laws. As for the practice of ‘stealing’/hiding the groom’s shoes, this is primarily a cultural practice that occurs in Indian and Pakistani weddings. As long as there is (a) no shariah contraventions (such as physical touching between non-mahrams or the groom’s male relatives chasing the women etc.) or (b) specific imitation of others’ religious ceremonies, the act itself would be permitted.

I would add that a wedding in Islam is an important event connected to the completion of our religion. While expressions of joy and entertainment are permitted, also try to make it an event that demonstrates your thankfulness to God for all of His blessings.

May you have a blessed wedding.

Salman

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Is It Better for a Woman to Avoid to Apply Henna If She Has to Appear in Public?

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Asalamu alaikum,

Is it better for a woman to avoid to apply henna if she has to appear in public?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that this message finds you well, insha’Allah.

In general, it is permitted for the woman to apply henna to her hands and feet. [Ibn Nujaym, al-Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir]

It would be recommended to do so to please her husband, as such beautification is sought from her in their relationship, or in other contexts because it is a feminine act that has benefits and precedence in the sunna.

However, if there is a possibility that unrelated men will see such henna after application, then the consideration would be whether or not it attracts their undue attention.

If it does, avoid adorning yourself with it in a public setting.

And Allah alone knows best.

wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.