This is another example of a man’s beard that has been hennaed and is fading as it grows out. You can see the gray hair of the beard closer to the face at the roots. The man wears the very traditional clothing of a Saudi man as he stands out on the street looking for his ride. I don’t know why I still get jolted when I see men around here with flaming red hair or beards because it is quite common. In Islam, the Koran is the holy book – and not a single word of it has been altered since it was first written centuries ago. In addition to the Koran, there is also Sunnah, which reveals “the ways and the manners of the prophet Mohammed,” including his habits or traditions, his practices, his actions and his words, as told by those who were closest to him. Since Mohammed used henna on his hair, it is considered Sunnah. Muslims try to be like Mohammed in whatever ways they can, so therefore using henna is one way Muslim men and women do as Mohammed did.
You can see more henna photos and learn a bit more about henna and how it is used in this part of the world by seeing a previous post of mine on henna.
About This Blog, and About Me: Susie of Arabia
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is KSA's 2nd largest city and is located on its west coast, right on the Red Sea. I moved here in 2007 with my Saudi hubby. This journal reflects the things that I see here, life through my eyes, my lens.
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JEDDAH DAILY PHOTO 
Hadith – Abu Dawud, Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As
The Apostle of Allah said: Do not pluck out grey hair. If any believer grows a grey hair in Islam, he will have light on the Day of Resurrection. (This is Sufyan’s version). Yahya’s version says: Allah will record on his behalf a good deed for it, and will blot out a sin for it.
Hadith – Abu Dawud, Narrated AbuDharr
The Prophet said: The best things with which grey hair are changed are henna and katam.
Hadith – Abu Dawud, Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas’ud
The Prophet of Allah disliked ten things: Yellow colouring, meaning khaluq, dyeing grey hair, trailing the lower garment, wearing a gold signet-ring, a woman decking herself before people who are not within the prohibited degrees, throwing dice, using spells except with the Mu’awwidhatan, wearing amulets, withdrawing the penis before the semen is discharged, in the case of a woman who is wife or not a wife, and having intercourse with a woman who is suckling a child; but he did not declare them to be prohibited
Hadith – Bukhari 4:668, Narrated Abu Huraira , see also Bukhari 7:786
Allah’s Apostle said, “The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their grey hair), so you shall do the opposite of what they do (i.e. dye your grey hair and beards).”
Hadith – Muslim, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah
When AbuQuhafah (father of AbuBakr) came in the Year of Victory or on the Day of Victory (to the Prophet to pledge his allegiance to him) his head and his beard were white like hyssop. He (the Prophet ) commanded or the women were commanded by him that they should change this with something (that the color of his hair should be changed).
Hadith – Muslim, Narrated ‘Ubaid Ibn Juraij
…And about the dyeing of hair with Hinna; no doubt I saw Allah’s Apostle dyeing his hair with it and that is why I like to dye (my hair with it)…
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I think I laughed out loud for a full minute when I read your statement “I don’t know why I still get jolted when I see men around here with flaming red hair or beards”. I grew up in that part of the world, so I know what you’re talking about, but to me it was so ordinary,I didn’t even bat an eyelash. Now that I am living in Canada and am reading your very American (but always respectful) response to everyday sights in the Muslim world, I can see how funny it is, looked at from a foreigner’s (you might even say alien’s in this this extreme case of cultural difference) point of view!
He should do it more often…right now is a tricolour man….
Fascinating, as always.
I enjoy learning about the different customs and traditions from where you are living now.
I once had an aunt who dyed her hair red
Her name I recall was Hannah.
She soon became sorry she did it because
People kept calling her Henna.
I think it looks terrible. Do Arabs think this looks good? I cannot imagine it looking good even if it was a fresh dye job.
Oh, Jerry – I have been “dying” to get a photo of a fresh dye job. I have seen the brightest oranges and reds you could ever imagine – and it’s both the hair on their heads and their beards that the men dye. Hopefully one day, I’ll get a good photo for you.
I’ve seen women with almost purplish red hair but never a man with a dyed red beard. Oh well, there is no accounting for taste.
Umm actually the Qur’an was likely changed many times before the book, as it it is seen now, was finally codified by Zaid ibn Thaabit and given to Abu Bakr.
That aside, wouldn’t dying your beard be a level of vanity a pride that is considered haram?
That’s the way I see it, as vanity – however since Mohammed himself did it, then it’s not considered vanity – it’s emulating Mohammed.
I guess if people want to change their hair color, what the heck. Here it could be any color under the rainbow. At least henna is a natural dye. But any dye job looks kind of funny when it grows out or is totally unatural looking.
I dyed my hair red for a year because I have always loved red hair, but I found it so very difficult to maintain. It fades quickly.