al-Ahadith al-Warida fi Dhikr Ahkam al-Shayb wa Bayan Fadlihi
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al-Ahadith al-Warida fi Dhikr Ahkam al-Shayb wa Bayan Fadlihi (The Hadiths Concerning the Rulings of Gray Hair and the Clarification of Its Virtue) is a contemporary hadith treatise by Husayn bin Ghazi al-Tuwayjiri that compiles and evaluates prophetic narrations regarding the legal rulings, spiritual significance, and etiquette surrounding gray hair .
Background and Purpose
Al-Tuwayjiri noted that many people view gray hair negatively and attempt to eradicate it either by plucking it or by dyeing it black . He composed the work to demonstrate that such practices stem from unfamiliarity with the prophetic traditions, which describe gray hair as a light for the believer, forbid plucking it, and encourage dyeing it with substances other than black . In reviewing prior specialized works on the subject, the author identified Ibn Abi al-Dunya’s Kitab al-‘Umr wa-l-Shayb—noting that it contained only two hadiths alongside eighty-nine non-prophetic reports (athar)—and Sa‘id ibn ‘Ali ibn Wahf al-Qahtani’s Nur al-Shayb wa Hukm Taghyirihi fi Daw’ al-Kitab wa-l-Sunnah, which referenced narrations alongside the gradings of Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani .
Structure
The book is organized into an introduction, six thematic inquiries (matalib), and a conclusion :
- First Inquiry: The mention of gray hair in the Quran .
- Second Inquiry: The virtue of gray hair and the prohibition against plucking it .
- Third Inquiry: The prescription to revere the elderly Muslim (tawqir dhi al-shayba) .
- Fourth Inquiry: The command to dye gray hair and differ from the People of the Book .
- Fifth Inquiry: The best substances used to change the color of gray hair .
- Sixth Inquiry: The prohibition against dyeing gray hair black .
The conclusion summarizes the main findings of the research, followed by indexes of referenced sources and subjects .
Methodology
Al-Tuwayjiri established a systematic approach to citing and evaluating the narrations :
- When a hadith appears in Sahih al-Bukhari or Sahih Muslim, he limits the primary attribution to them, occasionally citing the four Sunan or other collections for specific benefits in the text or chain of transmission (isnad) .
- For narrations outside the two Sahihs, he attributes them to the four Sunan compilers and issues a ruling on their authenticity .
- If a report is absent from both the two Sahihs and the four Sunan, he cites other primary collections, organizing the references chronologically according to the death dates of their compilers, and notes corroborating reports (mutaba‘at and shawahid) when needed, avoiding exhaustive lists for conciseness .
- For biographical evaluation of narrators, he relies primarily on Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani’s Taqrib al-Tahdhib for narrators found in the Six Books, supplementing it with earlier critical statements if he dissents from Ibn Hajar's assessment; narrators not found in the Taqrib are briefly profiled from other biographical dictionaries .
- He clarifies uncommon vocabulary (gharib), incorporates explanations from traditional hadith commentators, and provides vocalization for difficult words and proper names .
Core Findings
In the book's conclusion, al-Tuwayjiri summarizes the principal legal and spiritual rulings derived from the compiled traditions :
- Every gray hair serves as a light for the Muslim on the Day of Resurrection, records a good deed, and expiates a sin .
- Plucking gray hair is strictly forbidden .
- Honoring and respecting elderly Muslims is legally prescribed .
- Dyeing gray hair is encouraged to differentiate Muslims from the People of the Book, who left their hair undyed .
- Henna and katam are the most recommended substances for dyeing gray hair, while using black dye is prohibited .
- The widespread use of black dye is noted as a phenomenon occurring toward the end of time .
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