Haircuts In Non-Muslim Salons: What Penang's Mufti And Islamic Committee Have To Say

The video features a religious speaker known as Ustaz Shahul Hamid, who was answering a question: "What is the hukum (living law) Islam on a Muslim man getting a haircut from a perempuan kafir (female infidel/non-Muslim female)?" He said that it was haram due to the nature of the situation which puts the two individuals into physical contact, and could lead to fitnah.

In the same video, Shahul Hamid also said that Muslim women should not frequent non-Muslim hair salons, even if the barber is a woman. He explained that this is because the body and hair are part of a woman's aurat.

"Ever since I went to study in a sekolah pondok, entered Form One and up until now, I have never allowed orang-orang kafir (infidels) to touch my head. Although there is no daleel (evidence) that says allowing non-Muslims to hold your head is haram, it is better for us to find a Muslim barber, because at least we are helping the Muslims' businesses," he said in the video.

Following FMT's report today, the video appeared to have been taken down by the YouTube channel, Abu Khadijah Studio, as it is no longer available for public view. However, a copy of the video has been re-uploaded on YouTube by FMT.

"Some people who live in Penang think, 'We stay in Penang, and there are a lot of people from different races here. We have to teach our children, send them to Chinese schools, only then they know how to live'," he was heard saying in the video, disagreeing with such thoughts.

Citing a Muslim scholar who wrote a kitab (book) on how it is haram for parents to send their children to a kafir's school, Shahul Hamid said in his preaching that parents should never send their children to non-Islamic schools unless there was an "emergency", such as when there are no other schools in the neighbourhood. However, he stressed that the parents must ensure that their children follow the Islamic way of life.

Shahul Hamid reportedly said in another session which was recorded on video, that it was haram to wish "Happy Birthday" or "Sanah Helwah" in Arabic. He also said that Muslims should use "Assalamualaikum" instead of "hello" and "goodbye" when answering phone calls.

The Malaysian Insight, in its report today, stated that Shahul Hamid once urged Muslims to boycott "Hindu companies" like Baba's and Alagappa's a few years ago. It was learned that he also poked fun at a Hindu deity at the Alagappa's factory in Bukit Mertajam.

"If you go to the Alagappa's factory near Permatang Pauh, you will see a statue (goddess) at the entrance, and the tongue is out. Why is the tongue out? Because the goddess must taste all the curry powder before they sell it," he reportedly said then.

His offensive remarks drew ire from the local Hindu community and Shahul Hamid has since apologised and promised that such a thing "will never happen again".

MMO asked Wan Ji Wan Hussin, who explained that it is not wrong for non-Muslim women to look at or touch the hair of Muslim women, in accordance to an old ulama named al-Imam al-Mardawi mentioned in the Kitab al-Insaf.

"Therefore, there is nothing wrong for Muslim women to get their haircut at a non-Muslim hair salon," he was quoted as saying.

Wan Ji also told MMO that it was not true that it is haram for Muslim parents to send their kids to study in Chinese schools.

"In fact, this contradicts what had been practised by Muslim ulama for many generations," he said.

"Such things (as what Shahul said) will not happen here (in Penang). People should stop paying attention to that as there are more important things to focus on. It will only create a negative perception of Islam," Malik was quoted as saying by New Straits Times (NST).

In the same NST report, Penang mufti Datuk Dr Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor reportedly said that all religious preachers in the state, including Shahul Hamid, should be careful when delivering speeches to avoid having their talks misinterpreted.

"My advise is that preachers should be more responsible and careful while delivering their talks. We should not portray Islam in a bad light through our way of delivering knowledge," Wan Salim said.