Q: AssalamuAlaikum wrwb,

I have several questions:
1) Are women allowed to cut their hairs? The fatwas are all over the place. Mufti Usman Taqi Usmani, the Mufti-e-Azam of Pakistan allows it, whereas many thinks it’s haraam, and some say that it’s mukrooh…I haven’t cut my hair since I was 12 and my hair are alhamdullilah as long as I am and I sometimes step on them when I put my gears in reverse, which is a bit painful (not much). So can I cut my hairs off a little bit, and if I can then how much should I cut off?

2) I’ve heard that having long hairs is a sign that a girl will be amongst the one s going to paradise, inshAllah, because women will only have their hairs to hide their private parts on the Day of Judgment (may Allah save us all on that day). Is it true? If it is, do you know any duas I could read for my hair to still be long if I lived long enough to get old?

3) Is it permissible for a guy to meet and look at the girl he is thinking of marrying? His family does not live here and he says he want to meet the girl before he commits to marrying her. Is this permissible in Islam?

4) Is it allowed to do Zumba in an all-women gym?

Lastly, I thank you all for presenting us with the opportunity to ask our private questions anonymously online rather than having to ask them through our men. Jazakumullah u khairan ahsanal jazaa’i fiddarain.

Time: Wednesday May 1, 2013 at 6:49 pm

A: Walaikumsalam,
1)It is standard, when there is no urgent need or serious health related matters, woman must not cut their hair. If it is very crocked at its end or a doctor prescribes that she must trim her hair, she may do so only to the extent it does not resemble the haircut of men and it must be done only to the extent required. As for your hair getting stuck on the gear box, we think a woman displaying her hair as described by you in public is to merely humor our audience, for a woman having taqwa would not flaunt her hair in such a manner in public perview. Your comment regarding mufti Taqi is out of context.  From his past works, i cannot see him saying that a woman can merely cut her hair. Kindly send us a copy of his exact fatwa that makes the claim you have alluded to.

2. Allah knows best as to your analysis of this claim.  A woman wanting jannah would grow her hair as did the female companions and the pious woman of the past. She would conceal her beauty from strangers.