Plucking of eyebrows is not permissible. This is because of the text reported In al-Saheehayn, that;
Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the women who do tattoos and those for whom tattoos are done, those who pluck their eyebrows and those who file their teeth for the purpose of beautification and alter the creation of Allaah . (al-Bukhaari, al-Libaas, 5587; Muslim, al-Libaas, 5538).
The word that is translated as "those who pluck their eyebrows" in this Hadeeth is "Mutanammisaat" which is the pleural of "Mutanammisah".
Hafiz Ibn Hajr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fath-al-Bari explaining this Hadeeth, that Mutanammisah is the one who does "Nimaas" which is removing the hair from the face. And some scholars said that Nimaas is specific for removing the hair of eyebrows.
Abu-Dawood (may Allaah have mercy on him) said that Naamisah is the one who designs her eyebrows to make them thin.
An-Nawawee (may Allaah have mercy on him) considered removing any hair from the face prohibited except if the woman grows a beard or moustache or hair on her neck then there is nothing wrong in removing them.
At-Tabaree (may Allaah have mercy on him) had an even more strict view that no facial hair can be removed unless it is harmfull.
Some latter scholars however, especially in our time have taken the view that this may be permissible if this is for their husband but what they miss out here is that when there is a text of Quraan or Hadeeth about an issue then exceptions can not be made on logic and reasoning rather the text is to be obeyed. There is no disagreement among scholars that when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) curse some action then that action becomes haraam and in such case exception can only be made by Allaah or His Messenger.
Neither men nor women are therefore allowed to remove any hair from their eyebrows at all.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (17/133): It is not permissible to remove the hair of the eyebrows because this is the namaas (plucking) for which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed those who do it, and it is a kind of changing the creation of Allaah, which is the action of the Shaytaan. If a woman's husband tells her to do it, she should not obey him, because it is a sin, and there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator. Rather obedience should only be with regard to things that are good and proper.
The only situations where removing some hair from eyebrows can be allowed are e.g. if the hair become too long to interfere the vision or hair are growing in areas adjacent to the eyebrows or some other similer situation.
As for the area between the eyebrows is concerned the matter is a subject of discussion and difference of opinion based on how one interoperates some part of the text.
If "Nimaas" is understood as removing hair from the face then removing hair from between the eyebrows will not be permissible, but if "Nimaas" is removing the hair from the eyebrows only then the matter depends on whether the hair between the eyebrows are considered as part of normal eyebrows or not, if not, then removing these hair from between the eyebrows becomes permissible.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah ( 5/197) that It is permissible to pluck the hair between eyebrows, because it is not part of the eyebrows.
However as this is an area of difference of opinion among scholars, taking a safer attitude in this by avoiding it is better, as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: What is permitted is clear and what is forbidden is dlear, and between them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. The who avoids doubtful matters clears himself with regard to his religious commitment and his honour . Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 52; Muslim, 1599.
And Allah the Most Knowledgeable knows what is best and most correct.
We ask Allaah to help and guide us to do all that He is pleased with and his Peace and blessings be upon His last Prophet Muhammad.
