QUESTION to all brothers: Do you apply kohl to your eyes???

[Saiful Rahman Al Afghany]

Bismillaah,

This is a forgotten Sunnah. It is reported that rasulullaah used to apply kohl to his eyes. In Afghanistan, people do apply kohl to their eyes. Especially during the Afghan-Soviet war and even today, the mujahideen apply kohl to their eyes before taking part in battles.

I'm curious to know how it is in other cultures ...

Wasalaam,

[Abdullah11]

Bismillaah,

This is a forgotten Sunnah. It is reported that rasulullaah used to apply kohl to his eyes. In Afghanistan, people do apply kohl to their eyes. Especially during the Afghan-Soviet war and even today, the mujahideen apply kohl to their eyes before taking part in battles.

I'm curious to know how it is in other cultures ...

Wasalaam,

When I briefly looked into this, I found it only sunnah to apply it before sleep. There is a section in Shamil at-Tirmidhi.

[Abu Ibrahim al-Khurasani]

Are the ahaadith regarding it all sahih?

What do the scolars say about it?

[Saiful Rahman Al Afghany]

When I briefly looked into this, I found it only sunnah to apply it before sleep. There is a section in Shamil at-Tirmidhi.

True, these are the ahaadith in Tirmidhie Sharif:

Imaam Tirmidhi mentions five ahaadith in this chapter.

(48) Hadith Number 1
Ibn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu says:"Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said: 'Use kuhl made of ithmid on the eye; it brightens the eyesight, and strengthens and increases the growth of the eye lashes'. (Sayyidina Ibn'Abbaas Radiyallahu'Anhu also used to say) 'Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam had a small container for keeping kohl, from which he applied kohl in each eye three times every night"'.

Commentary
Ithmid is a special type of kohl which is reddish black in colour. It is obtained in the Eastern countries. Some of the learned say it is the Isfahaani kuhl, and other say it is the Totiya. Some 'ulama say, it means those who have good eyesight and it should be used by those with whose eyesight it agrees, otherwise a sick person's eyes will pain more by its use. It is more beneficial to apply kohl at the time of sleeping as it will remain longer in the eyes, and will penetrate more into the pores. There are different narrations on the number of times it should be applied in each eye. In a few it is stated that it should be applied three times in each eye, as mentioned above.
In other narrations it is stated that it should be put three times in the right eye and two times in the left eye. It is supposed that the variations are because of the different times of the narrations. At a certain time, Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi Wasallam applied it in one manner and at another time in the other manner. Haafiz Ibn Hajar, Mulla 'Ali Qaari and other 'ulama have preferred the first method (as given in the hadith under discussion). the first method has been narrated many times from Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu' Alayhi Wasallam, as will be seen in the narration that follow.

(49) Hadith Number 2
Ibn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam applied kuhl of ithmid three times in each eye before sleeping'. In a narration also from Ibn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu, it is reported: "Rasuluilah Sallallahu'Alayhi Wasallam had a small container for keeping kuhl, from which he applied in each eye kuhl three times before sleeping'.

(50) Hadith Number 3
Jaabir bin 'Abdullah Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said: 'Use the kuhl made from ithmid for the eyes. It brightens the vision and strengthens the growth of the eye lashes'.

(51) Hadith Number 4
Ibn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Rasulullah Sallallah 'Alayhi Wasallam has said: 'The best from among all the kuhl used by you is the one made from ithmid. It brightens the eyesight and strengthens the growth of the eye lashes"'.

Commentary
One of the narrators in the chain of this hadith is Bishr bin Mufaddal RA. The 'ulama wrote that he performed four hundred rak'ahs nafl daily, and it was his permanent practice to fast every alternate day.

(52) Hadith Number 5
'Abdullah bin 'Umar Radiyallahu 'Anhu related the same hadith from Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallarn that: "Verily use the kuhl made from ithmid. It brightens the vision and strengthens the growth of the eye lashes".

Commentary
In all the above narrations the use of kuhl made from ithmid has be stressed. Only those eyes are meant, that agree with the use of it, otherwise, because of certain eye conditions kuhl does not agree with some people, as was mentioned previously. The 'ulama have written that due to these commands and practices it is sunnah to use kuhl, and it is better to use the one made from ithmid. If one uses kuhl made from any other substance it will be regarded as sunnah, but the virtue is obtained by using kuhl made of ithmid.

(Source: http://fahmidaspearls.blogspot.com/2...ring-kohl.html

Tirmidhie also wrote a Hadith in the chapter of seeing the Prophet in dreams. Someone saw the Prophet in his dream and he described him, saying: “his eyes were kohl-smeared”. Wa Allaahu A’alam! I personally wear kohl during the day. I never heard it was for the nights only. I have to double check with our local Imaam, wa Allahu A’lam!

Check this pic:



Also check this guy from "Pirates of Caribian":



If even kuffaar wear it, why can't we? It's a sunnah of our Prophet!

Are the ahaadith regarding it all sahih?

What do the scolars say about it?

Yes akhee, some ahaadith were classified as Saheeh. Here is Shaykh Salih al-Munajjid's fatwa:

Question:

"Did Phrophet Muhammed (saw) apply surma (kohl) to his eyes? And are there any ahadeeth that narrate this? In the USA kohl is banned as it causes lead poisoning (as they say) can this be true? because I would like to apply it as well, as i suffer from poor vision".

Answer:

"Praise be to Allaah.

In a number of hadeeths it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used kohl and commanded others to do so. For example it is narrated in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah, from the hadeeth of Anas, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to apply kohl to his right eye three times, and to his left eye twice. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah no. 633. And it was proven in Sunan al-Nasaa’i (5113) and Sunan Abi Dawood (3837) and elsewhere, from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of your kohl is ithmid (antimony), for it makes the vision clear and makes the hair grow.”

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Kohl protects the health of the eyes and gives strength and clarity of vision, and cleanses they eye of bad substances. In addition to that some types of kohl also serve as an adornment and if it is applied before going to bed this is even better. And ithmid is more efficacious than other types of kohl.

Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/281.

It says in al-Mughni: It is mustahabb to use kohl an odd number of times. (al-Mughni, 1/106).

It says in al-Majmoo’: With regard to using kohl an odd number of times, there is a difference of scholarly opinion. It was said that it should be applied an odd number of times to one eye and an even number of times to the other, so that the total number will be odd. The correct view of the scholars who examined this issue is that it should be applied an odd number of times to each eye. Based on this, the Sunnah is to apply it three times to each eye. (al-Majmoo’, 1/334).

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthyameen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Some eye doctors say that kohl is harmful to the eyes and they advise not using it. What do you say to them?

He replied: Ithmid (antimony) is known to be very good for the eyes. I do not know anything about other types of kohl. Trustworthy doctors are the ones whom we should consult on this matter.

And it was said of Zarqa’ al-Yamaamah, who could see as far as three days, that when she was killed, they saw that all the veins of her eyes bore traces of this ithmid.

(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, vol. 17; Chapter on medical treatment and visiting the sick).

From the above it is known that kohl is good and is not harmful to the eyes, rather it is beneficial. But there may be some kinds of modern, manufactured kohl that contain some chemical ingredients which may cause physical damage and remove some of the benefits of kohl. Hence people nowadays should look for pure kohl and not regard every kind of kohl available nowadays as beneficial. And Allaah knows best".

Islam Q&A
Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Salih al-Munajjid
(Source: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/44696/kohl%20eyes

[nonameyet]

nowadays which kind of kohl would correspond to ithmid ?

wassalam

[AbuBakr Jazairi]

nowadays which kind of kohl would correspond to ithmid ?

wassalam

There is the Ithmid Kohl that comes from KSA, we have it here in Algeria everywhere.

I used to put Kohl often in high school and it was very annoying to the Boss, he was anti-islamism type of guys and I had a lot of problems with him may ALLAH give him what he deserves now.

And I still put it from time to time but not as I was.

[waziri]

JazakAllah khair akhi saif ,

I have some kohl which I bought some time ago but haven't applied it to my eyes for a while but InshaAallah I will start doing so again.

May Allah reward you for reminding us of this sunnah



wasalam

[heart4allah]

Wasalam Alikum,

Jazaka'allah Khier for the Reminder. I use to used it all the time now am waiting to get some good quality. You have to beware as many of the kohl bought from regular shops have lead in them. And are not the pure kohl. There is also diffrent types. I usally buy the red stone one. Which Alhamdulilah I order from anyone going to Madinah.

[abdelkarim maghrebi]

Bismillaah,

This is a forgotten Sunnah. It is reported that rasulullaah used to apply kohl to his eyes. In Afghanistan, people do apply kohl to their eyes. Especially during the Afghan-Soviet war and even today, the mujahideen apply kohl to their eyes before taking part in battles.

I'm curious to know how it is in other cultures ...

Wasalaam,

eleykoem salaam

i used to do it everyday, but my ex wife was against it cause it is like make up. so i started to do it before i go to sleep.
i still feel like doing it again

(is is not a forgotten sunna btw, in morocco they do iit and yemen to)

it is because we are here, and while talking about it i feel my heart is like a magnet and ka3ba is the other magnet.

[Saiful Rahman Al Afghany]

nowadays which kind of kohl would correspond to ithmid ?

wassalam

This is the original one from Madinah:



I don’t know where you live, but I think it’s sold worldwide. You should be able to find it in some of your local Islamic shops, Insha’Allaah!

JazakAllah khair akhi saif ,

I have some kohl which I bought some time ago but haven't applied it to my eyes for a while but InshaAallah I will start doing so again.

May Allah reward you for reminding us of this sunnah

wasalam

Wa iyaak! May Allaah reward you akhee! Yes, let’s bring this Sunnah back to life!

i used to do it everyday, but my ex wife was against it cause it is like make up. so i started to do it before i go to sleep.
i still feel like doing it again.

Hah, yes dear brother, you should know how to put it on properly

On EID day (a few years back), I went outside like this with kohl in my eyes:



This appearance shocked the entire city! LOL!

(is is not a forgotten sunna btw, in morocco they do iit and yemen to)

Alhamdolillaah! I heard from a Bangali that it's also common in Bangladesh for men to wear kohl ...

Wasalam Alikum,

Jazaka'allah Khier for the Reminder. I use to used it all the time now am waiting to get some good quality. You have to beware as many of the kohl bought from regular shops have lead in them. And are not the pure kohl. There is also diffrent types. I usally buy the red stone one. Which Alhamdulilah I order from anyone going to Madinah.

Wa alaykum Sallaam wa Rahmatullaah,

Yes, I heard the same. We should be careful, because some types of modern kohl are indeed bad for the eyes.

Wa Allaahu Aa’lam,
Wasalaam,