Salam alaekum everyone.
I was watching a video on YouTube when a Christian apologist was trying to justify that Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was so dirty that lice grew on his hair. He was saying this with such enthusiasm as to mean that why are we Muslims identifying ourselves with a dirty man who regarded himself as a prophet.
In-sha Allah this article would serve as an arsenal for all Muslims who have remained voiceless when such issue is raised. The hadiths in question read thus:
Anas bin Maalik (R.A.) has narrated that: Whenever Nabi (S.A.W.) used to go to Quba, he made it a habit to visit his foster aunt, Umme Hiraam. On one occasion she entertained Nabi (S.A.W.) with a meal and thereafter began removing the nits from the head of Nabi (S.A.W.). (Abu Dawood, Chapter on Jihad, Page 337)
Sahih al-Bukhari (Ref: 9.130) Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Allah’s Messenger used to visit Um Haram bint Milhan and she was the wife of Ubada bin As-Samit. One day the Prophet visited her and she provided him with food and started looking for lice in his head. Then Allah’s Messenger slept and afterwards woke up smiling[…]
The lack of cleanliness was not the cause of nits; rather the hair of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was thick and well oiled. The climate in those regions is conducive to the spreading of nits.
The Messenger of Allah used oil on his blessed hair and blessed beard, he also used water on his blessed beard, and then combed it. He combed his blessed hair on the head and sometimes parted them in the middle. He also combed his blessed beard with an ivory comb.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) states that, ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would apply plenty of oil in his blessed hair and beard and at times comb the beard and tie a cloth on his blessed head, the cloth would get covered in oil just like his blessed hair.’
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah less him and grant him peace) would apply a lot of oil and to save his blessed Amama, hat and other clothing from getting stained with oil, he would wear a cloth on his blessed head. How unique is it that his cloth would never get any dirt nor lice, Subhanallah!
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) has related, ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would apply oil to his head frequently and washed his beard with water.’
Isn’t it the same narrator Anas bin Malik that is reporting same events?
The credibility of such hadiths talking about lice in the hair of the Prophet (pbuh) needs to be questioned. It is difficult, also, to imagine a situation where someone else’s wife would be looking for lice on the Prophet’s head on one of his supposed regular trips to see her, particularly as the Qur’an enjoins believing men and women to lower their gaze and be modest, an injunction which would seem to preclude such a suggestive intimacy. Moreover, this hadith is also trying to mock the Prophet (pbuh) by making it seem that the Prophet (pbuh) did not care for hygiene and cleanliness. The Quran empahsises a great deal on physical cleanliness, and again according to all historical facts / evidences the Prophet was well known to have been most particular about personal hygiene.
Our Prophet (pbuh) was NOT that kind of person who would roam around with lice on his head. His hair was always oiled and covered from dust and lice infections.
Funsho Animashaun @ knowislam.com.ng
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