Removing the Hair of the Private Area is from the Sunnah

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: الْفِطْرَةُ خَمْسٌ - أَوْ خَمْسٌ مِنَ الْفِطْرَةِ - الْخِتَانُ وَالاِسْتِحْدَادُ وَتَقْلِيمُ الأَظْفَارِ وَنَتْفُ الإِبْطِ وَقَصُّ الشَّارِبِ

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: “The prophet ﷺ said:

Five are from the Fitrah, or five are the acts of Fitrah: Circumcision, shaving the private area, clipping the nails, plucking the hair under the armpits and clipping the mustache.

Al-Hāfiż Abu Zakariyah Yahyā ibn Sharaf An-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

The statement of the prophet ﷺ: “The acts of Fitrah are five,” or: “Five are from the Fitrah,” this is doubt from the narrator as to whether he said the first or second statement. In the second narration he displayed certainty. So he said: “The acts of Fitrah are five.” Then he explained the five. He said: “Circumcision, shaving the private area, clipping the nails, removing the armpit hair, and trimming the mustache.”

Within another hadīth, he said: “Ten are from the acts of Fitrah: Trimming the mustache, growing the beard, using the Siwak, inhaling water into the nose, clipping the nails, washing between the finger joints, removal of the armpit hair, shaving the ‘Aanah (private area) cleaning one’s private parts with water,’ Mus’ab said: ‘I forgot the tenth, but perhaps it is rinsing the mouth.’”

As for his statement: “The acts of Fitrah are five,” its meaning is that they are from the Fitrah; as was mentioned within the other narration: “Ten are from the acts of Fitrah.” Thus, they are not restricted to being ten. His statement that they are from the Fitrah indicates that they are not restricted to this number, and Allah knows best.

As for the Fitrah, the scholars differ regarding what is intended by it here. Abu Sulayman Al-Khattabi said: “The majority of the scholars hold that it refers to the Sunnah.” Similar was mentioned by others besides Al-Khattabi. They said: Its meaning is that it is from the Sunan of the prophets, may prayers and peace be upon them. It was also said that it is the religion…

As for Al-Istihdad, this refers to shaving the ‘Aanah العانة (private area). It is called Al-Istihdad because of the use of steel, i.e., a razor. This is a Sunnah. What is intended by it is cleaning of that area. That which is best is to shave it; but it is permissible to shorten it, pluck out the hairs or use a depilatory (e.g., cream etc.,). What is intended by the ‘Aanah العانة is the hair above and around the penis of the man and the hair that grows around the vagina of the woman. It has been transmitted from Abul-Abbas ibn Surayj that it likewise refers to the hair that grows around the anus. So from all this, we find that it is recommended to shave both the front, back, and surrounding area.

As for the time frame for shaving; the chosen viewpoint is that it is determined by the need and when it begins to lengthen. Once it begins to grow it should be shaved. Similarly is the affair of trimming the mustache, removal of the armpit hair, and clipping the nails. As for the hadith of Anas: “A time was demarcated for us in trimming the mustache, clipping the nails, removal of the armpit hair, and shaving the private area, that we are not to leave it for more than 40 nights,” its meaning is that we are not to let it go for more than 40 nights without having done these things; and not that one can leave it to grow for 40 nights, and Allah knows best.

Source: Sharh Sahih Muslim (1/163-165)

Translated by Raha Batts