Hair Loss Remedies

 Summary:

Hair loss is worrying, and beautiful hair is an essential part of beautification. The management of hair loss includes the prevention and treatment of alopecia, baldness, and hair thinning, as well as hair regrowth.  Scientifically, neither the causes of hair loss nor their prevention and cure are well understood. Below, we present the causes and remedies for hair loss from the Ahadith as well as the invocations (supplications) pleading Allah^-azwj for hair growth.

عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِنَّ مِنْ أَجْمَلِ الْجَمَالِ الشَّعْرَ الْحَسَنَ وَ نَغْمَةَ الصَّوْتِ الْحَسَنِ .

From him, from his father, from Ali Bin Ma’bad, from Yunus, from Abdullah Bin Muskan, from Abu Baseer, from:

Abu Abdullah^-asws has narrated that Rasool Allah^-saww said: ‘The most beautiful of the beauties is the beautiful hair and the tone of the beautiful voice’.^[1]

What promotes Hair Loss?

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بُنْدَارَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ السُّخْتِ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) لَا تَتَّكِ فِي الْحَمَّامِ فَإِنَّهُ يُذِيبُ شَحْمَ الْكُلْيَتَيْنِ وَ لَا تُسَرِّحْ فِي الْحَمَّامِ فَإِنَّهُ يُرَقِّقُ الشَّعْرَ وَ لَا تَغْسِلْ رَأْسَكَ بِالطِّينِ فَإِنَّهُ يَذْهَبُ بِالْغَيْرَةِ وَ لَا تَتَدَلَّكْ بِالْخَزَفِ فَإِنَّهُ يُورِثُ الْبَرَصَ وَ لَا تَمْسَحْ وَجْهَكَ بِالْإِزَارِ فَإِنَّهُ يَذْهَبُ بِمَاءِ الْوَجْهِ .

Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Bundar, from Ibrahim Bin Is’haq, from Yusuf Bin Al Sukht, raising it, said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘Do not lean (reclining posture) in the bathhouse, for it melts the fat of the kidneys; and do not comb in the bathhouse (bathroom), for it thins the hair (promotes hairloss); and do not wash your head with the clay, for it removed the self-esteem; and do not massage with the clay for it inherits the vitiligo; and do not wipe your face with the trouser for it removes the water of the face’.^[2]

Imam^-asws Disliked Applying Perfume to Hair;

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَيْثَمَةَ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) وَ عِنْدَهُ نِسَاؤُهُ قَالَ فَشَمَّ رَائِحَةَ النَّضُوحِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا قَالُوا نَضُوحٌ يُجْعَلُ فِيهِ الصَّيَّاحُ قَالَ فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَأُهَرِيقَ فِي الْبَالُوعَةِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from one of our companions, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Yaqteen, from Bakr Bin Muhammad, from Aysama who said,

‘I went over to Abu Abdullah^-asws and in his^-asws presence were his^-asws wives. So he^-asws smelt Al-Nazouh (a type of perfume), so he^-asws said: ‘What is this?’ They said, ‘Nazouh made to be in the hair’. So Imam^-asws ordered for it to be thrown in the gutter.^[3]

Leaving Hair on the Forehead is disliked:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) نَهَى عَنِ الْقَنَازِعِ وَ الْقُصَصِ وَ نَقْشِ الْخِضَابِ عَلَى الرَّاحَةِ وَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا هَلَكَتْ نِسَاءُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْقُصَصِ وَ نَقْشِ الْخِضَابِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Nowfaly, from Al Sakuny,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws forbade from the (hairstyles of) the humping (their hairs in raised portions at different parts of the head), and (leaving part of the) hair upon the foreheads, and drawings of dye upon the palms, and said: ‘But rather, the women of the Children of Israel were destroyed from the reason of the (hairstyles of) hair upon the foreheads and the drawings of the dyes’.^[4]

Those which Assists in Hair Growth:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ التِّينُ يَذْهَبُ بِالْبَخَرِ وَ يَشُدُّ الْفَمَ وَ الْعَظْمَ وَ يُنْبِتُ الشَّعْرَ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالدَّاءِ وَ لَا يُحْتَاجُ مَعَهُ إِلَى دَوَاءٍ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws having said: ‘The Fig removes the bad breath, and strengthens the gums and the bones, and builds the hair, and eliminates the illnesses and with it you would not be in need for a medicine’.

وَ قَالَ ( عليه السلام ) التِّينُ أَشْبَهُ شَيْ‏ءٍ بِنَبَاتِ الْجَنَّةِ.

And he^-asws said: ‘The Fig is something with the vegetation of the Paradise’.^[5]

مِنْ طِبِّ الْأَئِمَّةِ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْعَسْكَرِيِّ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ: التَّسْرِيحُ بِمُشْطِ الْعَاجِ يُنْبِتُ الشَّعْرَ فِي الرَّأْسِ وَ يَطْرُدُ الدُّودَ مِنَ الدِّمَاغِ وَ يُطْفِئُ الْمِرَارَ وَ يُنَقِّي اللِّثَةَ وَ الْعُمُورَ.

From (the book) ‘Tibb Al-Aimma^-asws’ – It is reported from Abu Al-Hassan Al-Askari^-asws having said: ‘The combing with an ivory comb builds the hair in the head, and repels the insects from the brain, and extinguishes the bile, and purifies the gums and the roots’’.^[6]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ مَوْلًى لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ( صلوات الله عليه ) يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) اخْتَضِبُوا بِالْحِنَّاءِ فَإِنَّهُ يَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَ يُنْبِتُ الشَّعْرَ وَ يُطَيِّبُ الرِّيحَ وَ يُسَكِّنُ الزَّوْجَةَ .

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Abu Abdullah, from his father, from Fazala Bin Ayoub, from Hareyz,

(It has been narrated) from a slave of Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws who said, ‘I heard Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws saying: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Dye with the henna for it refines the vision, and builds the hair, and aromatises the breath, and gives tranquillity to the wife’.^[7]

عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْكُحْلُ يُنْبِتُ الشَّعْرَ وَ يُحِدُّ الْبَصَرَ وَ يُعِينُ عَلَى طُولِ السُّجُودِ .

From him, from his father, from Khalaf Bin Hammad, from the one who mentioned,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said:  ‘الْكُحْلُ’ The Kohl grows the hair and sharpens the vision and assists upon the prolonged Prostrations’.^[8]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْإِثْمِدُ يَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَ يُنْبِتُ الشَّعْرَ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالدَّمْعَةِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Fazzal, from Ali Bin Uqba,

(It has been narrated) from a man from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The siwak (Miswak) clears the vision, and grows the hair, and removes the tears’.^[9]

وَ مِنْ كِتَابِ طِبِّ الْأَئِمَّةِ عَنْهُ ع قَالَ: السِّوَاكُ يَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَ يُنْبِتُ الشَّعْرَ وَ يَذْهَبُ بِالدَّمْعَةِ.

And from the book ‘Tibb Al-Aimma^-asws’ – from him^-asws having said: ‘Brushing the teeth polishes the sight, and builds the hair, and does away with the tears’’.^[10]

كِتَابُ زَيْدٍ النَّرْسِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَقُولُ‏ غَسْلُ الرَّأْسِ بِالْخِطْمِيِّ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ يُدِرُّ الرِّزْقَ وَ يَصْرِفُ الْفَقْرَ وَ يُحْسِنُ الشَّعْرَ وَ الْبَشَرَ وَ هُوَ أَمَانٌ مِنَ الصُّدَاعِ.

The book of Zayd Al Narsy who said,

‘I heard Abu Al-Hassan^-asws saying: ‘Washing the head with the hibiscus on the Day of Friday is from the Sunnah, circulating the sustenance, and turning away the poverty, and beautifies the hair and the skin, and it is a safety from the headache’’.^[11]

Combing and Parting Hair grow Hair:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ الْبَقْبَاقِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ لَهُ وَفْرَةٌ أَ يَفْرُقُهَا أَوْ يَدَعُهَا فَقَالَ يَفْرُقُهَا .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Dawood Bin Al Husayn, from Abu Al Abbas Al Baqbaaq who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the man who happens to have abundance (of hair), shall he part (style) it or leave it?’ So he^-asws said: ‘He should part (style) it’.^[12]

وَ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ ع قَالَ: أَلْقُوا الشَّعْرَ عَنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ يُحَسِّنُ.

And from Al-Sadiq^-asws, having said: ‘Cast (comb) the hair away from you, for it is better’’.^[13]

An Invocation for Hair Growth – 1

عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ الْكُوفِيُّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ‏ قَالَ: قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏ ع‏: مَنِ اشْتَكَى حَلْقَهُ وَ كَثُرَ سُعَالُهُ وَ اشْتَدَّ يَأْسُ بَنِيهِ فَلْيُعَوِّذْ بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ وَ كَانَ يُسَمِّيهَا الْجَامِعَةَ لِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ

Abd Allah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Mihran al-Kuff narrated from Ayyub from Amr Ibn Shimr from Jabir from

Abu Jafar Muhammad^-asws Ibn Ali^-asws Ibn al-Hussain^-asws who from Al-Hussain, who said: ‘Amir Al-Momanineen^-asws said: “Whosoever has a complaint of the throat (al-halq) and excessive coughing (al-sual) and the desperation of his body increases, let him take refuge with these words, which are called ‘the comprehensive’ (al-sual) and the desperation of his body increases, let him take refuge with these words, which are called ‘the comprehensive’ (Al-jamia), for all things:

O Allah^-azwj, You^-azwj are my Hope, and You^-azwj are my Trust, my Support, my Succour, my Exalter, my Beauty. You^-azwj are the Refuge of those who are afraid.

There is no sanctuary for those who flee except in You^-azwj.

There is no one on whom human beings can rely except You^-azwj.

There is no wish for those who desire except before You^-azwj.

There is no helper for the oppressed but You^-azwj.

There is no object for the needy except You^-azwj.

There is nothing to be given for the seekers except from You^-azwj.

There is no place to turn for the repentant except You^-azwj.

Sustenance and good and deliverance are only in Your^-azwj Hand.

Oppressive matters have grieved me, difficult straits have wearied me, and painful ailments have encompassed me.

I do not find the opening of the door of deliverance open except by Your^-azwj Hand.

Thus, I stand before You^-azwj and seek help from You^-azwj, with prayer, against its closing.

Open, O Lord^-azwj, to the one who asks for help, and answer the one who calls out.

Dispel the grief, remove the harm, fulfil the need, remove the sorrow, banish the anxieties, and save me from destruction, for I am on the brink of it.

I do not find my salvation from it other than in You^-azwj.

O Allah^-azwj, O He^-azwj who answers the constrained, when one calls unto Him^-azwj, and Removes the evil (27:62), have mercy on me and remove what is in me of sorrow and grief and pain and illness.

Lord^-azwj, if You^-azwj do not, I do not expect my deliverance from other than You^-azwj.

Have mercy on me, O Most Merciful of the Merciful.

This is the position of the wretched, the poor.

This is the position of one who is afraid, one seeking refuge.

This is the position of one calling for help.

This is the position of the sorrowful, the hurt.

This is the position of the troubled, the one seeking protection.

This is the position of the servant, apprehensive, dying, drowning, frightened, fearful.

This is the position of one who has awakened from his sleep, been aroused from his forgetfulness,

recovered from his illness and the severity of his pain, and is afraid because of his offences.

He acknowledges his sins, is humble before his Lord, and weeps in fear of Him^-azwj.

He asks forgiveness, sheds tears, and seeks pardon by Allah^-azwj, from his Lord.

He dreads His^-azwj Power, sheds his tears, and hopes, weeps, and prays and calls: Lord, affliction has visited me (21:83) so set me right.

You^-azwj see my position. You^-azwj hear my words, You^-azwj know my secret thoughts and my public affairs.

You know my need and You know me thoroughly. Nothing in my affairs, whether open or secret, apparent or concealed in my breast, is hidden from You^-azwj.

So, I ask You^-azwj, since You^-azwj have Authority over regulating [affairs], accepting pleas, and fixing destinies, with the request of one who has done wrong and confessed, wronged his soul, and committed crimes. He has repented for what is past and turned to his Lord^-azwj. He has regretted and taken refuge in His^-azwj courtyard, held back and restrained his desire, and devoted himself to the Revoker of his lapses, the Acceptor of his repentance, the Forgiver of his sins, the One^-azwj Who has Mercy on his repentance, the Forgiver of his sins, the One^-azwj Who has Mercy on his state of exile, the Remover of his distress and the Healer of his illness. Have Mercy on my transgressions and my entreaties to You^-azwj. Forgive me all my deviations from Your^-azwj Book which have been counted in Your^-azwj record. Your^-azwj past knowledge of my sins, faults, and offences in privacy, my immorality, my evil deeds, my lapses, and all that Your^-azwj recording angels witness and have written down during childhood and after puberty, in old age and youth, by night and day, early morning and evening, late evening and day break, forenoon and dawn, and at home and in travels, in solitude and in public. Overlook my evil deeds among the inhabitants of Paradise the promise of the very truth, which they were promised (46:16).

O Allah^-azwj, by the right of Muhammad^-saww and his family^-asws, remove from me the overwhelming illnesses in my body (al-jism), my hair (al-shar), my skin (al-bashari), my blood vessels (al-uruq), my nerves (al-asab), and my limbs, for there is no one who will remove that other than You^-azwj, O Most Merciful of the Merciful, O Answerer of the call of the distressed.”^[14]

An Invocation for Hair Growth – 2

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعْدَانَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ سَعْدٍ الْمَوْلَى قَالَ: أَمْلَى عَلَيْنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الصَّادِقُ ع الْعُوذَةَ الَّتِي تُسَمَّى الْجَامِعَةَ

Mohammed Ibn Ismail has narrated from Mohammed Ibn Khalid Abu Abd Allah, from Sadan Ibn Muslim, from Saad Al-Mawla, who says:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws dictated to us the invocation called ‘the comprehensive’ (It is):

In the Name of Allah^-azwj, the Merciful, the Compassionate.  In the Name of Allah^-azwj with Whose Name nothing in the earth or in the Heavens causes harm.  Ya Allah^-azwj, I plead You^-azwj by Your^-azwj Pure, Chaste, Immaculate, Holy, Perfect, Preserving, Protective, and Blessed Name, by Which whoever asks, You^-azwj Grant him, and by Which whoever calls You^-azwj, You^-azwj answer him, to Bless Mohammed^-saww and the family^-asws of Mohammed^-saww and to cure me of what I suffer in my hearing and my sight, my hand and my foot, my hair and my skin (Al-bashari) and my belly.  Surely, You^-azwj are Gracious to whomsoever You^-azwj Will, and You^-azwj are Powerful over all things.^[15]