Question Summary:
Can I dye my hair black for my wife?

Question Detail:

My wife wants me to colour my gray hair into black. Is it permissible for a man to do so in Islām?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
 
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
 
The use of the pure black dye for men is prohibitively disliked (Makrūh e Tahrīmī) and a major sin.[1]
 
It is stated in Ahadith:
 
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ الْجَزَرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَكُونُ قَوْمٌ يَخْضِبُونَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ بِالسَّوَادِ، كَحَوَاصِلِ الْحَمَامِ، لَا يَرِيحُونَ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ
Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam said: A time will come when a nation will apply black dye, as the body of a pigeon, they will not be able to smell the fragrance of Jannah.[2]
 
وحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، قَالَ: أُتِيَ بِأَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ وَرَأْسُهُ وَلِحْيَتُهُ كَالثَّغَامَةِ بَيَاضًا، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: غَيِّرُوا هَذَا بِشَيْءٍ، وَاجْتَنِبُوا السَّوَادَ
It is reported that Hazrat Jābir Radhi Allahu Anhu said:  Abu Quhāfah was brought to Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam on the day when Makkah was conquered while his hair and beard were white as thagāmah (white plants name)upon that Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam said: change this with something else and abstain from the usage of black.[3]
 
 
If your wife does not like the sight of gray hair, it is permissible for you to dye your hair in any other colour besides black. [4]
 
You may consider mixing two colours which will result in a similar affect as black.
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Zaid Mohammed Shelia,
Student Darul Iftaa
USA
 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net