Question Summary:
I want to know why it is prohibited for women to cut hair. I have long hairs and Iam a working women, and I find greate dificulty in managing such long hairs between various works of home and out side.

Question Detail:

I want to know why it is prohibited for women to cut hair. I have long hairs and Iam a working women, and I find greate dificulty in managing such long hairs between various works of home and out side. I decided to cut short them but in your website I read that it is prohibited, so Iam hesited do the same, but I want to know why it is prohibeted. I  will be very greate full for your replay.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
Allah Ta’ala has created human beings in the best of forms. In Surah At-Teen verse 4, Allah Ta’ala states: Indeed we have created human beings in the best stature. In reference to Faydhul Qadeer (vol, 6, pg 312) with the reference of Tabraani, Ibn Amr ibn Aas (Radiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forbade free women from cutting their hair up till their shoulders.
1)      Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) states: Allah Ta’ala has cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate and resemble men. (Bukhari) (Mishkat pg 38). It is clearly understood through this hadith that the curse of Allah is upon those men and women who imitate the opposite gender.
2)      The illustrious Fuqaha mention that a woman who cuts her hair will be sinful and cursed. In Bazzaziyah it is recorded that a woman who cuts her hair will be sinful and cursed even if she does so with the permission of her husband (Raddul Muhtar, vol 6, pg 7-8)                                                                        
We would like to bring to your attention that there has been a misconception regarding the permissibility of women cutting their hair.  Those who claim that it is permissible for women “cutting their hair”, use as proof a narration found in Muslim (vol 1, pg 184) where the foster brother’s son and the foster brother of Aa’isha (radiallahu anha) came to her to enquire regarding the ghusl of Rasullah (sallalhu alayhi wasallam). In this narration, the narrator explains, the wives of Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) use to tie their hair like a Wafrah. I.e. they use to gather their hair and plait it into a bun above the neck. The reason for doing so was that when making ghusl they could wash their back and the water would not drip. The people who claim that it is permissible for women to cut their hair use as proof the word AKHZ which is found in the above mentioned hadith. They incorrectly translate it as ‘cutting’. However the correct meaning of AKHZ in the context of this hadith it will be in the meaning of “to hold and tie” and will not mean to “cut”.  
Respected Sister, you have stated that with long hair you find it difficult managing doing various works. This however is not a valid excuse in the light of Shariah to cut your hair. A simple solution to your problem will be for you to gather your hair and plait it.  
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ya'qoob Dadabhai,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah