Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
Qurʾān Bukhārī Muslim Nasāʾī Abū Dāwūd Tirmidhī Ibn Mājah Mālik Aḥmad Dārimī Ḥākim Ibn Ḥibbān Ṭabarānī Nasāʾī's Kubrá Bayhaqī al-Luʾluʾ wa-al-Marjān Ibn Rajab's Fifty Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn Aḥmad's Zuhd Suyūṭī
bukhari:5917 – Aḥmad b. Yūnus > Ibrāhīm b. Saʿd > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

The Prophet ﷺ used to copy the people of the Scriptures in matters in which there was no order from Allah. The people of the Scripture used to let their hair hang down while the pagans used to part their hair. So the Prophet ﷺ let his hair hang down first, but later on he parted it.  

البخاري:٥٩١٧ – حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ قَالَ

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدِلُونَ أَشْعَارَهُمْ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ فَسَدَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ نَاصِيَتَهُ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ بَعْدُ  

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
bukhari:3558 – Yaḥyá b. Bukayr > al-Layth > Yūnus > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to let his hair hang down while the infidels used to part their hair. The people of the Scriptures were used to letting their hair hang down and Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to follow the people of the Scriptures in the matters about which he was not instructed otherwise. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ parted his hair.  

البخاري:٣٥٥٨ – حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَسْدِلُ شَعَرَهُ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ فَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدِلُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ بِشَىْءٍ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ  

bukhari:3944 – ʿAbdān > ʿAbdullāh > Yūnus > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUtbah > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās

The Prophet ﷺ used to keep his hair falling loose while the pagans used to part their hair, and the People of the Scriptures used to keep their hair falling loose, and the Prophet ﷺ liked to follow the People of the Scriptures in matters about which he had not been instructed differently, but later on the Prophet ﷺ started parting his hair.  

البخاري:٣٩٤٤ – حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يَسْدِلُ شَعْرَهُ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدِلُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ بِشَىْءٍ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ  

muslim:2336a – Manṣūr b. Abū Muzāḥim And Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar b. Ziyād > Manṣūr > Ibn Jaʿfar > Ibrāhīm / ān Ibn Saʿd > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

Ibn Abbas reported that the People of the Book used to let their hair fall (on their foreheads) and the polytheists used to part them on their heads, and Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to conform his behaviour to the People of the Book in matters in which he received no command (from God) ; so Messenger of Allah ﷺ let fall his hair upon his forehead, and then he began to part it after this.  

مسلم:٢٣٣٦a – حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورُ بْنُ أَبِي مُزَاحِمٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ قَالَ مَنْصُورٌ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَعْنِيَانِ ابْنَ سَعْدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

كَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدُلُونَ أَشْعَارَهُمْ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ بِهِ فَسَدَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَاصِيَتَهُ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ بَعْدُ  

nasai:5238 – Muḥammad b. Salamah > Ibn Wahb > Yūnus > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to let his hair hang down (without a parting) and the Mushrikun used to part their hair. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] liked to act in accordance with the People of the Book, in matters where no specific command had been given to him. Then the Messenger of Allah [SAW] parted his hair after that.  

النسائي:٥٢٣٨ – أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَسْدُلُ شَعْرَهُ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ شُعُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ بِشَىْءٍ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ  

abudawud:4188 – Mūsá b. Ismāʿīl > Ibrāhīm b. Saʿd > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUtbah > Ibn ʿAbbās

The people of the Book used to let their hair hand down, and the polytheists used to part their hair. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ like to confirm with the People of the Book in the matters about which he had received no command. Hence he Messenger of Allah ﷺ let his forelock hang down but afterwards he parted it.  

أبو داود:٤١٨٨ – حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

كَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَعْنِي يَسْدِلُونَ أَشْعَارَهُمْ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تُعْجِبُهُ مُوَافَقَةُ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ بِهِ فَسَدَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَاصِيَتَهُ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ بَعْدُ  

ibnmajah:3632 – Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah > Yaḥyá b. Ādam > Ibrāhīm b. Saʿd > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

“The People of the Book used to let their hair hang down, and the idolaters used to part their hair. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to be more like the People of the Book. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ let his forelock hang down, then after that he parted it.”  

ابن ماجة:٣٦٣٢ – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

كَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدُلُونَ أَشْعَارَهُمْ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرِقُونَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ قَالَ فَسَدَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَاصِيَتَهُ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ بَعْدُ  

ahmad:2209 – Isḥāq b. ʿĪsá > Ibrāhīm / Ibn Saʿd > al-Zuhrī > ʿAbdullāh b. Aḥmad > Abū And Yaʿqūb from my father > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

The people of the Book used to let their hair hand down, and the polytheists used to part their hair. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ like to confirm with the People of the Book in the matters about which he had received no command. Hence he Messenger of Allah ﷺ let his forelock hang down but afterwards he parted it. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4188)   

أحمد:٢٢٠٩ – حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيسَى حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعْدٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ قَالَ أَبِي وَيَعْقُوبُ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

كَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدِلُونَ قَالَ يَعْقُوبُ أَشْعَارَهُمْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ وَيُعْجِبُهُ مُوَافَقَةُ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ قَالَ يَعْقُوبُ فِي بَعْضِ مَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ فَسَدَلَ نَاصِيَتَهُ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ بَعْدُ  

ahmad:2364 – Yaʿqūb from my father > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

The people of the Book used to let their hair hand down, and the polytheists used to part their hair. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ like to confirm with the People of the Book in the matters about which he had received no command. Hence he Messenger of Allah ﷺ let his forelock hang down but afterwards he parted it. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4188)   

أحمد:٢٣٦٤ – حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدِلُونَ أَشْعَارَهُمْ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ قَالَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُعْجِبُهُ مُوَافَقَةُ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِي بَعْضِ مَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ فَسَدَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ نَاصِيَتَهُثُمَّ فَرَقَ بَعْدُ  

ahmad:2605 – ʿAlī b. Isḥāq > ʿAbdullāh And ʿAttāb > ʿAbdullāh > Yūnus > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to let his hair hang down while the infidels used to part their hair. The people of the Scriptures were used to letting their hair hang down and Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to follow the people of the Scriptures in the matters about which he was not instructed otherwise. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ parted his hair. (Using translation from Bukhārī 3558)  

أحمد:٢٦٠٥ – حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَعَتَّابٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللهِ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَسْدِلُ شَعْرَهُ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدِلُونَ شُعُورَهُمْ وَكَانَيُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ بِشَيْءٍ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ  

ahmad:2942 – ʿUthmān b. ʿUmar > Yūnus > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

[Machine] That the Prophet ﷺ used to let his hair down, and the polytheists used to cut their heads, and the People of the Book used to let their heads down, and the Prophet ﷺ used to like to follow the People of the Book in what was not revealed to him, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ parted his hair.  

أحمد:٢٩٤٢ – حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يَسْدِلُ شَعْرَهُ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يُسْدِلُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺيُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ عَلَيْهِ فَفَرَقَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ  

ibnhibban:5485 – Aḥmad b. ʿAlī b. al-Muthanná > Abū Khaythamah > ʿUthmān b. ʿUmar > Yūnus > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

Ibn Abbas reported that the People of the Book used to let their hair fall (on their foreheads) and the polytheists used to part them on their heads, and Messenger of Allah ﷺ liked to conform his behaviour to the People of the Book in matters in which he received no command (from God) ; so Messenger of Allah ﷺ let fall his hair upon his forehead, and then he began to part it after this. (Using translation from Muslim 2336a)   

ابن حبّان:٥٤٨٥ – أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

«أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَسْدِلُ شَعْرَهُ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَسْدِلُونَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ عَلَيْهِ فَفَرَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ»  

nasai-kubra:9282 – Muḥammad b. Salamah > Ibn Wahb > Yūnus > al-Zuhrī > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh > Ibn ʿAbbās

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to let his hair hang down (without a parting) and the Mushrikun used to part their hair. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] liked to act in accordance with the People of the Book, in matters where no specific command had been given to him. Then the Messenger of Allah [SAW] parted his hair after that. (Using translation from Nasāʾī 5238)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٩٢٨٢ – أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ «يَسْدِلُ شَعْرُهُ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَفْرُقُونَ شُعُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مُوَافَقَةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِيمَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ فِيهِ بِشَيْءٍ ثُمَّ فَرَقَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَرْسَلَهُ مَالِكٌ»