06-25-2013, 12:54 PM
The hair that grows under your arms and around your private parts can also be a source of bad odours, because hair, combined with darkness and moisture, provides and ideal environment for bacteria to grow. When this hair is removed, the body odour is reduced and there is less chance of catching troublesome irritants, such as ‘jock itch’ or body lice. It is also easier to keep the area clean.
The Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said;
Five practices are characteristic of the fitra (the natural state, or tradition of the prophets): circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the moustache short, clipping the nails, and removing the hair of the armpits.
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
It is permissible to remove the hair under your armpits and your pubic hair by any method that you do not find too difficult or painful: plucking, shaving, cutting it short, using wax treatments, ‘strip’ hair removers, or with any number of special depilatory creams and ointments that are available on the market for this purpose.
This hair should be removed at least once every forty days, or whenever it grows long.
It is also a good idea to use underarm deodorant, especially before participating in sports or going to the school or mosque, so that other people will not be offended by one’s body odour.
It is the custom for girls and women in some countries to shave their legs as well, or to remove all of the hair from their arms and legs with ‘strip’ hair removers or depilatory creams. This is mubah – neither recommended in Islam nor forbidden