Texture of the Hair of Moosa, may Allah exalt his mention.

30-10-2025 | IslamWeb

Question:

In Sahih al-Bukhari 3438 Prophet Musa Alaihissalam is described as having straight hair, but in Sahih al-Bukhari 3239 he is described as having curly hair. Can you explain us these 2 hadith? Thank you.
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The meaning of Ja’ad in the Hadith refers to the build and physique - that is, a compact and muscular body - and not to curly hair, according to the preferred view of the scholars. Based on this, it can be concluded that Moosa may Allaah exalt his mention was Jaʿad in physique - meaning well-built and muscular - and Rajil ash-Shaʿar, that is, having smooth and straight hair. Hence, there is no contradiction between the two Hadiths.

Al-Nawawi may Allaah have mercy upon him said in his commentary on Ṣaḥeeḥ Muslim:

“What is meant by Jaʿad here is the sturdiness and compactness of the body, not the curliness of the hair. As for the description of Moosa may Allaah exalt his mention as Jaʿad, the author of At-Taḥrir (an explanation of Sahih Muslim by Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Asbahani) mentioned two possible meanings:

‘The first is what we mentioned regarding ʿEesa may Allaah exalt his mention that it refers to a sturdy body;

The second is curliness of the hair. The first meaning is the correct one, because it is authentically reported in the narration of Abu Hurayrah may Allaah be pleased with him in Sahih (sound) Hadith that he (Moosa) was Rajil al-Shaʿar (i.e., with straight hair).’” [End Quote]

Allah knows best.

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