Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 5/392
2 – It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah said: “Allaah has cursed the women who do tattoos and those who ask for tattoos to be done, those who ask for their eyebrows to be plucked, and the women ask for their teeth to be filed for the purpose of beautification, changing the creation of Allaah.” A woman from the tribe of Bani Asad whose name was Umm Ya’qoob heard of that and she came and said, “I have heard that you have cursed So and so and So and so.” He said, “Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed and who are mentioned in the Book of Allaah?’ She said, “I have read what is between the two covers [of the Qur’aan], and I did not find anything in it like what you have said.” He said, “If you have read it, have you not read that Allaah says,
Ibn Hajar said concerning the meaning of plucking the eyebrows:
The mutanammisah is the one who asks another to pluck her eyebrows, and the naamisah is the one who does it. Al-nimaas means removing the hair of the face with tweezers. It was said that the word nimaas refers specifically to removing hair from the eyebrows in order to reduce them or make them straight. Abu Dawood said in al-Sunan: al-naamisah is the one who plucks the eyebrows in order to reduce them.
As you can see clearly from the two passages quoted, plucking of eyebrows is forbidden in Islam. Are Muslims generally as aware eyebrow plucking being haram as tattooing (which is widely known in Judaism and Islam)? I'm sure many Muslim females pluck their eyebrows regardless. It's also interesting the verse prohibiting eyebrow plucking and tattooing is only for women. Are we to conclude tattooing and eyebrow plucking is fine for Muslim men even though I was under the impression tattooing (and therefore eyebrow plucking) is sinful for both genders?
Interesting to note the individual with the bushy eyebrows in my avatar certainly plucks his eyebrows.
