Can Muslim men braid their hair or tie it in a bun?

The four schools agree on this.

Explanation

Umm Hani said that the Prophet ﷺ came to Makkah with his hair in four plaits. On a journey long hair was often plaited to keep it clean and out of the way. So plaiting a man's hair is not forbidden in itself.

The limit. The Prophet cursed men who imitate women. What counts as a women's style depends on local custom: in many places decorative braids, braids with beads or ribbons, and buns with clips are women's styles, while a simple tie or plain plait is not. Ask whether people around you would see the style as feminine. Many Hanafi muftis advise men against braids for this reason, so if you plait at all, keep it plain.

Man buns and ponytails. Tying long hair back is fine in daily life. Prayer is different. The Prophet ﷺ said that a man praying with his hair knotted behind him is like someone praying with his arms tied, and he called the knot the seat of Satan. The Hanafi texts call praying with a bun or knot makruh tahrimi for men, so let your hair down before you say Allahu Akbar. This rule is for men only.

Wudu and ghusl. Wipe a quarter of the head itself in wudu. In ghusl a man must undo his braids so water reaches all of his hair and its roots. For women, see do women have to undo their braids for ghusl. For length, see is long hair sunnah for men.

The evidence

Where the ruling is recorded

• al-Durr al-Mukhtar with Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on what invalidates the prayer and what is disliked in it. Praying with the hair tied in a knot is makruh tahrimi for men.
• al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on ghusl. A man must undo his braids in ghusl; a woman need not if water reaches the roots.

Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.