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Does anyone know why women used to paint these henna lines on their chins. You see this often in older Egyptian movies. Three lines down the chin. Any significance to them, or they just liked how they looked?
Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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Well,they did not use to ,but they still do it in Egypt everywhere ,specially in the countryside ,it is one of the habits of the prophet Muhammad pbuh and BTW,I sometimes Do it ,
I think This has something to do with Ancient Egyptians traditions,you see some people on the walls of the tomb with these Henna ,I guess we Egyptians are continuing the habits of our ancestors
Well not only on the hands but also on the hair to give it a certain color instead of the white hair ,if you get what I mean Posts: 2417 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2009
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quote:Originally posted by Rahala: Well not only on the hands but also on the hair to give it a certain color instead of the white hair ,if you get what I mean
In order to dye grey / white hair dark, a combination of henna and indigo (often wrongly called "black henna") is being used. Henna alone turns grey hair a light carrot red / orange.
Some people also use katam to dye their hair in various shades of brown. Katam is a plant that was supposedly used and recommened by the prophet and is still grown in Yemen today.
Personally, I love henna, been using it for years, it keeps my hair strong, shiny and healthy. Posts: 2803 | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Laura: Does anyone know why women used to paint these henna lines on their chins. You see this often in older Egyptian movies. Three lines down the chin. Any significance to them, or they just liked how they looked?
"My favorite prof's Egyptian grandmother had facial tattoos on her chin which she called "my good luck". When she was very old the tattoos faded, which all tattoos do as the skin tissue degrades with age ... she'd have them redone in henna every month or so to keep her luck up."
Personally, I love henna, been using it for years, it keeps my hair strong, shiny and healthy.
Dalia, I have been thinking of using this, but have no idea what "brand name" to buy. I see so many different ones on the shelf. Can you recommend one, please?
Also, is this a permanent coloring, or does the color fade after a certain time.
Thanks for any help
Laura
Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Laura: Dalia, I have been thinking of using this, but have no idea what "brand name" to buy. I see so many different ones on the shelf. Can you recommend one, please?
You have to be a bit careful with henna, because some sorts contain a lot of pesticides. And since you keep the stuff on your scalp for a considerate amount of time, it's a good idea to use organic henna.
I usually buy henna from Asala, it's not entirely organic, but supposedly controlled quality and pesticide free. And you can get it almost everywhere, most pharmacies sell it. I also buy henna from the organic store sometimes. Don't know the brand name right now, it's sold in little white fabric bags.
quote:Originally posted by Laura: Also, is this a permanent coloring, or does the color fade after a certain time.
It does fade, but it's permanent. Of course, the darker your hair, the less you will see the color. Also, what the color looks like depends on many other factors -- whether you use henna alone or a mixture with other things, which method you use, how often you do it and so on.
I highly recommend downloading this little booklet. It contains everything you need to know about henna. It also gives examples with images of how henna (or combinations of henna with indigo) look on different colored hair. It's a very useful little resource.
quote:Originally posted by Rahala: Where did you get that the prophet pbuh used KATAM!
Is this Katam is the row Material for Henna at the old days of the prophet pbuh??!
No -- henna is henna, and katam is katam. They are two different plants. The botanical / Latin name of katam is Buxus Dioica. You can check out the link I posted, or google it if you want to know more about this plant.
Henna is called Lawsonia Inermis in Latin. As you know, it's a plant that's been used for thousands of years in different parts of the world for different purposes, mainly for dyeing hair and skin.
Katam is not as well-known and widespread as henna. I came across it when I did some research about plant-based hair color and hair care. I learned a lot about the use of various plants for conditioning / washing / dyeing hair etc. Many of those plants are from India. (I actually use Indian herbs quite a lot in my hair care and love them, but am not going to bore anyone by talking about that right now. ) However, there were some that could be found or originated in Egypt, or the Middle East. Hibiscus is one of them, for example -- it's excellent for skin and scalp, katam is another one. There isn't much information available about it, I got a lot from some German sites. Interestingly, there seem to be quite a few ladies in Germany ordering katam from Yemen for their hair.
Personally, I've never used katam. It is quite expensive, and from what I heard and read, does not seem to give a very distinctive color. Some say it dyes hair brownish, others say it enhances the effect of henna or other plant-derived dyes. I'm quite happy with my personal mixture of henna and indigo which keeps my hair exactly the color I want it to be (kind of ebony / warm black), so haven't experimented with katam.
I found it interesting though, that in some texts about katam it was being mentioned that supposedly the prophet recommended dyeing the beard with henna, indigo and katam. So I did a bit of research and came across some texts and ahadeeth that mentioned the use of katam during the prophet's time.
Oh, and please, let's not turn this into a religous discussion! I don't care if the ahadeeth in question are sahih or not, whether it's allowed to dye the hair black or not (the Salafis say it's haram), whether it is sunnah or not to dye the beard when it's getting grey etc. I simply found it very interesting that katam was already being mentioned during those times.
With regard to katam, Ibn Hajar said:
Katam is a plant from Yemen which produces a reddish-black dye. Henna produces a red dye, so when they are used together as a dye, they produce a colour that is between black and red. Fath al-Baari, 10/355.
Did the Sahaabah use katam? Yes, they did that and so did the Messenger of Allaah.
It was reported that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Wahb said: we entered upon Umm Salamah and she brought out a lock of hair of the Messenger of Allaah to show us, and it was dyed red. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5558. Ibn Maajah (3623) and Ahmad (25995) added: “… with henna and katam.”)
The Messenger of Allaah said: “The best things to use to change grey hair are henna and katam.” qâl rasûl allah, salla allah alayhu wa salam: Inna ahsunu ma ghaiyar bihi ash-schaib al-henna wa al-katam!
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1753; Abu Dawood, 4205; Ibn Maajah, 3622). Al-Tirmidhi said: the hadeeth is hasan saheeh). Abu Bakr dyed his hair with henna and katam. (Narrated by Muslim, 2341).
As for its use as a dye, he mentions “Al-Bukhari related in his Sahih, from ‘Uthman b. ‘Abd-Allah b. Mawhab: We went in to Umm Salma, and she brought out for us some of the hair of the Messenger of Allah, and lo, it was dyed with henna and indigo.” (Bukhari, Libas, 66)
And in the four sunan, from the Prophet, it is related that he said, ‘The best you can use for changing the color of white hair are henna and katam.’ (Tirmidhi, Libas, 20).
In the two books of the Sahih, from Anas, it is quoted that Abu Bakr used hair dye of both henna and katam. (Muslim, Fada’il, 100)” (Ibn Qayyim; 259)
quote:Originally posted by Rahala: excuse my knowledge
Not everybody is a hair and organic freak like me, so you are excused. Posts: 2803 | Registered: Feb 2007
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Rahala: I have never seen a man who had the henna lines on his chin, and when I asked my husband if he had ever seen this, he said no. Do you see many men with these? Just curious....
Dalia: Thanks so much for this info. I am going to give it a try. I couldn't open that file (not sure why) but did do some online research.
I am about 30% grey at this time, and rest light brown. I think I will use this indigo as I don't want an orange top, but not sure how much I should add to the henna mixture. Is it a 1 to 1 mixture? Any suggestions? I didn't see Indigo listed in the hair care products on the website, is there a specific brand name I should look for?
Laura
Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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Al-Katam! I know that ,I am not familiar with the words when I do not see them in their Arabic forms Posts: 2417 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2009
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quote:Originally posted by Laura: Rahala: I have never seen a man who had the henna lines on his chin, and when I asked my husband if he had ever seen this, he said no. Do you see many men with these? Just curious....
Dalia: Thanks so much for this info. I am going to give it a try. I couldn't open that file (not sure why) but did do some online research.
I am about 30% grey at this time, and rest light brown. I think I will use this indigo as I don't want an orange top, but not sure how much I should add to the henna mixture. Is it a 1 to 1 mixture? Any suggestions? I didn't see Indigo listed in the hair care products on the website, is there a specific brand name I should look for?
Laura
on the chin!!
No ,i do not do that ,nor have I seen any man do it!
it is only on the hands and the feet
DID I say I have it on the chin?! Posts: 2417 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2009
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quote:Originally posted by Laura: Rahala: I have never seen a man who had the henna lines on his chin, and when I asked my husband if he had ever seen this, he said no. Do you see many men with these? Just curious....
Laura
on the chin!!
No ,i do not do that ,nor have I seen any man do it!
it is only on the hands and the feet
DID I say I have it on the chin?!
My first post was about the henna lines on the chin, and you responded that you did this sometimes.
Maybe you just thought I meant henna in general, but I was specifically asking about the henna lines seen on the chins of women. No problem Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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Hi, i need advice,i hv had a funny shade of pale white hair since i was a teenager(must be the caucasian blood mixed with my african blood)every time i use henna,it becomes ginger,ok,i may be popular with some ethnic ladies,but i feel wierd!Can any one help?Cheers!
posted
I think you need to add some of that Indigo that Dalia was talking about, maxman.
Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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Download the PDF I posted above, maxman, it gives you all the recipes and ratios, plus images.
If you have dark hair, something like two thirds indigo / one third henna would probably work. But I have to warn you -- it takes more than just a couple of applications to cover grey hair, not sure if you're willing to go through all the hassle. Posts: 2803 | Registered: Feb 2007
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I don't care if the ahadeeth in question are sahih or not, whether it's allowed to dye the hair black or not (the Salafis say it's haram), whether it is sunnah or not to dye the beard when it's getting grey etc. I simply found it very interesting that katam was already being mentioned during those times. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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