According to the advice column over at Islamweb.net, Allaah is A-okay with the latest trend among western women trying to emulate porno stars—or among their husbands, anyway, who want them to emulate porn stars.

Here’s what “Fatwa of the Week” has to say about a wife’s responsibility to shave her pubic hair. (A fatwa, by the way, is not an order to to kill, but rather the religious answer to a question.)

Fatwa No. : 9788
Fatwa Title : Ruling on shaving pubic hair
Fatwa Date : 20 Thoul Ki’dah 1426

Question:

I have heard different things about shaving one’s pubic hair. I have heard that it is optional and also heard that you have to. What is correct?

Fatwa:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, may Allaah exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

It is confirmed that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “Five are among the Fitrah acts (i.e. natural disposition): Circumcision, shaving pubic hair, plucking out armpit hair, clipping one’s nails and trimming one’s moustache.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] The pubic hair could be removed by many means, but the Arabic word that is used is Istihdaad, which is using the iron i.e. a blade or a similar tool. Imaam An-Nawawi, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: ‘It is better to shave the pubic hair.’ As regards whether it is an obligation or optional, the jurists, may Allaah have mercy on them, agreed that it is a recommended act for men and women, however, some jurists, may Allaah have mercy on them, are of the view that it is an obligation on the woman if her husband orders her to do so.
Imaam An-Nawawi, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: ‘It is agreed among the scholars, may Allaah have mercy on them, that shaving the pubic hair is a recommended act as well. As regards whether it is an obligation on the wife if her husband orders her to do so, there are two well-known opinions about this. The predominant one is that it is an obligation; this is in case it is not obscene to an extent to prevent the husband from enjoyment, as when it repels him from [full] enjoyment, it becomes absolutely an obligation on her to shave it.’
To conclude, shaving the pubic hair is a recommended act except for the wife if her husband orders her to do so, or she becomes obscene or spiteful to an extent that her husband is driven away from her, in which case it becomes an obligation on her to shave it.
For more details, please refer to Fataawa 8985 and 3867.
Allaah Knows best.

Happy War on Christmas.