Question: I’ve been asked this question and I want to raise it here for it to be answered if possible: are women obliged to keep long hair? Is it not allowed for a woman to cut her hair? Some have said that one points of reasoning behind this is, is that it would cover their awra’ on the day of judgement. Answer: No on both counts. Reasoning: The cited reasoning or justification mentioned, is a khurāfah – a superstition, as there is no textual evidence to substantiate this view. Just as there is no text outlining an obligation for women to keep their hair long, there isn’t any prohibition contained within the Islamic texts concerning women cutting their hair, or even for that matter, keeping it short. We know that there is a report that the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) had their hair cut short mainly for ease in washing as outlined by the mother of the believers, ‘Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. Imām Muslim records in his Ṣaḥīḥ :
"Thoughts are the greatest wealth of any nation."