Shaving Legs

I would like to know what the ruling is concerning Muslim women shaving their legs. The legs are not one of the areas mentioned in the hadeeth about things which are consistent with the fitrah. Does this mean that it is haram for women to shave them? Maybe it would also be haram as an imitation of the kuffar. However, a woman may want to do it in order to please her husband. What do the scholars say about this issue?

Praise be to Allah.

I have already answered this question: please see the responses to questions nos. 451 and 742. In summary, it is permitted to remove the hair of the legs. Islamic schools of thought say that a woman may remove all her body hair, such as that on the arms or legs, if removing it will increase her beauty, but she must leave whatever makes her beautiful, so she is forbidden to shave the hair on her head. (al-Mawsu‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 18/100).

The woman is also forbidden to remove the hair on her face, especially plucking the eyebrows, because the promised punishment for doing that is clearly stated. For more details of the guidelines on women’s beautification, see question# 261.