Is it prohibited for a man to have hairstyles, such as combing the hair back, without intending to imitate women?

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

A Muslim is ordered to honor his hair and keep it in good shape. Nevertheless, this is with the condition that he avoids exaggeration or imitation of women or non-Muslims; there are texts which prohibit that. Among such texts are the following:

1-      It was narrated that ‘Abdullaah ibn Buraydah said: "A man from among the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, called Abu ‘Ubaydah said: 'The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has forbidden us to indulge much in luxury.'" When Ibn Buraydah was asked about the meaning of luxury as intended in the Hadeeth, he said: "It includes combing the hair with oil." [Abu Dawood, An-Nasa’i; Al-Albani: authentic]. This is the wording of An-Nasa‘i.  Another narration of the Hadeeth reported by An-Nasa’i reads : "It was said: 'What is luxury?' He said: 'Combing the hair every day.'"

It was stated in ‘Awn Al-Ma‘bood that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, disliked excessive indulgence in luxury and combing the hair like what is seen from the habits of the non-Arab disbelievers. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered Muslims to adopt a moderate approach in that. This does not refer to purification and cleanliness because cleanliness is  part of the religion. Al-Haafith said: "The prohibition of heavy indulgence in luxury in the Hadeeth indicates that moderation in combing the hair is not blameworthy. In this way multiple narrations can be reconciled."

2-      Ibn ‘Abbaas said: "The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men." [Al-Bukhari]

3-      Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." [Abu Dawood; Al-Albani: good-authentic]

Accordingly, there is nothing wrong with combing the hair according to the above manner if it is free from the highlighted violations.

Allaah Knows best.