Salaam u alaikum wr wb I was planning to get my hair braided into small platts all over as it is getting long towards my shoulders but as when they platt/braid it they usually tie the ends of the braids/platts to keep it from separating with a piece of string or a piece of plastic or something similar - my question was would that effect my prayer since it it forbidden to tie up hair and also would it effect my wudhu and ghusl since water wont be able to reach those parts shielded by being tied up by the plastic/string or whatever is used. Jzk Khn wasalaam

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. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

If a man knots his hair like a braid or braids and ties it with a string and the like, then this is included in the tying of the hair while praying that is mentioned in some Prophetic narrations that prohibit such a thing.

Imaam Muslim reported that Ibn 'Abbaas saw 'Abdullaah Ibn Al-Haarith praying while his hair is knotted in the back, so he went to him and untied his knot. When the man finished his prayer he told Ibn 'Abbaas: "What was wrong with my hair?" Thereupon, Ibn 'Abbaas said: "I heard the Prophet saying: "The person who performs the prayer in this condition is like the one who performs the prayer while being handcuffed (and is thus deprived from properly offering his prayer)." 

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 92595 and 90963.

Al-'Atheem Abaadi said: "To knot one's hair is to tie it like a braid around the head, and the braid is to knot the hair with a string."

Indeed, An-Nawawi reported the consensus of the scholars about the prohibition of knotting one's hair during the prayer, however, if he prays in this condition, his prayer is valid but he is sinful. He [An-Nawawi] said: "The wisdom in the prohibition of praying while having one's hair knotted is that the hair also prostrates when the praying person prostrates, it is for this reason that the Prophet resembled him to the person who prays while having his hands handcuffed."

Therefore, you should know that it is better to leave your hair as it is during the prayer without knotting it like a braid or tying it with a string or anything else, so that your hair would prostrate as well to Allaah.

Furthermore, it should be noted that if you are imitating the non-Muslims and dissolute people by knotting your hair and tying it with a string, then you should not do this even outside the prayer as the Prophet said: "Whoever imitates a people, he is one of them." It is for this reason that the scholars prohibited many kinds of clothing when they are known to be specially worn by dissolute people. Ibn Taymiyyah said: "…When the yellow and green turban becomes one of their [non-Muslims] symbols, then wearing them becomes forbidden…" Despite the fact that it is reported that Jibreel [angel Gabriel] descended on the day of Badr while wearing a yellow turban. [Al-Tabaraani]

As regards performing ablution and Ghusl (i.e. a ritual bath) while having one's hair knotted, then the Shaafi'ee School of jurisprudence is of the view that it is an obligation to untie the knot when performing Ghusl if the water will not reach the entire hair unless it is untied, whereas the Maaliki School of jurisprudence is of the view that it is not an obligation to untie the hair according to some details given by the jurists in their books.

However, the Maaliki School of jurisprudence is of the view that it is an obligation to untie the knot which prevents the water from reaching the hair even if the hair is knotted using another ringlet of hair, when it is very tightly knotted.

An-Nafraawi from the Maaliki School of jurisprudence, said: "…It is also an obligation to untie the braided hair which is very tightly knotted even if one knotted it using a ringlet of hair, or with many strings even if they are not very tight because they prevent the water … and this applies to both men and women."

Therefore, you should untie the knot when performing Ghusl in order to avoid the difference of opinion and to be on the safe side. This becomes more confirmed if the knot prevents the water from reaching the entire hair, like the knot which is tied with plastic. The same thing applies to ablution; Al-Hattaab from the Maaliki School of jurisprudence, said: "If there is an obstacle which prevents the water reaching the hair, then it becomes an obligation to remove it." However, if the string is small and does not prevent the water from reaching the hair when wiping it, then this is permissible as stated by Al-Hattaab .

Allaah Knows best.