What is common between President Pervez Musharraf, Imran Khan, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry?” Even a schoolboy knows the answer: They are all members of the Kala Kola Klub.
So writes Khalid Hasan in a delightful column last week in Daily Times.
Khalid Hasan has a knack of coining interesting names - Kala Kola Klub - which are not only descriptive but also stick. (If you didn’t know, he also coined the name ‘Shortcut’ for you know who.)
In his column, Khalid Hasan also revealed that Imran Khan not only dyes his hair but also had a hair implant job done lately. No wonder, his hair looks a lot thicker than it did a few years ago. Well, if you thought it was only the Sharif brothers who made good use of their time and money while abroad, think again.
It so happens that most men nowadays, when they reach their 50s or even before, particularly those we see on TV talk shows - the guests as well as the hosts - have their hair dyed. Some have theirs done professionally while most of them do it themselves in the privacy of their homes using whatever in-house help is available.
Let me state upfront, though, that it is none of my business nor should it be anyone else’s if Pervez Musharraf, Imran Khan, Altaf Bhai, Asif Zardari or any other person dyes his hair in whatever color he chooses. It is their hair and their heads - and their money. (I believe hair implants can cost a lot.)
But, as someone said, it’s the idea of one’s leader sitting in a hairdressing salon, wearing one of those flowered waterproof smocks, their heads covered with that gooey stuff - that picture doesn’t quite tie in with the powerful statesman image.
I wonder if it is the proliferation of electronic media that has made these men with dyed hair more visible than they were in the past or is it a growing new trend? Or, is it a bad job of dyeing they generally do that makes them look so conspicuous?
Someone remarked the other day that in spite of faltering economy of the country Kala Kola (or its equivalents) seem to be doing a roaring business in Pakistan and so is the business of salons. This statement may have been made jokingly, but there must be some truth to it for even a serious newspaper like Los Angles Times took note of this “gooey” business in a recent report titled ‘Pakistani men sitting pretty’ filed by its staff reporter, Laura King, from Islamabad. The report talked about the growing number of prominent Pakistani men flocking to salons for dye jobs and other facial and hair treatments.
Pervez Musharraf, because of his high profile, is the most conspicuous member of the Kal Kola Klub. (He is not much seen on TV nowadays.) He dyes his hair very carefully, in two tones, white at the temples and black or brown at the top. Some say, he chooses the shade of his hair depending on the occasion and his mood. If he felt pleased and playful he would dye it a shade of brown, and blow-dry it to give it a tousled look. But when under stress, he would use a darker shade. The grimmer the mood the darker the shade.
A peculiar trait of men is that they are very sensitive about their hair. They would discuss everything among themselves - their clothes, their weight, their ailments, and even their affairs, but rarely their hair. “Unfortunately”, says an expert, “because men are so sensitive about their hair … they can’t ask for advice in the way women do quite openly. Thus, where gray hair is concerned, many men will be tempted to dye it at home, in secret, in a color that they think will work but rarely does. And because men don’t talk about hair, they don’t say anything when another man gets it wrong, and the circle of silence continues.”
Incidentally, this sensitivity about hair is not limited to any particular nationality. It is universal. In 2002 the then German chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, otherwise reported to be quite a laid-back politician, sued a news agency for simply implying that he dyed his hair. A testament from his hairdresser was even read out in court to support him.
The other day, flipping through old magazines while waiting my turn at a barber’s shop here in New York (I had gone for a plain hair cut), I came across an interesting article by a woman writer, a fashion expert, that had some advice and tips that the existing and potential hair dyers may find useful. Here is what it said:
Men can look hotter as they age, and natural white streaks in black hair are very attractive on men. (So, why use a camouflage?)
If you must dye, just make sure it looks natural. Obvious dye jobs that resemble someone slathering their head with black shoe polish are a far bigger turnoff than gray hair. (Have you seen Chaudhry Pervez Elahi lately?). And, by the way, a bad toupee is a deal breaker!
Use a shade very similar to your natural color.
Rub Vaseline along your skin at the hairline and especially your ears and neck. This keeps the dye from staining your skin.
READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY, which come with the dye, and use the gloves!
@Mast Qalander,
(nei amad, ghaur-talab hay)
Atleast , our National hero Dr. Abdel Qadeer is
not Khizab-zadah, therefore, do not belong to that
blessed cercle of Kala Kola-ists, the naqli kalaas.
Dr. Qadeer ki nazr hay:
Zubon-hali, Khizab-hali say barh kar,
Qismat mein inki kuch nehein hay,
Zarkhaiz to hay, num, inki yeh mitti,
Magar Abdel Qadeer, us mitti ka nehein hay
Rafay Kashmiri
Funny post.
But I am not sure that either Musharraf or Zardari use hair color. Doesn’t seem so.
[quote] In fact many sahabah, including Uthman, Ali and ibn Umar, had dyed their beards yellow![unquote]
Ibrahim, yellow color for beards? We normally associate punk culture with the West. Now you tell us that it originated in Medina 1400 years ago!
That is something new.
So..Ali Dada is trying to defend this KKK (and of course i mean Kala Kola Klub and not Ku Klux Klan :) ) for following Sunnah?…Give me a break…i can guarantee you that not even one of them would even know what Islam says about dyeing ones hair….they just want to look young (period)
Ibrahim, It is not aHsan but AHsn.
Thanks for your effort to put me on your right path. When you say that one should not deceive another person, I totally agree with you. This other person may be a friend or a foe. This old man who may be physically inept to be fit as a warrior, by dying his beard to pretend to be young, is deceiving his enemy and himself. The disadvantage to him will be that his enemy will strike him hard enough for a young but deadly for an old “(the fights used to one on one, you know)”. Yes, he wins the paradise but loses his life. This deceiving is a bad in both the cases cited by Ali Dada.
The collective spoil of the war was distributed to all Muslim families In case of a widow taking care of her family, she received her share as well. There was no question of age or sex.
The surprise attacks on caravans or enemies were not limited to “one on one”. In these wars the plundering was individual as well as collective. Any prisoner taken by an individual fighter was considered his personal slave if the prisoner happened to be a non-Muslim. In this case a young warrior has an advantage over an old one even if he has dyed his beard to look younger!
The sunnah is based on Hadith and Hadith is not a part of the Holy Book, so there is no obligation to follow. As far as dyeing of beards is concerned I will accept all the colours. That will make a colourful gathering.
@There is not much difference between
vestimentary and disguise, the difference is
distinguished by every single relative Hadith
of Rasool SAW, where disguise is disliked but
vestimentary is encouraged, perfume, dressing
oneself with dignity, soberness without extravaganza
including dresses hanging uptill ankles, as below
ankles, shows, Takabbur and waste. In my memory,
there is not a single action and word of Rasool SAW which
is not accompanied by an explanation,
as people were at that time curious and were always asked
the reasons for such and such prohibition.
Our Pakistanis ladies have become champions of the most
disguised appearances, some of them are simple horrors,
just look at them and their make-up on Pak TVs, its
disgusting and pretencious, a real disguise.
BTW, how do they take off such heavey layers ??
with glass-paper ?? (no offence)
I am sure we are admired by ALL-Mighty, when we are
well-dressed, perfumed, pleasant and agréable to others,
and not Proud but humble. If we could only follow the
manners of our Rasool SAW. in every aspect of life. !!
aHsn, and what bolt of lightening led you to believe that older people get less bounty (booty) compared to younger once? Your permise is completely wrong, and what Ali Dada wrote is correct. So, what Rasoolullah adviced the old man to do wouldn’t lead him to cheat anyone, except make the enemy think that he was younger to gain psychological advantage (the fights used to one on one, you know).
Dyeing is a sunnah, the type of sunnah that’s considered Rasoolullah’s (saw) habit…like his style of walking, etc. Doing isbaal (lowering your clothing below ankle) has been specifically prohibited by Rasoolullah and thus is a sunnah that should be followed.
And, outside of black any color can be used to dye one’s hair/beard. In fact many sahabah, including Uthman, Ali and ibn Umar, had dyed their beards yellow! It was normal to do so at that time. Thus, Ali Dada is right that to dye one’s hair black to look younger and then to deceive somebody is prohibited. Good points Ali.