Cutting Hair and Nails in Dhul Hijjah

It is not prohibited (Haraam) to cut the hair and nails in the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah for a person intending to perform Udhiyah (Qurbani). Rather, it is recommended (Mandoob) to refrain from cutting the hair and nails according to the Hanafi Madhab. In a Hadith in Sahih Muslim, Sayidah Umm Salamah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، تَرْفَعُهُ، قَالَ: إِذَا دَخَلَ الْعَشْرُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُضْحِيَّةٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُضَحِّيَ، فَلَا يَأْخُذَنَّ شَعْرًا، وَلَا يَقْلِمَنَّ ظُفُرًا

“When the ten days begin, and one of you has a sacrificial animal and he intends to sacrifice it, then he should not cut his hair or nails.” [Sahih Muslim, 1977 – 40]

This Hadith is understood to be referring to the recommendation of not cutting the hair and clipping the nails. It is not establishing an absolute prohibition upon doing so. This is the understanding of the Hanafi Madhab, as mentioned by major authorities of the Madhab in their works.

فَهَذَا مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى النَّدْبِ دُونَ الْوُجُوبِ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ

“This is considered to be a recommendation and not an obligation by consensus.” [Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtar Vol. 5, p.154]

قَالَ أَصْحَابنَا لَا بَأْس لمن يُرِيد أَن يُضحي أَن يحلق شعره ويقص أَظْفَاره فِي عشر ذِي الْحجَّة وَهُوَ قَول مَالك وَاللَّيْث. (مختصر اختلاف العلماء)

Our companions said that there is nothing wrong with shaving the hair or trimming the nails in the ten days of Dhil al-Hijjah for someone who intends to sacrifice. This is also the opinion of Imams Malik and al-Layth. (Imam Abu Ja’far al-Tahawai, Mukhtasar Ikhtilaaf al-Ulamaa).

قال أصحابنا [رحمهم الله]: إذا دخل العشر وأراد الإنسان أن يضحي أو عين أضحيته، لم يلزمه أن يجتنب حلق الشعر وقص الأظفار. (التجريد).

Our companions (May Allah Most High have mercy upon them) said: when the ten days of Dhil al-Hijjah enter, and  aperson intends to sacrifice or selects a sacrificial animal, then it is not binding upon him to refrain from shaving the hair or trimming the nails. (Imam Abu al-Hussain al-Quduri, al-Tajreed).

As well as the claim of Ijma made by Imam Ibn Abideen. The Hanafi position is also supported by the following Hadith, which mentions that the Holy Prophet ﷺ did not refrain from cutting the hair or nails.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: رُبَّمَا فَتَلْتُ الْقَلَائِدَ لِهَدْيِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَيُقَلِّدُ هَدْيَهُ، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ بِهِ، ثُمَّ يُقِيمُ لَا يَجْتَنِبُ شَيْئًا مِمَّا يَجْتَنِبُ الْمُحْرِمُ

Sayidah Ayeshah (May Allah Most High be pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to send his sacrificial animal (to the Haram) and remain (in Madinah). He ﷺ would not avoid anything that a person in Ihram avoids. (Sahih Muslim, 1321 – 366).

The recommendation of refraining from trimming the hair is not restricted to the hair of the head, as mentioned by Imam al-Ayni:

أراد لا يحلق شعره ولا ينتف إبطه ولا يقلم أظافره إلى يوم النحر تشبيها بالمحرمين. (البناية شرح الهداية)

Meaning he should avoid shaving his hair, plucking his armpit, cutting the nails until the day of Nahr. This is done to resemble the people in Ihram. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, al-Binayah Sharh al-Hidaayah).

And Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala knows best.

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen (06.01.2021)

See also:

Increasing Worship During Dhul Hijjah

Legal Ruling for Udhiyah (Qurbani)

See also (video):