Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu-e-Alakum.
Dear brother you are doing very good work and all your reward will be from ALL MIGHTY ALLAH only who is the creator of every thing and who know the attentions of every body.

Now my question is that is it compulsory for every body (male) who is doing Hajj to shave his head. Please answer clearly and soon as I am planning to go for HAJJ in two month or so and I am bit confused on this.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Shave head during hajj

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. We humbly hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: Now my question is that is it compulsory for every body (male) who is doing Hajj to shave his head.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 196:

And complete the Hajj or `Umra in the service of Allah. But if ye are prevented (from completing it) send an offering for sacrifice such as ye may find, and do not shave your heads until the offering reaches the place of sacrifice. And if any of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp (necessitating shaving) (he should) in compensation either fast or feed the poor or offer sacrifice; and when ye are in peaceful conditions (again) if anyone wishes to continue the 'Umra on to the Hajj he must make an offering such as he can afford, But if he cannot afford it, he should fast three days during the Hajj and seven days on his return making ten days in all. This is for those whose household is not in (the precincts of) the Sacred Mosque. And fear Allah and know that Allah is strict in punishment.

In light of the above command of Allah Subhanah, shaving or cutting the hair short is an obligatory part of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.786 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "O Allah! Forgive those who get their heads shaved." The people asked. "Also those who get their hair cut short?" The Prophet (saws) said, "O Allah! Forgive those who have their heads shaved." The people said, "Also those who get their hair cut short?" The Prophet (saws) at the third time said, "(O Allah) also (forgive) those who get their hair cut short."

In light of the above authentic hadith, shaving the head is preferred over cutting the hair short at the pilgrimage of Hajj or Umrah; but if one cuts his hair short, it would suffice.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan