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:

bismallah, why should we shave our head when we go to Hajj? 

(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:

Wisdom behind shaving head 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

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

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 it he should fast three days during the Hajj and seven days on his return making ten days in all.

The Prophet (saws) said, "May Allah bless those who shaved (concluding the pilgrimage)." The Companions asked him, "O Allah's Messenger (saws), what about those who clip their hair short?" Thereupon the Prophet (saws) again said, "May Allah bless those who shaved." They repeated their question for the third time, and again the Prophet (saws) said, "May Allah bless those who shaved." When they asked him for the fourth time, "O Allah's Messenger (saws), what about those who clip their hair short?" He (saws) said, "And (may Allah bless) those who clip their hair short.”

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Your Question: why should we shave our head when we go to Hajj? 

It is an obligatory rite of making a pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah that the believer approach the Noble Sanctuary with extreme awe and reverence unto their Lord, and manifest their utter and absolute awe, reverence, humility and sincerity by leaving all their worldly splendors behind and thus wearing unstitched clothes, head uncovered, without any perfume or adornment of beauty, uncombed hair, uncovered footwear, etc.

Because the hair of an individual is indeed an adornment of one’s inherent beauty, after the completion of all of one’s pilgrimage rites, the believers are commanded and guided to manifest their utter and absolute humility unto their Lord by shaving (or cutting short) their hair on their heads as the epitome of their reverence and humility unto their Lord.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan