Ruling on cutting the nails and hair falling out for a person in ihram who was unaware

Question:
The questioner says: I was in ihram, so I cut my nails while I was unaware, and a hair from my beard fell out while I was performing wudu'. What is the ruling on that?

Answer:
As for hair falling out without your intention, there is nothing wrong with that. As for cutting your fingernails, cutting your fingernails is not permissible while you are in the state of ihram. However, since you were unaware and did not remember, Allah the Exalted says: , and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Mistake and forgetfulness are excused for my Ummah." Allah the Exalted says, "And there is no upon you ." So, as long as you were unaware of it, you owe nothing. Even if you were to pay the fidyah (ransom payment) as a precaution, because some scholars say that in cases of destruction, intention and forgetfulness are not considered; destruction and cutting fingernails are forms of destruction, so they hold that the fidyah is required of you. But the correct view is that you owe nothing, based on the verse and the hadith. However, if you pay the fidyah as a precaution and to clear your conscience, that would be better. The fidyah is a choice between three things: either slaughtering a sheep in Makkah and distributing it to the poor, or fasting for three days, or feeding six poor people, with each poor person receiving half a sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg), which is three sa' divided among six poor people, each receiving half a sa'. This is as a precaution and to clear the conscience. If you do not do it, there is no blame on you, because you were unaware.