I am a man who performed 'Umrah and sa'y, and when it came time to shorten the hair, I shortened it only on the sides of my head. They said that this is not valid. Is there anything required of me, and what should I do? And if I am required to offer a sacrificial animal, I am unable to do so, but my son is able to.
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The questioner : I am a man who performed 'Umrah, tawaf, and sa'y. When it came time to shorten the hair, I shortened it only on the sides of my head. They said: "This is not valid." Is there anything required of me? And what should I do? If I am required to offer a sacrificial animal, I am unable to do so, but my son is able to do so. Please advise us. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The solution to this issue is easy.
If a person shortens part of his head while ignorant of the ruling, he owes nothing, based on His saying:[Al-Baqarah 2:286]. However, he must perform the obligatory act, which is shortening the hair from all sides of the head or shaving it, because the stronger position in this issue is that the shortening must cover the entire head. It is not necessary to cut every single hair, but the shortening must cover all sides of the head.
As for the opinion that it is sufficient to cut three hairs, that is the weaker position, because Allah says:[Al-Fath 48:27].
It is well known that if a person cuts three hairs from one side of his head, people would not perceive him as having shortened his hair.
The shortening must be such that its effect is visible on the head, and this does not happen unless it covers the entire head.
So we say to the brother questioner now: It is obligatory for you to take off your clothes and put on the clothes of ihram, because you have not yet exited the state of ihram. You must take off the sewn garments, which are the clothes people are accustomed to wearing, such as a shirt and the like, and you must shorten your hair while wearing the clothes of ihram.
If that is not possible, then you should shorten your hair even if you are wearing these clothes.
The Shaykh : The solution to this issue is easy.
If a person shortens part of his head while ignorant of the ruling, he owes nothing, based on His saying:
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
ربنا لاتؤاخذنا إن نسينا أو أخطأناAs for the opinion that it is sufficient to cut three hairs, that is the weaker position, because Allah says:
with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened
محلقين رؤوسكم ومقصرينIt is well known that if a person cuts three hairs from one side of his head, people would not perceive him as having shortened his hair.
The shortening must be such that its effect is visible on the head, and this does not happen unless it covers the entire head.
So we say to the brother questioner now: It is obligatory for you to take off your clothes and put on the clothes of ihram, because you have not yet exited the state of ihram. You must take off the sewn garments, which are the clothes people are accustomed to wearing, such as a shirt and the like, and you must shorten your hair while wearing the clothes of ihram.
If that is not possible, then you should shorten your hair even if you are wearing these clothes.