A man who wants to perform Hajj appoints someone to sacrifice on his behalf; does he cut his nails when entering the state of ihram?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, if a person who wants to perform Hajj appoints someone to slaughter his sacrificial animal, and at the miqat he wants to cut his hair and nails, is that permissible for him?
The Shaykh : First, may Allah bless you. Is it recommended to cut the nails and hair when entering the state of ihram? I am asking you.
The questioner : No, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Say yes, and no, and no, I do not know.
The questioner : It is recommended, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Where is the evidence? Do you have evidence that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to enter the state of ihram, he cut his nails and trimmed his hair?
The questioner : No, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : You have no evidence. You have evidence that he took a bath.
The questioner : Yes, that is correct, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : So, there is no evidence for removing hair and nails when entering the state of ihram. However, some scholars recommended it because in the past, people would remain in the state of ihram for twenty days or so, and these waste products would become long. So they said it is better for a person to remove them when entering the state of ihram. But there is no evidence for this. This is one point.
But suppose a person reaches the miqat and finds them long, and wants to cut them, shave his head, and pluck his armpit hair, he should not do so. If he is performing 'Umrah and has performed tawaf and sa'y and shortened his hair, there is no harm, because shortening the hair at that time is obligatory. Do you understand?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Good. The most important thing is that you understand that removing these things when entering the state of ihram in itself is not part of the Sunnah, unless they are long. And yes, he may take them in any case. Yes.
The Shaykh : First, may Allah bless you. Is it recommended to cut the nails and hair when entering the state of ihram? I am asking you.
The questioner : No, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Say yes, and no, and no, I do not know.
The questioner : It is recommended, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Where is the evidence? Do you have evidence that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to enter the state of ihram, he cut his nails and trimmed his hair?
The questioner : No, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : You have no evidence. You have evidence that he took a bath.
The questioner : Yes, that is correct, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : So, there is no evidence for removing hair and nails when entering the state of ihram. However, some scholars recommended it because in the past, people would remain in the state of ihram for twenty days or so, and these waste products would become long. So they said it is better for a person to remove them when entering the state of ihram. But there is no evidence for this. This is one point.
But suppose a person reaches the miqat and finds them long, and wants to cut them, shave his head, and pluck his armpit hair, he should not do so. If he is performing 'Umrah and has performed tawaf and sa'y and shortened his hair, there is no harm, because shortening the hair at that time is obligatory. Do you understand?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Good. The most important thing is that you understand that removing these things when entering the state of ihram in itself is not part of the Sunnah, unless they are long. And yes, he may take them in any case. Yes.