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:

Salaam brother, is it compulsory to shave the head during umrah, or is it sunnah.can one perform umrah without shaving the head,

jazakallah?

(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 umrah 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.

 

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 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. 

 

Your Question: can one perform umrah without shaving the head,

The shaving (or cutting short) of one’s hair is an obligatory rite of the pilgrimage to The Sacred House; and if one does not fulfill any of the obligatory rites, the pilgrimage would not be deemed complete.

 

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 and well wisher in Islam,

 

Burhan