Question:
What is the Sharia ruling regarding shaving the head for men and women during Hajj and Umrah? And is shaving the head in normal circumstances Sunnah or Bid’ah (innovation)? Some people consider shaving the head (i.e., going bald) outside of Hajj and Umrah to be Makrooh (disliked); is this true?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah:
From the scholarly discussions provided by the noble scholars regarding shaving the head, it is deduced that there are six (6) categories of shaving the head. Among them, some are Masnoon (Sunnah), some are permissible, and some are impermissible and Haram.
Shaving the head for the obedience and submission to Allah Almighty and to attain nearness to Him. In this, a person receives reward, and this applies to only four occasions:
The evidence for this is the statement of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala:
أَعـوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْـطانِ الرَّجيـم
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
لَـقَدۡ صَدَقَ اللّٰهُ رَسُوۡلَهُ الرُّءۡيَا بِالۡحَـقِّ ۚ لَـتَدۡخُلُنَّ الۡمَسۡجِدَ الۡحَـرَامَ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ اٰمِنِيۡنَۙ مُحَلِّقِيۡنَ رُءُوۡسَكُمۡ وَمُقَصِّرِيۡنَۙ لَا تَخَافُوۡنَؕ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡا فَجَعَلَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ ذٰلِكَ فَتۡحًا قَرِيۡبًا ۞
Translation:
Certainly, Allah has fulfilled the vision for His Messenger in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].
(Al-Quran, Surah Al-Fath, Verse 27)
Rather, in Hajj and Umrah, it is superior for men to shave their head hair, and cutting (trimming) is permissible.
As narrated by Sayyidina Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
اَللّٰہُمَّ ارْحَمِ المُحَلِّقِینَ، قَالُوا : وَالْمُقَصِّرِینَ یَا رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ، قَالَ : اللّٰہُمَّ ارْحَمِ المُحَلِّقِینَ قَالُوا : وَالْمُقَصِّرِینَ یَا رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ، قَالَ : وَالْمُقَصِّرِینَ
“O Allah! Have mercy on those who shave their heads.” The Companions said: “And those who cut their hair, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “O Allah! Have mercy on those who shave their heads.” The Companions again said: “And those who cut their hair, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “And those who cut their hair.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Hadith 1727)
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith 3101)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed for mercy and forgiveness three times for those who shaved their heads. Upon the request of the Companions, he prayed once for those who cut their hair.
In another Hadith, there is mention of a prayer for forgiveness:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed, “O Allah! Forgive those who shave their heads!” The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said, “And for those who trim (pray the same)?” But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) again said, “O Allah! Forgive those who shave their heads.” Then the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said, “And those who trim too!” The third time, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “And forgive those who trim too.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Hadith 1728)
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith 1302)
Whereas for women during Hajj and Umrah, it is permissible to cut the hair by one or two inches.
As narrated by Sayyidina Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:34
لَیْسَ ع5َلَی النِّسَاءِ الْحَلْقُ، إِنَّمَا عَلَی النِّسَاءِ التَّقْصِیرُ
“Shaving is not binding upon women; rather, only trimming is binding upon women.”
(Sunan Abi Dawood: Hadith 1985)
(Sunan Al-Darimi: 2/64)
(Sunan Al-Daraqutni: 2/271, its chain is Hasan)
Imam Abu Hatim Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) has termed this Hadith as Sahih.
(Al-Ilal by Ibn Abi Hatim: 1/281)
Hafiz Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) (Al-Majmoo’: 8/197) and Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) (Bulugh al-Maram: 769) have termed its chain as “Hasan”.
Hafiz Ibn al-Mundhir (242–319 AH) writes:
أَجْمَعُوا أَنْ لَّیْسَ عَلَی النِّسَاءِ حَلْقٌ
“There is a consensus among the scholars that women shall not shave.”
(Al-Ijma’, p. 58; Al-Ishraf ‘ala Madhahib al-Ulama: 3/359)
Many scholars have reported consensus on this, such as:
The commentator of Bukhari, Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) (852 AH), writes:
وَأَمَّا النِّسَاءُ فَالْمَشْرُوعُ فِي حَقِّہِنَّ التَّقْصِیرُ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ
“As for women, what is legislated for them is trimming, by consensus.”
(Fath al-Bari: 3/565)
Allama Kasani Hanafi (d. 587 AH) writes:
لِہٰذَا لَمْ تَفْعَلْہُ وَاحِدَۃٌ مِّنْ نِّسَاءِ رَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ
“None of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did this (shaved their heads).”
(Bada’i al-Sana’i: 2/141)
This statement of Kasani is not correct. Doing so is proven from Sayyidah Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her).
Yazid bin Asam (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
رَأَیْتُ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ مَیْمُونَۃَ تَحْلِقُ رَأْسَہَا بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ
“I saw the Mother of the Believers, Maymunah, shaving her head after (the passing of) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).”
(Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d: 8/110)
(Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by Tabarani: 23/422: Hadith 1022, its chain is Hasan)
Furthermore, he says:
دَفَنَّا مَیْمُونَۃَ بِسَرِفَ فِي الظُّلَّۃِ الَّتِي بَنٰی بِہَا فِیہَا رَسُولُ اللّٰہِ وَکَانَتْ یَوْمَ مَاتَتْ مَحْلُوقَۃً قَدْ حَلَقَتْ فِي الْحَجِّ
“We buried Maymunah at Sarif in the same canopy where the Messenger of Allah consummated his marriage with her. On the day she died, her head was shaved; she had shaved it during Hajj.”
(Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d: 8/110, chain is Sahih)
Sayyidah Maymunah did this based on Ijtihad (legal reasoning), as she was elderly and had no desire for worldly adornment.
It should be clear that shaving the head while in the state of Ihram during Hajj and Umrah is not permissible; however, permission is granted to shave due to an excuse.
In the Sharia, it is permitted for a patient to shave head hair in the state of Ihram for applying medicine or to destroy lice.
As Allah Almighty says:
(وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا رُء ُوسَکُمْ حَتّٰی یَبْلُغَ الْہَدْيُ مَحِلَّہ، فَمَنْ کَانَ مِنْکُمْ مَّرِیضًا أَوْ بِہٖ أَذًی مِّنْ رَّأْسِہٖ فَفِدْیَۃٌ مِّنْ صِیَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَۃٍ أَوْ نُسُکٍ)
(Surah Al-Baqarah: Verse 196)
"And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting or charity or sacrifice."
Lice appeared in the head of Sayyidina Ka’b bin Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him), which caused him distress in the state of Ihram, so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
اِحْلِقْ رَأْسَکَ، وَصُمْ ثَلاَثَۃَ أَیَّامٍ، أَوْ أَطْعِمْ سِتَّۃَ مَسَاکِینَ، أَوْ انْسُکْ بِشَاۃٍ
“Shave your head, and fast for three days, or feed six poor people, or sacrifice a sheep.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Hadith 1814)
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith 1201)
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 728 AH) states:
حَلْقُ الرَّأْسِ لِلْحَاجَۃِ مِثْلُ أَنْ یَّحْلِقَہ، لِلتَّدَاوِي فَہٰذَا أَیْضًا جَائِزٌ بِّالْکِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّۃِ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ
“Shaving the head for a need, such as shaving it for medical treatment, is also permissible according to the Book, the Sunnah, and Consensus.”
(Majmoo’ al-Fatawa: 21/117)
3 – Shaving the child’s head on the seventh day after birth.
The evidence for this is the following Hadith from Tirmidhi:
Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sacrificed a sheep on behalf of Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: ‘O Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her), shave his head and give charity in silver equal to the weight of his hair.'”
(Sunan Tirmidhi: Hadith 1519)
Its chain is weak, but the narration in Mustadrak Hakim (4/237) is connected (Muttasil), and it has corroborating evidence, due to which this Hadith is Hasan li-ghayrihi (good due to other evidence).
(See Al-Irwa al-Ghalil, 1175)
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared it Hasan in Sahih Tirmidhi (Hadith 1519), and for further details, see Ibn al-Qayyim’s book Tuhfat al-Mawdud (Page 217).
4 – When a disbeliever becomes a Muslim, he should shave his head.
The evidence for this is the following Hadith from Abu Dawood:
“The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a man who became Muslim: ‘Remove the hair of disbelief from yourself and get circumcised.'”
(Sunan Abu Dawood: Hadith 356)
Its chain is also weak, but strengthened by the narration of Abu Hisham and Qatadah in Tabarani (14/19), this narration is Hasan.6
(Allama Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared it Hasan in Sahih Abu Dawood, and for further details s7ee Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah (1/276) and Sharh al-Umdah by Sheikh-ul-Islam (1/350)).
Scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) agree that outside these four occasions, shaving the head is not Mustahabb (recommended).
(See: Al-Istiqamah by Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (1/256))
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says in Zad al-Ma’ad:
“Just as disciples swear oaths for their Sheikhs saying: ‘I will shave my head for so-and-so,’ and ‘You have shaved your head for so-and-so,’ this is exactly like saying: ‘I will prostrate to so-and-so.’ This is because shaving the head is included in humility, submission, servitude, and abasement; that is why it is included in the completion of Hajj… Because humility and submission before one’s Lord and placing the forehead before His Glory is among the most profound acts of worship. That is why when the Arabs wanted to humiliate a prisoner, they would shave his head and release him…” etc.
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) (661-728 AH) describes an impermissible and Haram form of shaving the head as follows:
حَلْقُہ، عَلٰی وَجْہِ التَّعَبُّدِ وَالتَّدَیُّنِ وَالزُّہْدِ؛ مِنْ غَیْرِ حَجٍّ وَّلَا عُمْرَۃٍ …
“Shaving it (the head) as an act of worship, religiosity, and asceticism (Zuhd) outside of Hajj and Umrah is prohibited and Haram. Just as some people order a repentant person to shave his head upon repenting, or like making shaving the head a symbol of the people of devotion and religion, or considering it the perfection of asceticism and worship. Or to consider the one who shaves his head as superior to the one who does not, or more religious, or more ascetic. Or to cut some of the hair of the repentant person.
As is done by some who affiliate themselves with Sheikhdom; when someone repents at their hands, they cut some of his hair. The Sheikh specifies the one holding the scissors and the prayer rug; he performs his prayer on the rug, and his cutting of people’s hair is considered a perfection of Sheikhdom by which he becomes suitable to be a leader who accepts the repentance of penitents. This is an innovation (Bid’ah) which neither Allah nor His Messenger commanded. It is neither obligatory nor recommended according to any of the Imams of the religion. None of the Companions or the Tabi’in (Successors) who followed them in goodness did this, nor did the Sheikhs of the Muslims famous for asceticism and worship—neither from the Companions, nor the Tabi’in, nor their followers, nor those after them like Fudayl bin Iyad, Ibrahim bin Adham, Abu Sulaiman al-Darani, Ma’ruf al-Karkhi, Ahmad bin Abi al-Hawari, al-Sari al-Saqati, Junaid bin Muhammad, Sahl bin Abdullah al-Tustari, and the likes of them. These people did not cut anyone’s hair when they repented, nor did they command the repentant to shave his head. Indeed, all the people of the earth accepted Islam during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he did not command them to shave their heads when they accepted Islam, nor did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cut anyone’s hair.”
(Majmoo’ al-Fatawa: 21 / 117, 119)
Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi writes:
“It is a custom among some ignorant women that they keep a tuft (lock of hair) on the child’s head in the name of some saints and set a time period for it. Until that period, no matter how many times the child’s head is shaved, they keep that tuft intact. Then, after the period passes, they take the child to the shrine and remove that hair. This is certainly baseless and a Bid’ah (innovation).”
(Fatawa Africa, p. 73)
The third category is Bid’ah Makroohah (Disliked Innovation). That is, shaving the head will be among the disliked innovations, and there are several forms of this:
That is why it is reported regarding the signs mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said:
“A sign of these (Kharijites) will be shaving the head.”
(Sahih Bukhari: Hadith 7562)
Imam Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
His saying (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
“Their sign will be shaving the head.”
“Meaning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) established this sign for these Kharijites due to their abandonment of worldly adornment and beautification, and made it their symbol so that they may be recognized by it. And this is their ignorance… and it is a new thing and innovation in the religion of Allah that was found neither in the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), nor the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor their followers.”
(See: Sharh al-Umdah (1/231) and Majmoo’ al-Fatawa (21/118))
One category of shaving the head is Haram (Forbidden), and there are several forms of this:
1 – Shaving the head at the time of the calamity of the death of a close relative, etc.
Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:
“Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is free from (has disassociated himself from) the woman who wails loudly at the time of calamity, the woman who shaves her head at the time of calamity, and the woman who tears her clothes at the time of calamity.”
(Sahih Muslim: Hadith 104)
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in Al-Zawajir ‘an Iqtiraf al-Kaba’ir:
“The one hundred and seventeenth (117) major sin is: Shaving the hair at the time of calamity.”
He says: “Because this manifests a sign and symbol of displeasure, and is a sign of dissatisfaction with Destiny (Qadr).” Ends.
Similarly, some people shave their head hair in Muharram al-Haram in mourning for Hussain. This is something that angers Allah Almighty. Believers should demonstrate patience during hardships and sufferings while hoping for reward from Allah Almighty.
2 – Shaving the head to imitate disbelievers or immoral (Fasiq) individuals who are famous for shaving their heads.
And sometimes he applies a specific oil to it so that he looks like them, or he keeps the hair short on both sides of the head and long in the middle. All this imitation is Haram and is a deviation from the straight path. We ask Allah Almighty for safety and well-being.
And the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is:
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood: Hadith 4031)
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared it Sahih in Sahih Abu Dawood (Hadith 3401).
Al-Qari (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“Meaning whoever made himself resemble the disbelievers or the Fasiq (immoral) or Fajir (sinful) people, then he is among them.” Meaning, he is like them in sin. Ends.
The fifth category of shaving the head is Mubah (Permissible). This is when the head is shaved due to a necessity, for example, for treatment of an illness, or to remove lice, etc.
Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “This is permissible according to the Book, the Sunnah, and Consensus.” Ends.
(See: Majmoo’ al-Fatawa 12/117)
When the head is shaved without any necessity, need, or the aforementioned causes.
There is a difference of opinion among the noble scholars regarding its ruling.
Some noble scholars consider it Makrooh (disliked); i.e., Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him). Their evidence is that this is the sign of the people of innovation, i.e., the Kharijites, as mentioned in the Hadith above.
And also the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
And some noble scholars have declared it Mubah (permissible).
And according to our knowledge as well, outside of Hajj and Umrah, and without any excuse, in normal circumstances, it is permissible for men to shave their heads, and there is no evidence for it being disliked.
The arguments (proofs) are as follows:
Sayyidina Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates:
إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ رَآی صَبِیًّا قَدْ حُلِقَ بَعْضُ شَعْرِہٖ وَتُرِکَ بَعْضُہ،، فَنَہَاہُمْ عَنْ ذَالِکَ، وَقَالَ : احْلِقُوہُ کُلَّہ،، أَوِ اتْرُکُوہُ کُلَّہ،
“The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw a boy who had part of his head shaved and part left. He forbade them from that and said: ‘Shave it all or leave it all.'”
(Sunan Abi Dawood: 4195, its chain is Sahih, and its origin is in Sahih Muslim: 2120)
This Hadith is evidence that shaving the heads of both boys and children is permissible; the specification of only children is not proven (to be exclusive).
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) (508–597 AH) says:
وَقَوْلُہ، : اِحْلِقُوا کُلَّہ، دَلِیلٌ عَلٰی جَوَازِ حَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ مِنْ غَیْرِ کَرَاہِیَۃٍ
“His saying ‘Shave it all’ is evidence for the permissibility of shaving the head without any dislike.”
(Kashf al-Mushkil min Hadith al-Sahihayn: 2/557)
The commentator of Sahih Muslim, Hafiz Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 676 AH), writes:
وَھٰذَا صَرِیحٌ فِي إِبَاحَۃِ حَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ لَا یَحْتَمِلُ تَأْوِیلًا، وَقَالَ أَصْحَابُنَا : حَلْقُ الرَّأْسِ جَائِزٌ بِّکُلِّ حَالٍ
“This is explicit regarding the permissibility of shaving the head, admitting no [other] interpretation. Our companions said: Shaving the head is permissible in every case.”
(Sharh Sahih Muslim: 4/24)
Allama Sindhi Hanafi (d. 1138 AH) writes:
وَھٰذَا صَرِیحٌ فِي إِبَاحَۃِ حَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ، لَایَحْتَمِلُ تَأْوِیلًا
“This is explicit regarding the permissibility of shaving the head, admitting no [other] interpretation.”
(Hashiyat al-Sindhi ‘ala Sunan Ibn Majah: 1/75)
Mulla Ali Qari Hanafi (1014 AH) writes:
(اِحْلِقُوا کُلَّہ،) : أَيْ کُلَّ الرَّأْسِ أَيْ شَعْرَہ،، (أَوِ اتْرُکُوا کُلَّہ،) : فِي إِشَارَۃٍ إِلٰی أَنَّ الْحَلْقَ فِي غَیْرِ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَۃِ جَائِزٌ، وَأَنَّ الرَّجُلَ مُخَیَّرٌ بَّیْنَ الْحَلْقِ وَتَرْکِہٖ
“(‘Shave it all’) meaning the entire head, i.e., its hair, (‘or leave it all’) contains an indication that shaving outside of Hajj and Umrah is permissible, and that a man has the choice between shaving and keeping it.”
(Mirqat al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih: /2818, Hadith: 2427)
Sayyidina Abdullah bin Ja’far (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates:
إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمْہَلَ آلَ جَعْفَرٍ ثَلَاثًا أَنْ یَّأْتِیَہُمْ، ثُمَّ أَتَاہُمْ، فَقَال : لَاتَبْکُوا عَلٰی أَخِي بَعْدَ الْیَوْمِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : ادْعُوا لِي بَنِي أَخِي، فَجِيءَ بِنَا کَأَنَّا أَفْرُخٌ، فَقَالَ : ادْعُوا لِي الْحَلَّاقَ، فَأَمَرَہ، فَحَلَقَ رُءُ وسَنَا
“The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave the family of Ja’far three days’ respite before coming to them. Then he came to them and said: ‘Do not weep for my brother after today.’ Then he said: ‘Call my nephews for me.’ We were brought, and we were like hatchlings (frail/scrawny). He said: ‘Call the barber for me.’ He ordered him, and he shaved our heads.”
(Musnad Imam Ahmad: 1/204)
(Sunan Abi Dawood: 4192)
(Sunan Al-Nasa’i: 5229, its chain is Sahih)
Hafiz Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) (676 AH) writes:
رَوَاہُ أَبُو دَاو،دَ بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِیحٍ عَلٰی شَرْطِ الْبُخَارِيِّ وَمُسْلِمٌ
“Abu Dawood narrated it with a Sahih chain according to the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim.”
(Riyad al-Salihin: 1640)
Hafiz Haythami (may Allah have mercy on him) (735–807 AH) writes:
رَوَاہُ أَحْمَدُ وَالطَّبَرَانِيُّ، وَرِجَالُھَا رِجَالُ الصَّحِیحِ
“Ahmad and Tabarani narrated it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.”
(Majma’ al-Zawa’id: 6/157)
Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
مَنْ تَرَکَ مَوْضِعَ شَعْرَۃٍ مِّنْ جَنَابَۃٍ لَّمْ یَغْسِلْہَا فُعِلَ بِہَا کَذَا وَکَذَا مِنَ النَّارِ قَال عَلِيٌّ : فَمِنْ ثَمَّ عَادَیْتُ رَأْسِي ثَلَاثًا، وَکَانَ یَجُزُّ شَعْرَہ،
“‘Whoever leaves a hair’s breadth of impurity (Janabah) without washing it, such and such will be done to him in the Fire.’ Ali (RA) said: ‘From then on, I made myself an enemy to my head’ (saying this) three times. And he used to shave his hair.”
(Hadith Shu’bah ibn al-Hajjaj by Hafiz Muhammad bin al-Muzaffar bin Musa Abu al-Hussein al-Bazzar: 24)
(Al-Mukhtarah by Diya’: 453)
(Musnad Imam Ahmad: 1/94)
(Sunan Abi Dawood: Hadith 249)
(Sunan Ibn Majah: 599, its chain is Hasan)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) declared its chain “Sahih”.
(Al-Talkhis al-Habir: 1/142)
Allama Tibi (743 AH), explaining this Hadith, writes:
وَفِیہِ أَنَّ الْمُدَاوَمَۃَ عَلٰی حَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ سُنَّۃٌ؛ لِـأَنَّہ، صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ قَرَّرَہ، عَلٰی ذٰلِکَ، وَلِـأَنَّہ، رِضْوَانُ اللّٰہِ عَلَیْہِ مِنَ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِینَ الْمَہْدِیِّینَ الَّذِینَ أُمِرْنَا بِا تِّبَاعِ سُنَّتِہِمْ، وَالْعَضِّ عَلَیْہَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ
“In this is evidence that consistently shaving the head is a Sunnah; because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) affirmed him (Ali) in that, and because he (Ali, may Allah be pleased with him) is among the Rightly Guided Caliphs whose Sunnah we have been commanded to follow and to hold onto with our molar teeth.”
(Sharh al-Tibi: 3/814)
Allama Sindhi Hanafi (d. 1138 AH) writes:
وَاسْتُدِلَّ بِالْحَدِیثِ عَلٰی جَوَازِ حَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ وَجَزِّہٖ لِـأَنَّہ، صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ أَقَرَّ عَلِیًّا عَلٰی ذَالِکَ وَلِـأَنَّہ، مِنْ جُمْلَۃِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِینَ الْمَأْمُورِ النَّاسَ بِالِاقْتِدَاءِ بِہِمْ وَالتَّمَسُّکُ بِسُنَّتِہِمْ
“This Hadith is used as evidence for the permissibility of shaving the head and cutting it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) affirmed Ali in doing so. Also, because he is among the Rightly Guided Caliphs whom people are commanded to emulate and whose Sunnah they are commanded to hold fast to.”
(Hashiyat al-Sindhi ‘ala Ibn Majah: 1/208)
Sayyidina Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates:
إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ نَہٰی عَنِ الْقَزَعِ
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade Qaza’.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: 5920)
(Sahih Muslim: 2120, wording is his)
The meaning of Qaza’ is to shave part of the head and leave part. Like a military cut, bowl cut, etc.
Sheikh-ul-Islam Allama Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) (661–728 AH), while explaining its meaning, writes:
وَلِـأَنَّہ، نَھٰی عَنِ الْقَزَعِ، وَالْقَزَعُ حَلْقُ الْبَعْضِ، فَدَلَّ عَلٰی جَوَازِ حَلْقِ الْجَمِیعِ
“Because he forbade Qaza’, and Qaza’ is shaving a part, this indicates the permissibility of shaving the whole.”
(Majmoo’ al-Fatawa: 21/119)
The famous Tabi’i Ahnaf bin Qais (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِینَۃَ فَدَخَلْتُ مَسْجِدَہَا، فَبَیْنَمَا أَنَا أُصَلِّي إِذْ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ طَوِیلٌ آدَمُ أَبْیَضُ اللِّحْیَۃِ، وَالرَّأْسُ مَحْلُوقٌ، یُشْبِہُ بَعْضُہ، بَعْضًا، فَخَرَجْتُ فَاتَّبَعْتُہ،، فَقُلْتُ : مَنْ ہٰذَا؟ قَالُوا : أَبُو ذَرٍّ
“I came to Medina and entered its Mosque. While I was praying, a tall man, wheat-colored, with a white beard and a shaved head, whose features resembled each other, entered. I went out and followed him, and I said: ‘Who is this?’ They said: ‘Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him).'”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 25056, its chain is Hasan)
The great Tabi’i Imam Nafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
کَانَ عَبْدُ اللّٰہِ بْنُ عُمَرَ یَقُولُ : لَیْسَ حِلاَقُ الرَّأْسِ بِوَاجِبٍ عَلٰی مَنْ ضَحّٰی، إِذَا لَمْ یَحُجَّ وَقَدْ فَعَلَہُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ
“Abdullah bin Umar used to say: ‘Shaving the head is not obligatory upon the one who sacrifices (an animal) if he has not performed Hajj.’ Yet, Ibn Umar did it himself.”
(Muwatta Imam Malik: 2/483)
(Muwatta Imam Malik narration of Abu Mus’ab: 2/186, wording is his)
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Bayhaqi: 9/288, its chain is Sahih)
Imam Nafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللّٰہِ لَمْ یَتْرُکِ الْحَجَّ إِلَّا عَامًا وَّاحِدًا اشْتَکٰی، فَأَرْسَلَنِي، فَاشْتَرَیْتُ أُضْحِیَّۃً، ثُمَّ ذَبَحَہَا فِي الْمُصَلّٰی، ثُمَّ جِئْتُ حِینَ صَلَّی النَّاسُ، فَأَخْبَرْتُہ،، فَحَلَقَ رَأْسَہ،
“Indeed, Abdullah (bin Umar) never missed Hajj except one year when he was ill. He sent me, so I bought a sacrificial animal, then he slaughtered it at the Musalla (prayer ground). Then I came when the people had prayed and informed him, so he shaved his head.”
(Juz’ Abi Jahm: 64, its chain is Sahih)
In another narration:
أَنَّہ، ضَحّٰی بِالْمَدِینَۃِ، وَحَلَقَ رَأْسَہ،
“He sacrificed in Medina and shaved his head.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 4/1/252)
Hisham bin Hassan (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
إِنَّ الْحَسَنَ کَانَ یَحْلِقُ رَأْسَہ، یَوْمَ النَّحْرِ بِالْبَصْرَۃِ
“Indeed, Al-Hasan (Basri) used to shave his head on the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr) in Basra.”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 4/1/252, its chain is Sahih)
Imam Qatadah the Tabi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
کُنَّا نُصَلِّي مَعَ الْحَسَنِ عَلَی الْبَوَارِي، وَکَانَ الْحَسَنُ یَحْلِقُ رَأْسَہ، کُلَّ عَامٍ یَّوْمَ النَّحْرِ
“We used to pray with Al-Hasan on reed mats, and Al-Hasan used to shave his head every year on the Day of Sacrifice.”
(Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa’d: 7/130, its chain is Sahih)
Abdullah bin Awn (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
قُلْتُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ : کَانُوا یَسْتَحِبُّونَ أَنْ یَّأْخُذَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ شَعْرِہٖ یَوْمَ النَّحْرِ؟ قَالَ : نَعَمْ
“I said to Muhammad (bin Sirin): ‘Did they (the Sahaba) consider it Mustahabb (liked) for a man to take from his hair on the Day of Sacrifice?’ He said: ‘Yes.'”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 4/1/252, its chain is Sahih)
Abu Wa’il Shaqiq bin Salamah the great Tabi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
حَلَقَ حُذَیْفَۃُ رَأْسَہ، بِالْمَدَائِنِ
“Hudhayfah (bin al-Yaman) shaved his head in Al-Mada’in.”
(Al-Amwal by Imam Al-Qasim bin Salam: 135)
(Al-Amwal by Ibn Zanjawayh: 213)
(Majmoo’ fihi Musannafat Abi Ja’far Ibn al-Bakhtari: 256, its chain is Sahih like the sun)
Zubair bin Kharit (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
عَن عِکْرِمَۃَ فِي الرَّجُلِ یَحْلِقُ رَأْسَہ، یَوْمَ النَّحْرِ قَالَ : کَانَ لَا یَرٰی بِہٖ بَأْسًا بِّأَنْ یَّغْسِلَہ، بِالْخَِطْمِيِّ ثُمَّ یَحْلِقُہ،
“Regarding Ikrimah, concerning a man who shaves his head on the Day of Sacrifice, he said: He saw no harm in it if he washes it with Khatmi (marshmallow plant) and then shaves it.”
(Al-Thiqat by Ibn Hibban: 6/332, Bio: 7977, its chain is Sahih)
Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) (368–463 AH) says:
وَقَدْ أَجْمَعَ الْعُلَمَاءُ فِي جَمِیعِ الْـآفَاقِ عَلٰی إِبَاحَۃِ حَبْسِ الشَّعْرِ وَعَلٰی إِبَاحَۃِ الْحِلَاقِ
“The scholars in all regions have agreed upon the permissibility of keeping hair and upon the permissibility of shaving.”
(Al-Tamhid: 22/138)
Allama Ghazali (450–505 AH) writes:
شَعْرُ الرَّأْسِ وَلَا بَأْسَ بِحَلْقِہٖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ التَّنْظِیفَ وَلَا بِأْسَ بِتَرْکِہٖ لِمَنْ یُدَہِّنُہ، وَیُرَجِّلُہ، إِلَا إِذَا تَرَکَہ، قَزَعَاً أَيْ قَطْعاً وَہُوَ دَأْبُ أَہْلِ الشَّطَارَۃِ أَوْ أَرَسَلَ الذَّوَائِبُ عَلٰی ہَیْئَۃِ أَہْلِ الشَّرَفِ حَیْثُ صَارَ ذٰلِکَ شِعَارًا لَّہُمْ فَإِنَّہ، إِذَا لَمْ یَکُنْ شَرِیفًا کَانَ ذٰلِکَ تِلْبِیسًا
“Regarding head hair: There is no harm in shaving it for one who wants cleanliness, and there is no harm in keeping it for one who oils and combs it. Unless he cuts it as Qaza’ (shaving patches), which is the habit of scoundrels, or if he lets locks hang in the manner of the nobility where that has become a symbol for them; for if he is not noble, that would be deception.”
(Ihya’ Ulum al-Din: 1/140)
In the most authoritative book of the Hanafi school, it is written:
وَیُسْتَحَبُّ حَلْقُ الرَّأْسِ فِي کُلِّ جُمُعَۃٍ، کَذَا فِي الْغَرَائِبِ
“It is Mustahabb (desirable) to shave the head every Friday; so it is in Al-Ghara’ib.”
(Fatawa Alamgiri: 5/357)
Hafiz Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 676 AH) writes:
وَالْمُخْتَارُ أَنْ لَّا کَرَاہَۃَ فِیہِ وَلٰکِنَّ السُّنَّۃَ تَرْکُہ، فَلَمْ یَصِحَّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ حَلَقَہ، إلَّا فِي الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَۃِ وَلَمْ یَصِحَّ تَصْرِیحٌ بِّالنَّہْيِ عَنْہُ
“The chosen view is that there is no dislike (Karahah) in it, but the Sunnah is to keep it (hair), as it is not authentically proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) shaved it except in Hajj and Umrah, nor is there any authentic explicit prohibition regarding it.”
(Al-Majmoo’ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab: 1/296)
And for those who forbid shaving based on it being a sign of the Kharijites, the noble scholars answer them in this way:
The Hadith is as follows:
Sayyidina Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
قِیلَ : مَا سِیمَاہُمْ؟ قَالَ : سِیمَاہُمْ التَّحْلِیقُ أَوْ قَالَ : التَّسْبِیدُ
“It was asked: ‘What is their sign?’ He said: ‘Their sign is shaving (Tahliq)’ or he said: ‘Tasbid’ (shaving off hair completely).”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: 7562)
In Sahih Muslim (1064) the narration is:
سِیمَاھُمُ التَّحَالُقُ
“Their sign is shaving.”
Hear the explanation of this Hadith from the words of the commentators of Hadith.
The commentator of Sahih Muslim, Hafiz Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) (631–676 AH), writes:
وَالْمُرَادُ بِالتَّحَالُقُ حَلْقُ الرُّؤُوسِ وَفِي الرِّوَایَۃِ الْـأُخْرٰی التَّحَلُّقُ وَاسْتَدَلَّ بِہٖ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ عَلٰی کَرَاہَۃِ حَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ وَلَا دَلَالَۃَ فِیہِ وَإِنَّمَا ہُوَ عَلَامَۃٌ لَّہُمْ وَالْعَلَامَۃُ قَدْ تَکُونُ بِحِرَامٍ وَّقَدْ تَکُونُ بِمُبَاحٍ کَمَا قَالَ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ : آیَتُہُمْ رَجُلٌ أَسْوَدُ إِحْدٰی عَضُدَیْہِ مِثْلُ ثَدْيِ الْمَرْأَۃِ وَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّ ہٰذَا لَیْسَ بِحِرَامٍ وَّقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي سُنَنِ أَبِي دَاوُدَ بِإِسْنَادٍ عَلٰی شَرْطِ الْبُخَارِيِّ وَمُسْلِمٍ : إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ (رَآی صَبِیًّا قَدْ حَلَقَ بَعْضَ رَأْسِہٖ فَقَالَ احْلِقُوہُ کُلَّہ، أَوِ اتْرُکُوہ، کُلَّہ،) وَہٰذَا صَرِیحٌ فِي إِبَاحَۃِ حَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ لَا یَحْتَمِلُ تَأْوِیلًا، قَالَ أَصْحَابُنَا حَلْقُ الرَّأْسِ جَائِزٌ بِّکُلِّ حَالٍ لّٰکِنْ إِنْ شَقَّ عَلَیْہِ تَعَہُّدُہ، بِالدُّہْنِ وَالتَّسْرِیحِ اسْتُحِبَّ حَلْقُہ، وَإِنْ لَمْ یَشُقَّ اسْتُحِبَّ تَرْکُہ،
“By Tahaluk is meant shaving of heads. In another narration, it is Tahalluq. Some people have used this as evidence for the dislike of shaving the head, but there is no such indication in it. It is merely a sign for them, and a sign can be something forbidden or something permissible. Just as he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Their sign is a black man, one of whose upper arms is like a woman’s breast.’ It is known that this is not Haram. And it is proven in Sunan Abi Dawood with a chain meeting the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim: That the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ‘saw a boy who had shaved part of his head, so he said: Shave it all or leave it all.’ This is explicit regarding the permissibility of shaving the head, admitting no interpretation. Our companions said: Shaving the head is permissible in every case. However, if maintaining it with oil and combing is difficult for him, shaving is desirable (Mustahabb), and if it is not difficult, keeping it is desirable.”
(Sharh Sahih Muslim: 7/167)
Allama Tibi (743 AH) writes:
(اَلتَّحْلِیقُ) أَيْ عَلَامَتُہُمُ التَّحْلِیقُ، وَإِنَّمَا أُتِي بِہٰذَا الْبَنَاءِ إِمَّا لِتَعْرِیفِ مُبَالَغَتِہِمْ فِي الْحَلْقِ أَوِ لْـإِکْثَارِہِمْ مِّنْہ،، وَفِیہِ وَجْہَانِ، أَحَدُہُمَا : اسْتِئْصَالُ الشَّعْرِ مِنَ الرَّأْسِ، وَہُوَ لَا یَدُلُّ عَلٰی أَنَّ الْحَلْقَ مَذْمُومٌ، فَإِنَّ الشِّیَمَ والْحِلَی الْمَحْمُودَۃَ قَدْ یَتَزَیَّنُ بِہِ الْخَبِیثُ تَلْبِیسًا تَرْوِیجًا لِّخُبْثِہٖ وَإِفْسَادِہٖ عَلٰی النَّاسِ، وَہُوَ کَوَصْفِہِمْ بِّالصَّلَاۃِ وَالصِّیَامِ
“(Al-Tahliq) meaning their sign is shaving. This grammatical form is used either to define their exaggeration in shaving or their frequency of it. There are two aspects to it: One is the total eradication of hair from the head. This does not indicate that shaving is blameworthy; for indeed, an evil person may adorn himself with praiseworthy traits and characteristics as a deception to promote his evil and cause corruption among people. This is like describing them (Kharijites) with prayer and fasting (which are good deeds, though the people are bad).”
(Sharh al-Tibi: 8/2504)
Allama Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) (849–911 AH) writes:
قَالَ الْقُرْطُبِيُّ : قَوْلُہ، سِیمَاہُمُ التَّحْلِیقُ أَيْ جَعَلُوا ذَالِکَ عَلَامَۃً لَّہُمْ عَلٰی رَفْضِہِمْ زِینَۃَ الدُّنْیَا وَشِعَارًا لِّیُعْرَفُوا بِہٖ وَہٰذَا مِنْہُمْ جَہْلٌ بِّمَا یُزْہَدُ وَمَالَا یُزْہَدُ فِیہِ وَابْتِدَاعٌ مِّنْہُمْ فِي دِینِ اللّٰہِ شَیْئًا
“Imam Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: His saying ‘Their sign is shaving’ means they made that a sign for themselves of their rejection of worldly adornment and a symbol by which they would be known. This was due to their ignorance of what one should be ascetic about and what one should not, and their innovating something into the religion of Allah.”
(Hashiyat al-Suyuti ‘ala al-Nasa’i: 7/121)
Therefore, from all the arguments mentioned above, it is proven that in normal circumstances, even without any excuse, it is permissible to shave head hair. Calling it Makrooh (disliked) or forbidding it is not correct. Yes, it is true that shaving the head is not proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) outside of Hajj and Umrah; so if someone does not shave his head in order to act upon the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then surely this action will be superior (Afzal), Insha’Allah Ta’ala.
((And Allah Almighty knows best what is correct))
Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/1173
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