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:

Assalam alikum, did one has to pay kuffara if one plucks hair from upper lip during ihram. If so where one can pay kaffara please tell me .

thanks 

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Answer:

Kaffara atonement for plucking hair in ehram

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.

If one has unintentionally and in the state of forgetfulness plucked a couple of haris from their upper lip in the state of ‘ehram’, there is no harm and one need not pay any ‘kaffarah’ or atonement for their this deed. It is expected that they will find their Lord Forgiving and Merciful.

But if one has intentionally cut or shaved one’s hair from one’s upper lip (or anywhere else in one’s body) after one has made the intention of ‘ehram’ for pilgrimage, then the ‘kaffarah’ or atonement would be as follows:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 196:

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.

Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila reported from K'ab bin 'Ujrah that he said: "Lice infested my hair and bothered me, while I was with Allah’s Messenger (saws) during Hudaibiyah. It got so bad that I was afraid of losing my sight. Allah’s Messenger (saws) asked: "Are the lice in your head bothering you?" He said, "Yes." The Prophet (saws) said, "Shave your head and (atone by) slaughtering a sheep, or fasting three days, or by giving a measure of three sa ' of dates to six needy people. So I shaved my head and slaughtered a sheep."

Related by Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Daw'ud)."

Although three of the four major schools of thought are of the opinion that one who violates the restrictions of ‘ehram’ by cutting or shaving one’s hair must atone by either fasting three days, or by feeding six needy people, or by slaughtering a sheep; Imam Abu Hanifa holds that one who can afford it must slaughter a sheep as atonement for the violation; and only if one cannot afford to slaughter a sheep, he may either feed six people or fast three days.

Your Question: If so where one can pay kaffara please tell me .

If one chooses to slaughter a sheep as atonement, then it is obligatory that the slaughter of atonement take place in Makkah. One may either ask someone visiting or in Makkah to offer the slaughter there for them, or one may offer the slaughter when one re-visits the Sacred House at a later date; but it is obligatory that the sacrifice take place in Makkah.

If one chooses the option of feeding six needy people as atonement, it is preferred but not obligatory that it is done in Makkah. But if one chooses to fast three days as atonement, there is absolutely no harm or restriction in observing these fasts wherever one wills or resides.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan