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:

Assalamu Alaikkum Wrah Dear Burhan Bhai,

I understood your quote, but people are cutting hair in three places in the head by scissor (apprximate 1or 2 cm)by themself. Is this SUNNAH or one should complete to have hair-cut by barber. PLEASE CLARIFY.

(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:

Cut hair pilgrimage

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Prophet (saws) said, "May Allah bless those who shaved (after their pilgrimage of Hajj or Umrah)." The Companions asked him, "O Allah's Messenger (saws), what about those who clip their hair short?" Thereupon the Prophet (saws) again said, "May Allah bless those who shaved." They repeated their question the third time, and again the Prophet (saws) said, "May Allah bless those who shaved." When they asked him for the fourth time, "O Allah's Messenger (saws), what about those who clip their hair short?" He (saws) replied: "And (may Allah bless) those who clip their hair short.”

It is obviously preferred that a believer who completes the pilgrimage should shave their head; but there is also allowance in Shariah for the believers to cut their hairs short.

‘Cutting’ or ‘clipping’ one’s hair short refers to a full hair-cut, regardless of whether one chooses to do so oneself or through a barber….The absolute majority of the good scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that the practice of taking a scissor and merely clipping only a couple of hairs from three or four places on one’s head would not fulfill the guidance of ‘clipping one’s hair short’. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

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