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The
Prohibitions for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice
The Sunnah indicates
that the one
who wants to offer a sacrifice must stop cutting his hair and nails and
removing anything from his skin,
from the beginning
of the ten days until after he has offered his sacrifice,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"When you
see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice,
then he should stop cutting his hair and nails until he has offered his
sacrifice." According to another report he said: "He should not
remove (literally, touch) anything from his hair or skin."
(reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146)
The Prophet’s instruction here
makes one thing obligatory and his prohibition makes another haraam, according
to the soundest opinion, because these commands and prohibitions are unconditional
and unavoidable. However, if a person does any of these things deliberately,
he must seek Allaah’s forgiveness but is not required to offer (an extra)
sacrifice in expiation; his sacrifice will be acceptable.
Whoever needs to remove
some hair, nails, etc. because
it is harming him, such as having
a broken nail or a wound in a site where there is hair, should do so, and
there is nothing wrong with that. The state of ihraam is so important that
it is permitted to cut one’s hair if leaving it will cause harm.
There is nothing wrong
with men or women washing their heads
during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only
forbade cutting the hair, not washing it.
The wisdom behind
this prohibition of the one
who wants to offer a sacrifice from cutting his hair etc., is so that he
may resemble those in ihraam in
some aspects of the rituals performed, and so that he may draw closer to
Allaah by offering the sacrifice. So he leaves his hair and nails alone
until the time when he has offered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah
will save him in his entirety from the Fire. And Allaah knows best.
If a person has cut his hair or
nails during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah because he was not planning
to offer a sacrifice, then he decides later, during the ten days, to offer
a sacrifice, then
he must refrain from cutting his hair and nails from the moment he makes
this decision.
Some women may delegate
their brothers or sons to make the sacrifice on their behalf,
then cut their hair during these ten days. This is not correct, because
the ruling applies
to the one who is offering the sacrifice,
whether or not he (or she) delegates someone else to carry out the actual
deed. The prohibition does not apply to the person delegated, only to the
person who is making the sacrifice, as is indicated in the hadeeth. The
person who is sacrificing on behalf of someone else, for whatever reason,
does not have to adhere to this prohibition.
This prohibition appears
to apply only to the one who is offering the sacrifice,
not to his wife and children,
unless any of them is offering a sacrifice in his or her own right, because
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sacrifice
"on behalf
of the family of Muhammad,"
but there are no reports that say he forbade them to cut their hair or
nails at that time.
If a person was planning
to offer a sacrifice, then he
decides to go and perform Hajj, he should not cut his hair or nails if
he wants to enter ihraam, because the Sunnah is only to cut hair and nails
when necessary. But if he is performing Tamattu’ [whereby he performs
‘Umrah, comes out of ihraam and enters ihraam anew for Hajj], he should
trim his hair at the end of his ‘Umrah because this is part of the ritual.
The things that are described above
as being prohibited for the person who is planning to offer a sacrifice
are reported in the hadeeth quoted above; the
person is not forbidden to wear perfume, have marital relations, wear sewn
garments, etc.
The Virtues
of the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah
Among the special
seasons of worship are the
first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah,
which Allaah has preferred over all the other days of the year.
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah
be pleased with him and his father) reported that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There
are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these
ten days."
The people asked,
"Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?"
He said,
"Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man
who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and
came back with nothing."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2/457).
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah
be pleased with him and his father) also reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"There is
no deed more precious in the sight of Allaah, nor greater in reward, than
a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice."
He was asked,
"Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?"
He said,
"Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man
who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and
came back with nothing."
(Reported by al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as
stated in al-Irwaa’, 3/398).
This season of worship
brings many benefits, such as
the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for any shortcomings
or anything that one might have missed.
The happy person is
the one who makes the most of these special months,
days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through
acts of worship; he will most likely be touched by the blessing of Allaah
and will feel the joy of knowing that he is safe from the flames of Hell.
(Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa’if, p.8)
The Muslim must understand
the value of his life, increase his worship of Allaah and persist in doing
good deeds until the moment of death.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "And
worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty."
[al-Hijr 15:99]
The mufassireen (commentators)
said: "‘The
certainty’ means death."
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