Question

A Muslim doing Qurbani should not clip his nails or remove hair, is this correct?

Please provide the proof from Hadith for this.

 

Answer

Sayyidatuna Ummu Salamah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

When Dhul Hijjah begins and a person intends to make udhiyah (slaughter on ‘Eid day), then he should not remove hair nor clip his nails.

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 5090)

Based on the above Hadith, the Hanafi Jurists say that it is mustahab (preferable) for a person intending to do udhiyah, not to remove hair or clip his nails until after his animal is slaughtered.

Note 1: However this should not be considered binding.

Note 2: If one hasn’t cut his nails or removed body hair for up to forty days, and by practicing on the above, he will be exceeding the forty day limit, he should not delay.

In this case, he is instructed to rather remove the hair/nails etc. instead of waiting till after slaughter. This is because Shari’ah instructs us to remove unwanted hair/nails once every forty days.

(Refer: Badhlul Majhud, under Hadith: 2791)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar