Why it is Mustahab for a Sacrificer not to cut his Hair & Nails During the First 10 Days of Dhu al-Hijjah? By Mufti Muhmmad Taqi Usmani

Immediately after the sighting of the Zul-Hijjah moon a strange command is brought to our notice. The Holy Prophet has said that it is not right for him who has to offer Qurbani to clip his nails and cut his hair after sighting the Zul-hijjah moon. As this order has been narrated from the Holy Prophet it has been declared as Mustahab (desirable). According to this order a man should not clip his nails, nor cut his hair, unless he has offered the Qurbani. (lbn majah Chapter on dipping nails …. Hadith no 3187)

Apparently it looks strange that after sighting the moon of Zul Hijjah, clipping the nails and cutting the hair have been forbidden. The reason is not far to seek. Almighty Allah has appointed during these days the splendid worship of the Hajj and a very large number of the Muslims remain engaged, by the grace of Allah, in this worship at this time. It seems, as if, the House of Allah is charged with a magnetic power which is attracting to itself from all sides the sons of Tawheed (Muslims) and thousands of men are arriving there every moment from all comers of the world and are assembling round the House of Allah. Allah has granted these pilgrims the honor of performing the Hajj. These Pilgrims have been ordered that when they are advancing towards the House of Allah, they should be dressed in lhram which is the prescribed uniform of that sacred House. Again, the Shari ah has imposed many restrictions on the pilgrims while in lhram. e.g., they cannot put on stitched garment, nor apply scent nor cover their faces. etc., that they should not clip their nails nor cut their hair is also one of these restrictions. As for those who are not participating in the worship (Hajj) of the House of Allah, by visiting it, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has, in order to enable such persons also to qualify for Allah’s mercy, ordered that they should try to achieve some likeness to the pilgrims of the House of Allah by imitating them in leaving their nails unclipped and their hair uncut. This is a way to attain some similarity to those actually performing the Hajj.

Our Dr. Hazrat M. Abdul Hayi Arfi Sahib used to say that Allah’s mercy is always in search of an excuse to descend on His servants. When Allah has commanded us to attain some similarity to the Hajj Pilgrims, it only means that He wants to bestow on those who attain this similarity some part of the mercy and blessings which He showers on the Hajj Pilgrims, so that when the clouds of Allah’s mercy rain on these servants of Allah on the plain of Arafah, a part of these clouds may overtake us also with its munificent showers. Thus, the attainment of this similarity, is a great blessing. Dr. Arfi Sahib frequently recited this couplet of Hazrat Majzoob:

تیرے محبوب کی یا رب شباہت لے کر آیا ہوں

حقیقت اس کو تو کردے میں صورت لے کر آیا ہوں

Meaning: O my Lord! I have come to you with an assumed similarity to your beloved. I have brought the form only, kindly turn it into reality. It is not at all unlikely that Almighty Allah may turn this form into reality by the blessing of His beloved Prophet ﷺ. It is hoped that you and we shall not be deprived, God willing, of the clouds of mercy that pour down there.

It was the habit of our saint (R.A) to say from time to time: Will Almighty Allah deprive a man of these blessings and bounties of Arafah only because he has no money or the circumstances are not favourable for him to undertake the journey? No, that is not so. Almighty Allah wants to include us all in His mercy, provided we pay a little attention and care, we develop a little similarity to the pilgrims of Hajj. We should at least adopt the form, if not the reality of the Hajj. There is every hope that Almighty Allah shall encompass us with His mercy and blessings.

SOURCE: Daur e Hazir kay Shubaht o Mughalty, By Mfuti Muhammad Taqi Usmani

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