Hadith

Hazrat Umme Salamah (Radiyallahu Anha) reports that Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"When the ten days (of Zil-Hijjah) begin and anyone of you has made the intention to perform Qurbani, then he must neither cut his hair nor his nails."

According to this Hadith, a person who intends to do Qurbani, should neither trim his nails nor cut his hair or moustache as from the beginning of the month of Zul Hijjah. This Hadith gives the impression somehow that this is Waajib (obligatory). But there is another Hadith that indicates the contrary. It is a Hadith which is reported by Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha). It is a Hadith which has a higher degree of authenticity which is called Hadith Moutawaatir. According to this Hadith, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) was not abstaining from those things which a person in the state of Ihraam does. When we compare it with the Hadith of Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha), we see a kind of contradiction that needs to be elucidated. For the scholars of Hadith, there is no contradiction because a contradiction exists between two proofs of the same calibre. The Hadith of Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha) is much stronger than the Hadith of Hazrat Umme Salamah (Radiyallahu Anha). But the Hadith of Hazrat Umme Salamah (Radiyallahu Anha) is also authentic. Thus, to reconcile between the two, the scholars of Hadith say that based on the Hadith of Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallaahu Anha), trimming the nails, cutting the moustache and removing other undesirable hair are neither Haraam nor prohibited at the beginning of the month of Zul Hijjah for those who intend to do Qurbani. As for the Hadith of Hazrat Umme Salamah, it proves that it is a recommended practice. That is, there is reward for the one who practices it and there is no blame on the one who does not practice it.

[English version of "Hadice" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.7]