Short answer
Men must either shave or trim, and shaving is better. In the Hanafi school this is wajib, must be done inside the Haram, and must be done on 10 to 12 Dhul Hijjah; doing it outside the Haram or after the 12th requires a dam. Women only trim a fingertip's length.
Halq (shaving) or taqsir (trimming at least a quarter of the head by a fingertip's length) is wajib to leave ihram. Shaving is better for men; women only trim. It must be inside the Haram during the days of sacrifice, and for tamattu and qiran it comes after stoning and the sacrifice.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Shaving or trimming is a pillar of Hajj; removing three hairs is enough, and there is no dam for doing it later or outside the Haram.
- Maliki
- It is wajib and must cover the whole head.
- Hanbali
- It is wajib and must cover the whole head; there is no dam for delaying it.
Explanation
The Quran describes the pilgrims entering the Sacred Mosque "with heads shaved and hair shortened", and the Prophet ﷺ prayed three times for mercy on those who shaved and once for those who trimmed. Shaving is the act that releases you from ihram, so it is wajib in the Hanafi school. See also shaving for umrah.
- When: on the 10th after stoning Jamrat al-Aqabah, and for tamattu and qiran after the sacrifice too (see the order on the 10th). The latest is sunset on the 12th.
- Where: anywhere within the Haram, which includes Mina and Makkah. Not in Arafah or outside the boundary.
- Trimming: at least a quarter of the head, by about an inch. If your hair is shorter than that, you must shave.
- Bald: pass a razor over the head.
- Women: trim a fingertip's length from the ends, ideally from all the hair. Shaving is not allowed for women (see how much a woman cuts).
- Penalty: after the 12th or outside the Haram, a dam in Abu Hanifa's view, which is the fatwa.
After shaving, everything forbidden in ihram becomes allowed except intimacy with your spouse, which waits until tawaf al-ifadah. You may shave another pilgrim once you have both reached this point.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Fath 48:27
لَّقَدْ صَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ٱلرُّءْيَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ لَتَدْخُلُنَّ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ ٱلْحَرَامَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ مُحَلِّقِينَ رُءُوسَكُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ لَا تَخَافُونَ ۖ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا۟ فَجَعَلَ مِن دُونِ ذَٰلِكَ فَتْحًۭا قَرِيبًا ﴿٢٧﴾
Certainly has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].
Shaving and trimming are part of the rites.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1727
Sahih... اللهم ارحم المحلقين ...
"O Allah, have mercy on those who shave their heads."
Shaving is better than trimming for men.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-jinayat. A dam for shaving outside the Haram or after the days of sacrifice.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hajj, chapter on the rites of the 10th. The minimum of a quarter of the head and the length of a fingertip.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-halq. The Shafi'i view that shaving is a pillar and three hairs suffice.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.