Short answer
No, men may shave or trim, but shaving is better. In the Hanafi school a man who trims must cut at least a fingertip length (about an inch) from a quarter of his head, and it is sunnah to cut from all of it. Women never shave; they trim.
Shaving (halq) or trimming (taqsir) is wajib to leave ihram. Shaving the whole head is better for men. The minimum is shaving or cutting a fingertip length from a quarter of the head; covering the whole head is sunnah. If a man's hair is shorter than a fingertip length, he must shave.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Removing as little as three hairs fulfils the rite, though the whole head is better.
- Maliki
- Trimming must cover the whole head.
- Hanbali
- Trimming must cover the whole head.
Explanation
The Quran describes the believers entering the Sacred Mosque "with heads shaved and hair shortened", so both are valid. The Prophet ﷺ prayed three times for mercy on those who shaved before he included those who trimmed, which is why scholars say shaving is better for men.
- Shaving with a razor or clippers on zero: fulfils the rite. Clippers with a very short guard count as shaving if almost nothing is left.
- Trimming: cut about an inch from the hair all over, not only a few strands at the side. Barbers by the Haram are used to this.
- Bald men: pass a razor over the scalp.
- Doing it yourself: allowed. Another pilgrim may cut your hair once he has finished his own rites up to that point.
- Where: in the Hanafi school it should be inside the Haram. All of Makkah's central hotels are inside it.
In umrah you shave or trim after sa'i. You stay in ihram until you do it, so do not change clothes first. If you did, see forgot to cut hair after umrah. For women, see how much hair a woman cuts.
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].
Both shaving and trimming end the rites.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1727
Sahih... اللهم ارحم المحلقين قالوا والمقصرين ...
"O Allah, have mercy on those who shaved. They said: and those who trimmed?"
Shaving is better for men, though trimming is valid.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, on halq and taqsir. Shaving is better; the minimum is a quarter of the head.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hajj, the wajibs of Hajj. The fingertip length, and shaving when the hair is too short.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Hajj, on shaving and trimming. The Hanbali view that the whole head is covered.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. 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.