Short answer
Dam is a penalty sacrifice: a sheep or goat, or a seventh of a cow or camel, slaughtered inside the Haram of Makkah. It is due for leaving a wajib rite of Hajj or umrah or for a major violation of ihram. Smaller violations need sadaqah, and some need a whole camel or cow (badanah).
A dam is a sheep or goat, or a seventh share of a cow or camel, of qurbani age, slaughtered within the Haram. It is due for leaving a wajib or a major violation of ihram, whether done on purpose, by mistake or out of forgetfulness. The meat of a penalty dam goes only to the poor; the one who owes it may not eat from it.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Hajj has pillars (rukn), which must be done or the Hajj is lost, and wajibs, whose omission is made up by a sacrifice. Ihram also has prohibitions, each with a set penalty. The four schools agree on this structure, though they classify some rites differently. Here are the main Hanafi penalties.
- Dam (sheep or goat): missing a wajib such as sa'i, the stay at Muzdalifah, stoning, the farewell tawaf, or shaving within the Haram on time; perfume on a full limb; covering the head or face, or wearing stitched clothes, for a full day; five nails of one limb; a quarter of the head or beard.
- Badanah (a whole camel or cow): the fard tawaf of Hajj done in janabah or menses, and intercourse after Arafah before shaving.
- Sadaqah: half a sa' of wheat or its value (the amount of sadaqat al-fitr) for smaller violations, such as fewer than five nails or covering for less than a day.
If the violation was done because of a real need, such as illness or severe cold, you may choose instead of the dam between fasting three days and feeding six poor people, as the Quran and the hadith of Ka'b ibn Ujrah set out. This choice is not available for a violation done without a need.
The animal must be slaughtered inside the Haram; you may pay a trusted agent or the official bank voucher service to do it. A dam does not fix a missing pillar: if you miss Arafah, the Hajj is lost. Separate from penalties, a pilgrim doing tamattu or qiran owes a dam shukr (sacrifice of thanks), from which he may eat. See Types of Hajj.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:196
وَأَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلْحَجَّ وَٱلْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ أُحْصِرْتُمْ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۖ وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا۟ رُءُوسَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْهَدْىُ مَحِلَّهُۥ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِۦٓ أَذًۭى مِّن رَّأْسِهِۦ فَفِدْيَةٌۭ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍۢ ۚ فَإِذَآ أَمِنتُمْ فَمَن تَمَتَّعَ بِٱلْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى ٱلْحَجِّ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۚ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍۢ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ ۗ تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌۭ كَامِلَةٌۭ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن لَّمْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُهُۥ حَاضِرِى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ﴿١٩٦﴾
And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah. But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice. And when you are secure, then whoever performs 'umrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] - then a fast of three days during Hajj and of seven when you have returned [home]. Those are ten complete [days]. This is for those whose family is not in the area of al-Masjid al-Haram. And fear Allah and know that Allah is severe in penalty.
The ransom for someone who breaks a rule of ihram out of need, and the sacrifice for tamattu.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1814
Sahih... احلق رأسك وصم ثلاثة أيام أو أطعم ستة مساكين ...
"Shave your head, then fast three days, or feed six poor people, or sacrifice a sheep."
The three choices of ransom for a violation done out of need.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-jinayat. The violations that require a dam, a badanah or sadaqah.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-hadi. The penalty dam is slaughtered in the Haram and its meat is for the poor.
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Kitab al-Hajj, chapter on violations. A short list of penalties.
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.