The Minimum Amount of Hair that Must Be Cut to Exit the State of Ihram

Answered by Shaykh Faraz A. Khan

Question: I have come across differing opinions on the amount of hair that must be cut after Sa’ee in order to lift the state of Ihraam. I am afraid that my family may have not cut the required amount, which means we never properly exited Ihraam.

For men, I have read that they must trim at least one inch from their entire head, or one inch from at least one quarter of their head of hair. For women, I have read they must clip one-inch from all of their hair, one inch from a quarter of their hair, or the amount that can wrap around their finger of one lock of hair.

My father simply snipped some hair from one or two places, whilst my mother and I took a lock and wrapped it around our fingers and snipped, though I was unsure as to how thick the lock must be.

Please tell me the correct Hanafi opinion for men and women, in terms of clipping their hair at the close of Umrah, and what expiation or damm must be given for doing this incorrectly.

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

The Shafi’i ruling is that cutting three strands of hair is sufficient, at a minimum length of one ‘unmula’ (i.e., from the fingertip to the first joint; about 1.5cm). [Shirbini/Nawawi, Mughni al-Muhtaj ila Ma’rifat Alfaz al-Minhaj]

This answer gives the Hanafi ruling:

What is the Minimum Amount of Hair that Must Be Cut to Exit the State of Ihram After Hajj or Umrah?

I would advise you to take the Shafi’i ruling on this issue, considering it was done in the past and the Hanafi ruling would entail undue hardship for you.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani mentions,

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

“I confirm this answer and the mentioned dispensation to be sound to take.” – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani