Q: There are tents that are used for royal ceremonies at Muzdalifah to house the guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques after their departure from `Arafah When these tents are cleaned in preparation for the next Hajj season, we find weeds and shrubs such as those that stick to clothes when a person brushes against them. We also find another kind of plant that extends over the ground in a circle the diameter of which may reach up to three meters. These plants obstruct the cleaning process as well as cover the pathways leading to the tents. Since they are dry due to the lack of rain during the year, they are unsightly and harbor harmful insects.We hope that Your Eminence could inform us whether it is permissible to remove them when cleaning these areas? We appreciate your efforts, may Allah protect you! A: The Ijma` (consensus of scholars) is that it is impermissible to cut down the trees of Haram (all areas within the Sacred Sanctuary of Makkah) that grow of themselves due to the authentic Hadiths from the Prophet (peace be upon him) which include the Hadith related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah (Part No. 10; Page No. 168