Q 2: It is well known that whoever wants to offer an Ud-hiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims) should not remove anything of their skin, hair, or nails. However, the Sunnah (acts, sayings or approvals of the Prophet) pertaining to Ihram (ritual state for Hajj or `Umrah) is to remove hair and clip nails. What should the person who intends to perform Hajj and deputize someone to offer Ud-hiyah on his behalf at his town do? Please advise; may Allah reward you with the best! Does the Hady (sacrificial animal offered by pilgrims) offered by the Mutamatti` (pilgrim performing `Umrah during the months of Hajj, followed by Hajj in the same year with a break in between) suffice instead of Ud-hiyah?

A: Whoever enters into Ihram during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah should not cut any of their skin, hair or nails before entering Ihram if they intend to offer Ud-hiyah on behalf of themselves or their family members. However, if the Muslim performs `Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah while they are going to offer Ud-hiyah, it is obligatory upon them to shorten their hair because Tahallul (removal of the ritual state for `Umrah) is dependant on this. Such shortening of the hair is not included in the reported forbidding that prohibits the person offering Ud-hiyah to cut any skin, hair, or nails when Dhul-Hijjah starts until the offering of the Ud-hiyah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered the Mutamatti`s who ended their `Umrah during Dhul-Hijjah to shorten their hair and he did not differentiate between those who would offer Ud-hiyah or not. This indicates the general obligation of shaving or shortening the hair upon those who perform `Umrah in Dhul-Hijjah. Hady of Tamattu` Hajj (`Umrah during the months of Hajj followed by Hajj in the same year with a break in between) or Qiran Hajj (combining Hajj and `Umrah without a break in between) which is offered in Al-Haram does not (Part No. 10; Page No. 433) suffice instead of Ud-hiyah because the Prophet (peace be upon him) offered two rams as Ud-hiyah during the Farewell Hajj though he offered one hundred camels as a Hady.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.