Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … This narration is weak, but two points are correct: that Sayyiduna Muawiyah used to prohibit performing ‘umrah during the months of Hajj, and that he cut the hair of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). However, the question is: on which occasion did Sayyiduna Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) cut the hair of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)? In the narration of Sunan Abu Dawud, it is mentioned that this incident of cutting the hair took place at Marwah and that it was a shortening (taqsir) of the hair, whereas during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada‘), the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had his head shaved (halq) at Mina on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah. It appears that Sayyiduna Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) cut the hair of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) on the occasion of the ‘Umrah of Ji‘ranah; as for the ‘Umrah of Qada, he had not yet embraced Islam at that time. In the narration of Sunan Abu Dawud, the words “li-hijjatihi” are rare (shadh). From this detail, it becomes clear that there is no room for the astonishment of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu), because it was not the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage. Before Sayyiduna ‘Ali (radi Allahu anhu), the rightly guided caliphs also used to prohibit performing ‘umrah during the months of Hajj, but they would also allow for its permissibility. The reasons for this prohibition have already been explained. As for the issue regarding Sayyiduna Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu), it is possible that his prohibition was also of this nature, and it is also possible that, due to not being aware of the relevant marfu‘ narrations on this subject and out of consideration for the opinion of Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (radi Allahu anhu), he prohibited it strictly.