❖ Will One Receive Reward for Avoiding Hair and Nail Cutting Without Performing Qurbani?
Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Volume 1, Page 666
❖ Question:
If someone is not performing Qurbani, but still refrains from cutting their hair and nails, will they receive any reward?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
❖ Islamic Guidance:
◈ A person who is unable to offer Qurbani should also refrain from cutting their hair and nails before ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā.
◈ Then on the day of Eid, they may cut their hair and trim their nails — and Allah will grant them the reward of Qurbani.
❖ Hadith Reference:
Narrated from ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar and ʿAbdullāh bin ʿAmr رضي الله عنهما:
قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ لَمْ أَجِدْ إِلَّا مَنِيحَةً أُنْثَى، أَفَأُضَحِّي بِهَا؟
قَالَ: لَا، وَلَكِنْ خُذْ مِنْ شَعْرِكَ وَأَظْفَارِكَ، وَتَقُصُّ مِنْ شَارِبِكَ، وَتَحْلِقُ عَانَتَكَ، فَذَٰلِكَ تَمَامُ أُضْحِيَّتِكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ.
Translation:
A man asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Suppose I can’t find anything except a female milk-giving goat — can I offer it for Qurbani?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
“No, but trim your hair, cut your nails, shorten your moustache, and shave your pubic hair — this will be considered your complete sacrifice in the sight of Allah.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Vol. 1; ʿAwn al-Maʿbūd, Vol. 3, Chapter: Obligation of Udhiyyah, p. 50)
Conclusion:
✔ A person who cannot afford Qurbani may still attain the reward of sacrifice by:
– Refraining from cutting hair and nails before Eid
– Then cleaning and grooming oneself on Eid day
– With the intention of seeking reward from Allah ﷻ
هذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
