This excerpt is taken from Professor Dr. Fazl Elahi's book Masail-e-Qurbani.
The one who performs Qurbani should not cut or trim hair and nails after the sighting of the crescent of Dhu al-Hijjah
The person who intends to offer a sacrifice should refrain from cutting or trimming their hair and nails after sighting the moon of Dhu al-Hijjah. Below are six points presented with divine guidance on this matter:
➊ The evidence for this is the hadith narrated by Imam Muslim from Hazrat Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
”إذا رأيتم هلال ذي الحجة وأراد أحدكم أن يضحي فليمسك عن شعره وأظفاره“
"When you see the moon of Dhu al-Hijjah and you intend to offer a sacrifice, then avoid cutting or trimming your hair and nails."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter: Prohibition for one who enters the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah intending to sacrifice to take anything from his hair or nails, Hadith No. 41 - 1977), 1565/3
➋ Avoiding nails means neither to file nor to break them. Avoiding hair means not to shave, lighten, pluck, or burn it off. Whether the hair is on the head, mustache, armpits, below the navel, or any other part of the body, it should not be disturbed.
Reference: See: Sharh al-Nawawi 138/13-139
➌ The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also advised people on this matter. Imam Ibn Hazm narrated from Ibn Abi Kathir:
أن يحيى بن يعمر كان يفتي بخراسان أن الرجل إذا اشترى أضحية ودخل العشر أن يكف عن شعره وأظفاره حتى يضحي.
قال سعيد: قال قتادة: فذكرت ذلك لسعيد بن المسيب فقال: نعم.
فقلت: عمن يا أبا محمد؟
قال: عن أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم“
In Khorasan, Yahya bin Umar used to issue a fatwa that: "Whoever buys a sacrificial animal and the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah begin, then he should refrain from cutting his hair and nails until he offers the sacrifice."
Sa'id narrated from Qatadah that when he informed Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah be pleased with him) about this, he said: "Yes" [the ruling is indeed like this].
I [Qatadah] asked: "Abu Muhammad! From whom did they take this fatwa?"
He replied: "From the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)."
Reference: Al-Muhalli, Issue 976, 28/8
➍ Imam Ibn Hazm narrated from Sulayman Taymi that he said:
كان ابن سيرين يكره إذا دخل العشر أن يأخذ الرجل من شعره حتى يكره أن يحلق الصبيان فى العشر
"Ibn Sirin considered it disliked for a person to cut or shave his hair after the beginning of the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, and he even disliked shaving children's heads during these ten days."
Reference: Al-Muhalli, Issue 29/8, 976
➎ Hazrat Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah be pleased with him) also considered shaving the hair below the navel after the beginning of the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah as disliked and forbade it. Imam Muslim narrated from Amr bin Muslim that he said:
كنا فى الحمام قبيل الأضحى فأطلى فيه ناس فقال بعض أهل الحمام: إن سعيد بن المسيب يكره هذا أو ينهى عنه
فلقيت سعيد بن المسيب فذكرت ذلك له فقال: يا ابن أخي هذا حديث قد نسي وترك حدثتني أم سلمة رضي الله عنه زوج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم“
"We were in a bath before Eid al-Adha when some people shaved the hair below the navel. Some of the bath attendants said: Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah be pleased with him) dislikes or forbids this.
I met Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah be pleased with him) and mentioned this to him, and he said: O nephew! This hadith has been forgotten and its practice abandoned. This hadith was narrated to me by the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her)."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter: Prohibition for one who enters the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah intending to sacrifice to take anything from his hair or nails, part of Hadith No. (1977), 1566/3
➏ If the person intending to sacrifice cuts his hair or nails during these ten days, there is no expiation for this. However, if done deliberately, he should seek forgiveness from Allah because he has committed a sin by disobeying the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Imam Ibn Qudamah wrote that if he does so [cuts hair or nails], he should seek forgiveness from Allah and there is no expiation, whether done intentionally or by mistake.
Reference: Al-Mughni 362/13
