Question
Is cutting hair or nails during the first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijjah permissible?

Answer
It’s important to understand that not cutting hair or nails during the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah is mustaḥabb (recommended) - not fardh or wājib - for those intending to offer Qurbāni, and even for those who may not be doing Qurbāni themselves.

So, if someone does trim their nails or shave during this time, their Qurbāni is still valid, and they are not sinful. Unfortunately, many people confuse this recommended act with obligatory ones, which can lead to unnecessary guilt or the false impression that their Qurbāni becomes invalid - and that’s incorrect.

In fact, equating a mustaḥabb act with a fardh or wājib ruling is a form of bid‘ah (innovation) in itself, and we should avoid such exaggeration in religious matters.

However, once a person enters into iḥrām for Ḥajj or ‘Umrah, cutting hair or nails becomes ḥarām (prohibited) until they exit iḥrām.

And Allah knows best.

Muhammad Rehan Raza Qadri
(Beggar at the doorstep of Scholars)