Q: Is it prohibited to cut one’s hair in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah?
A: Umm Salma (Radhiallaahu Anha) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ?Whosoever intends slaughtering an animal, should not clip his hair or nails upon sighting the crescent of Dhul-Hijjah.? (Abu Dawud pg.386; Rashidiyya) In view of the above Hadith, it is Mustahabb (commendable) for a person making Qurbaani not to cut the hair and finger nails from the 1st of Zul Hijjah until after slaughtering the Qurbaani animal. However, if the hair under the arms and in the pubic region is very long (which renders the Salaat Makrooh i.e. more than forty days), then it will become compulsory to remove such hair. However, if a person forgets to clip the nails before the 1st of Dhul Hijjah and the nails have grown so long that they may cause injury, then he may clip them.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai