Regarding shaving after midnight on the 10th of Dhul-Ḥijjah for those who have left Muzdalifah early, the scholars have differed on the earliest time when shaving is permissible. Here are the various opinions:
- The Majority View: The majority of scholars agree that the earliest time for shaving is after Fajr on the 10th of Dhul-Ḥijjah, which is after the time for the sacrifice (naḥr). This is based on the verse: “And do not shave your heads until the sacrifice reaches its place” [Al-Baqarah 2:196]. Whether “its place” is interpreted as the act of slaughtering itself or simply the time for slaughtering, it does not occur until after Fajr on the 10th of Dhul-Ḥijjah. This is the view of the Ḥanafī, Mālikī, and Ḥanbalī schools.
- The Shāfi῾ī View: The Shāfi῾ī scholars hold that the earliest time for shaving is after midnight on the 10th of Dhul-Ḥijjah. This is because the Prophet (peace be upon him) allowed ᾽Umm Salamah to throw the pebbles after midnight and to perform the Ṭawāf for Ḥajj. These are all acts of the 10th of Dhul-Ḥijjah, and there is no difference between the time for slaughtering, stoning, Ṭawāf, or shaving, as long as the start time is midnight.
Therefore, if someone shaves after midnight, according to the Shāfi῾ī view, their shaving is valid, and they are not required to offer anything. However, according to the majority, they would be considered to have acted prematurely and would be required to offer a compensatory sacrifice (fidyah) for shaving before the proper time of partial release from ᾽Iḥrām.
Fatwā issued by Dr. Khālid Naṣr
