Upon completion of the saʿy, men should either shave or trim their heads, and women should trim their hair. This marks the end of the state of iḥrām.
The Prophet ﷺ prayed three times for the men who shaved their heads, saying: “Allah, bestow your mercy on those who shaved!” As for those who trimmed their hair, he made this supplication for them once. (Bukhārī)
Act: Don’t prevent yourself from the maximum reward and shave your head instead of simply trimming it (for men only). There is a much greater reward in shaving and you have the honour of the Prophet ﷺ praying for you three times!
As your hair is being shaved or trimmed, think of the following:
- For every hair that gets shaved, you gain a reward and a sin is wiped away. The Prophet ﷺ said, “…For every single hair you shave, you will receive a good deed, and a sin will be erased from you” (Bazzār).
- Submission to Allah. Shaving the hair may be difficult for some, but through this act, you demonstrate complete submission to Allah, showing your willingness to do whatever pleases Him.
As your ʿumrah comes to an end, ask Allah to accept it, thank Him for inviting you to His sacred House, and seek forgiveness for your shortcomings. Leave with a heart full of hope that He will accept your worship, yet humble with the fear that it may fall short.
May Allah, al-Karīm, accept your ʿumrah, return you safely purified, and grant you a home in Paradise among the righteous.
6. Saʿy Between Safa and Marwah
