Halq

Taqsīr (التَّقصير) or ḥalq is the sixth obligation of hajj and formulates the third rite at Minā. It is obligatory to do ḥalq (shaving of the head) or perform taqsīr (to cut some of the hair or nails) after slaughtering an animal.

Women should perform taqsīr, as ḥalq is not adequate for them. It is based on caution that they should shorten some of their hair and nails. Men are allowed to choose between ḥalq and taqsīr. Shaving head is not obligatory for them but if they are performing hajj for the first time, on the basis of obligatory caution, they should shave their head.

Both ḥalq and taqsīr are acts of worship. It is obligatory to have pure intention for seeking nearness of Allah Almighty and it should be free from any sort of riyā (people pleasing tendency). So, if a person performs ḥalq or taqsīr without the conditions required for intention, ḥalq and taqsīr would not be sufficient and the things permission of which depends on ḥalq and taqsīr would not become permissible for him.

If a person seeks help from others in performing taqsīr or ḥalq, he must do intention himself.

It is based on obligatory caution, ḥalq or taqsīr should be performed on the day of Eid al-Adha or else it must be performed on the night before the 11th day or it would be sufficient to do it any time after that. For a person, who delays slaughtering of animal due to any reason and do not perform it on the day of Eid, it is not necessary to delay ḥalq or taqsīr. On the basis of obligatory caution, performing ḥalq and taqsīr is mandatory on the day of Eid al-Adha. However, performing the ṭawāf of hajj and the other five ritual deeds in the Holy city of Mecca in this state are objectionable. He should wait and perform these deeds after slaughtering the animal.

Ḥalq or taqsīr must be performed in the land of Minā i.e. performing these rites in other places by choice is not allowed. If a person performs ḥalq or taqsīr outside the land of Minā deliberately, forgetfully or ignorantly, or goes out of Minā without taqsīr and ḥalq and performs all the deeds, it is obligatory to return to Minā for ḥalq and taqsīr and then repeat the following rites.

On the day of Eid al-Adha, it is obligatory to perform ramy (stoning) at Jamara al-ʿAqaba first, slaughter an animal if the animal for slaughtering is feasible for him, followed by taqsīr or ḥalq. If a person disturbs the order of rites deliberately, he/she has committed disobedience. Apparently, it is not obligatory for him/her to repeat these acts although it is compatible with caution to repeat these rites, if possible. This ruling also applies to a person who does not abide by the specific order of rites due to ignorance and forgetfulness.

If a person is unable to slaughter the animal on the day of Eid al-Adha at Minā, but it is possible to slaughter it in the current slaughterhouse situated outside Minā, it is based on obligatory caution to slaughter his/her animal and then perform ḥalq or taqsīr. In case, if this deed is impossible for him, on the basis of obligatory caution, he/she should do ḥalq or taqsīr on the day of Eid al-Adha and by doing so, the person would become free from state of iḥrām. However, he/she should delay fulfillment of five rites in the holy city of Mecca until the slaughtering of animal or else the validity of these rites is objectionable.

After doing ḥalq or taqsīr, all the things that were forbidden for a muḥrim will become permissible for him except his/her spouse and scent.