Performed second ‘Umrah without cutting the hair after the first; what to do?

16-9-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

My sister and her husband went to perform ‘Umrah, and her husband did not know that cutting the hair must be done in Makkah after performing ‘Umrah and not before departing his homeland. He shaved his hair before traveling and therefore did not have hair that could be shaved after performing ‘Umrah. Should he slaughter a sacrificial animal? Please note that he performed more than one ‘Umrah, meaning that he went back to the miqat (place of assuming ihram [ritual consecration]) and again entered into a state of ihram in order to perform another ‘Umrah. Should he slaughter a sacrificial animal for each ‘Umrah that he performed? My sister cut her hair once in the first ‘Umrah and did not do so in the second or the third one. What is the religious ruling concerning that? Should she slaughter a sacrificial animal?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

 

Your sister's husband should have taken off his normal clothes, put on the clothes for ihram, assumed the state of ihram, and avoided all the prohibitions of ihram until he shaved or cut his hair in order to exit the state of ihram.

By shaving or shortening the hair, he would have completed  his first ‘Umrah. As for the second and third ‘Umrahs, they do not count.

You sister, as well, should have avoided the prohibitions of ihram until she cut her hair for the second ‘Umrah, and the third one does not count.

Allah Knows best.