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Fatwa CenterOne loses hair while in a state of ihraam
Question
Assalaam alaykum. I am losing a lot of hair; what should I do during hajj? Do I have to pay any kaffaarah (expiation)?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
It is permissible for the person who assumed the state of ihraam (ritual state of consecration) for performing Hajj or ʻUmrah to wash his hair and rub it if he feels safe that no hair would fall as a result of that. Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar 
wrote in the context of addressing the deduced lessons from the debate between Al-Miswar ibn Makhramah and ʻAbdullaah ibn ʻAbbaas 
about the permissibility of taking a bath for the person in a state of ihraam,
“It is permissible for the person in the state of ihraam to wash his hair and rub his head with his hands as long as he is careful not to cause hair to fall out. He used this as proof that it remains recommended for the person performing ablution to run his fingers through his beard (during the state of ihraam). However, other scholars held otherwise, such as the Shaafiʻi scholar Al-Mutawalli, fearing that it would cause the hair to fall out. That is because the hadeeth advised that he (the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam) rubbed his head with his hands back and forth; and there is no difference between the hair of the head and that of the beard except if it is said that the hair of the head is more rigid. The most correct view chosen by us in this regard is that it (rubbing the head during the state of ihraam) is the less preferred alternative for some people apart from others.”
Based on the above, you should avoid whatever may cause your hair to fall. In case some hair unintentionally falls during ablution or while taking a bath or the like, then your are not liable to pay any ransom or expiation. At-Tawdheeh ʻala Al-Mathhab Al-Maaliki reads:
“As for the hair that falls as a result of running one's fingers through the hair during ablution or bathing or while riding his mount or putting his finger in his nose, no expiation is due... This is the predominant opinion in this regard; Al-Mudawwanah reads, ‘This matter is slight and inevitable.’ Al-Mawwaaziyyah (Maaliki book) reads, ‘If some hair of the head fell out as a result of carrying one's baggage, then he bears no sin for that (and he is not liable for any expiation). The same ruling applies in case that he runs his hand over his beard and a hair or two fall out as a result.’ Ibn Al-Qaasim wrote, ‘If he (the person in a state of ihraam) took a bath and much of his hair fell out, then he bears no sin for that (and he is not liable for any expiation), even if it (bathing) was for the purpose of cooling himself.’”
Allaah knows best.
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