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Cupping, Opening an Abscess, Pulling a Tooth or Cutting a Vein
It is substantiated that Allah's Messenger cupped himself in the middle of his head while he was in a state of ihram. Malik said: "There is no blame upon a muhrim if in case of need, he opens an abscess, wraps a wound or severs a vein."
Ibn 'Abbas said: "A person in the state of ihram may pull his tooth or open an abscess." An-Nawawi said: "If a muhrim wants cupping without any reason, and it necessitates cutting hair, then it is unlawful to do so.
But if it does not necessitate cutting hair, the majority of scholars hold it permissible. Malik, however, hold that it is disliked. Al-Hasan is of the opinion that one must sacrifice an animal if one does so, even if it does not involve cutting any hair. But if it is done because of a need, then it is permissible, but one will have to pay a ransom to redeem oneself. Zahiri school holds that an atonement is required only for cutting hair from the head.
Itching in the Head and Body
'Aishah was asked about a pilgrim who has itching in his or her body. She said: "Yes, he or she may scratch as strongly as he or she likes." This hadith is reported by Bukhari, Muslim and Malik, who added: "If both of my hands were tied, and only my leg was free, I would use it to scratch myself." The same was reported from Ibn 'Abbas, Jabir, Sa'id ibn Jubair, 'Ata and Ibrahim An-Nakh'i.
Looking in the Mirror and Smelling Sweet Basil
Ibn 'Abbas said: "A person in a state of ihram is permitted to smell sweet basil, look in a mirror, and cure himself by eating butter and oils." 'Umar bin Abdul 'Aziz used to look in the mirror and use the tooth stick (siwak) while in a state of ihram.
Ibn Al-Mundhir said: "There is consensus among the scholars that a muhrim may eat oil, fat, and butter, but he is not permitted to use perfume all over his body.
Hanafi and Maliki scholars hold it is disliked for a muhrim to stay at a place which is full of perfume or scent, whether he intended to smell it or not. Hanbali and Shafi'i schools are of the opinion that if such a person does so intentionally it is unlawful for him, otherwise there is no harm. The Shafi'i school holds that sitting at a perfumer in an incensed place is permissible, because its prohibition will make things difficult. Applying perfume is not desirable; one should avoid it unless one is sitting in a place where one cannnot avoid it, for example, if one is sitting in the Sacred Mosque when it is scented. In this there is no harm, nor is it disliked, because sitting at this place is a means of achieving closeness to Allah, and to abandon it for something which is at best only permissible is not desirable. One may carry the perfume in a bottle or wrapped in a cloth and one is not required to make any atonement for doing so.
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