Hajj & Umrah

Footwear of ihraam

Q: I am planning to go for Hajj in 2020 but not sure what kind of sandal I can wear when I am in ihraam. I found that some of them are saying I have to wear a slipper with the 2 belts (flip flop) without any stitches. Some say that I can wear any kind as long as the back and the front are open and some say that it cannot cover the middle part of the foot. Please  explain to me what kind of footwear I can wear, if possible a picture would be great.

Removal of hair for one performing hajj and qurbaani

Q: I know that if a person will be performing qurbaani, then he should avoid removing his hair and nails during the first ten days of Zul Hijjah, until his qurbaani animal has been slaughtered. 

However, I was told that when performing hajj, you should remove your hair and nails before the 7th of Zul Hijjah. My questions are as follows:

1. If you are performing both qurbaani and hajj, then when should you remove your hair and nails – should you remove them before the 7th of Zul Hijjah or before the 10 days of Zul Hijjah?

2. Do you need to perform the qurbaani yourself, or can it be performed on your behalf at home by some family member (i.e. parents, siblings or children)?

Trimming one’s hair with a machine after performing a second umrah

Q: After completing my first umrah, I removed all my hair using a zero trimmer. After 2-3 days, I performed a second umrah and again removed my hair using the same zero trimmer (though the hair was very little). I was in doubt in regard to whether I did the correct thing or not by using a zero trimmer. Is my second umrah valid as I used a zero trimmer?