Abbās and al-Miswar ibn Makhrama. Abū Ayyūb al-Ansārī settled their dispute by reporting that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had bathed while in pilgrimage consecration (1). They agreed that a person in this state may bathe to remove major ritual impurity. Mālik, however, disliked submerging the head in water, considering it a form of covering the head. The correct view is that there is nothing wrong with this, for both Umar ibn al-Khattāb and Ibn Abbās did so (2).

The sixth ruling: A person in pilgrimage consecration is not prohibited from using water and lote leaves. Scholars differed over this: al-Shāfiʿī permitted it, as did Ahmad according to the more explicit of the two reports from him. Mālik and Abū Hanīfa prohibited it, as did Ahmad according to the report transmitted by his son Sālih. He said: “If he does so, he must offer expiation (3).” Abū Hanīfa’s two companions said: “If he does so, he must give charity.”

Those who prohibit it offer three reasons:

First: It kills the vermin on his head, whereas he is prohibited from picking them out of his hair.

Second: It is an indulgence and removes dishevelment, and is therefore incompatible (4) with pilgrimage consecration.

Third: One takes pleasure (5) in its scent, so it resembles (6) perfume—especially khatmī (a plant used for washing).

All three reasons are exceedingly weak. The correct view is that it is permissible, on the strength of the explicit text. Neither Allah nor His Messenger (7) has forbidden a person in pilgrimage consecration from removing dishevelment by bathing or from killing lice, nor is