‘I feel lighter’: UAE pilgrims on Hajj say shaving head is about ‘shedding arrogance’

In Mina, surrounded by thousands of pilgrims and resting after a long day of spiritual rituals, Jassim Al Khatib from Dubai sat on a barber’s chair shaving his head, speaking to his younger brother over a video call.

“I did it,” Jassim told his brother, running his hand over his completely shaved head. “It’s all gone. I feel lighter, like something heavy has been lifted from within.”

Jassim is among the thousands of UAE residents who are currently performing Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. With the major rites completed, including standing at Arafat and the symbolic stoning of the devil at Jamarat, Jassim had just fulfilled one of the final acts of the pilgrimage — shaving his head, which is called Halq in Arabic.

‘More than just hair’

Speaking to Khaleej Times over the phone, Jassim remembered the moment he completed the shaving ritual. “When the barber passed the blade over my head, I closed my eyes and just thought about everything I wanted to leave behind — my sins, my ego, my past mistakes. This isn’t just about removing hair. It’s about shedding arrogance and walking into a new life.”

According to Islamic tradition, shaving the head after Hajj is a powerful symbol of humility, purification, and renewal. Pilgrims believe it marks the end of a transformative journey — a reset of both body and soul.

‘I feel reborn’

Sohail Siddiqui, a 40-year-old Indian expat from Ajman, also underwent Halq shortly after completing the stoning ritual in Mina.

Texting his wife, through a voice note, due to poor network coverage, he broke the news. “I sent her a voice note saying I just got my head shaved and I am leaving the state of Ihram,” said Siddiqui.

His wife replied with a duaa, along with a voice message from their two daughters praying for his safe return.

Sohail’s group is expected to return to the UAE on June 11, after performing Tawaf al-Wada, the farewell circumambulation around the Holy Kaaba.

“Even though I haven’t stepped into my home yet, I feel like I am returning as a better human, a better husband, and hopefully a better Muslim,” he said.

For pilgrims, the act of shaving the head is a deeply personal and emotional moment. “Millions of people surround you, yet you feel very close to God,” said Jassim. “And in that moment, when you let go of your hair, your pride, your appearance, you are just a servant of Allah.”

Significance of shaving the head

Shaving the head during Hajj is a deeply spiritual act rooted in obedience and humility, said Sheikh Ayaz Housee, imam at the Next Generation School and khateeb at Al Manar Islamic Centre in Dubai.

“It is a command from Allah performed purely out of submission,” he said. The ritual symbolises purification, as pilgrims shed their hair, they symbolically shed sins, starting afresh.

It also serves as a powerful expression of humility, with hair often seen as a symbol of pride and beauty. “By removing it, the pilgrim humbles himself before Allah, abandoning vanity,” added Sheikh Ayaz.

He further said that this ritual is emulating Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who also shaved his head during Hajj. Joining millions of others in this act, pilgrims reinforce unity, equality, and the brotherhood of Islam.