Shaving the head is preferrable to cutting the hair, although cutting the hair is permissible
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ، إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " رَحِمَ اللَّهُ الْمُحَلِّقِينَ " . قَالُوا وَالْمُقَصِّرِينَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " رَحِمَ اللَّهُ الْمُحَلِّقِينَ " . قَالُوا وَالْمُقَصِّرِينَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " رَحِمَ اللَّهُ الْمُحَلِّقِينَ " . قَالُوا وَالْمُقَصِّرِينَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " وَالْمُقَصِّرِينَ " .
Ibn 'Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: May Allah have mercy upon those who have got their heads shaved. They said: Messenger of Allah, (what about) those who got their hair clipped? He said: May Allah have mercy upon those who have got their heads shaved. They said: Messenger of Allah, (what about those who have got their hair clipped)? He said: May Allah have mercy upon those who got their hair shaved. They said: Messenger of Allah, (what about) those who got their hair clipped? He said: (O Allah, have mercy upon) those who got their hair clipped.