Part 42

with any other color provided it is traditionally befitting men. The idea behind this is to withdraw oneself from luxury and to have the feeling of a submissive servant of Allah through wearing such humble clothing. Moreover, such clothing always reminds one of being ina state of ihrdm, and thus one keeps alert and avoids committing the acts prohibited during ihram. The clothing of ikrim reminds one of death, the shroud of dead people, and the Day of Resurrection, and so on and so forth. In addition, taking off sewn clothes before intending to assume ihrdm is an act of the Sunnah, but it is obligatory after assuming ifram. So, if a pilgrim intends assuming ihram while still wearing his ordinary sewn clothes, his ihrdm is considered valid, but he is then obliged to take such clothes off and put on the clothes of ikram.

By fulfilling the aforesaid prerequisites, a pilgrim is thus prepared to be in a state of ihram, but such acts themselves are not called ihrdm as many people mistakenly believe; ihram means the intention of starting performing the rites of Hajj or ‘Umrah. Accordingly, a pilgrim is not considered in a state of ihram once he takes off his sewn clothes and wears the aforementioned clothing of ihram without having the intention of starting performing the rites of Hajj or ‘Umrah, This is because the Prophet (PBUH) said:

As for praying before assuming ihram, the more valid opinion is that there is not a special kind of prayer to be offered before ihram. However, if the time of ihram coincides with an obligatory prayer, then a pilgrim is to perform the obligatory prayer first then assume ihrdm. To illustrate, it was narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) assumed ihram immediately following performing (an obligatory) prayer*. Moreover, Anas reported that the Prophet (PBUH) performed the Zuhr (Noon) Prayer then rode his mount beast,’ and when he came to the hill of Al-Bayd@ he raised his voice with talbyiah. The great Muslim scholar Ibnul-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), said:

“It was never reported that the Prophet (PBUH) specified performing two rak ‘ahs (units of prayer) for assuming ihram; what was reported is that he performed the obligatory Zuhr (Noon) Prayer before it?”

It is important here to draw the attention of pilgrims to a very important matter; many pilgrims mistakenly believe that they have to assume ihram from the mosque in the site for ihram for them. Asa result, many pilgrims, males and females, hurry to such mosques, overcrowding them, to start assuming ihram

from there. They may also change their clothes there and wear the clothing of ihram, while in fact all such issues are, by all means, baseless. Rather, Muslims are just required to assume ihrém from the proper site for ihrém for them, not specifically from the mosques therein. They can assume ihraém anywhere in such sites, and there is no specific place in a certain site from which a pilgrim is obliged to assume ihram. That is to say, pilgrims can assume ihraém wherever is appropriate for them in their site for ihram, and this makes it easier for them and their fellows. This also spares pilgrims being exposed before one another or being jammed in certain places. We would like to point out that those mosques in the sites for ihram were not there during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH), and that they were not built for the purpose of assuming ihram. However, they were built for the inhabitants of and around such places to perform prayer therein, This is very important to bear in mind, and may Allah grant us all success.

A pilgrim is free to choose either the three kinds of ihram, namely tamattu’, ifrad, and girdn:

Tamattu *: It means that a pilgrim assumes ifram for performing ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, and then, after performing ‘Umrah, a pilgrim assumes ihrém for performing Hajj in the same season.

Ifrad: It means that a pilgrim assumes ihram for performing Hajj only, keeping in the state of ihrém until he finishes performing the rites of Hajj.

Qiran: It means that a pilgrim assumes ihram for performing both ‘Umrah and Hajj together, or to assume ihram for ‘Umrah then, before starting the tawaf (circumambulating the Ka‘bah) for ‘Umrah, a pilgrim intends performing both ‘Umrah and Hajj either from the miqat or before the fawaf of ‘Umrah. In this case, a pilgrim is to perform both tawdf and sa'y (going between As-Safa and Al-Marwah) for both.

It is important to point out that a pilgrim who intends tamattu* or qiran is obliged to slaughter a sacrificial animal if he is not a resident of Mecca. We should also know that the best of the aforesaid three ways of ihram is tamattu* for various legal proofs.

Once a pilgrim assumes ihram in any of the aforesaid three ways, he is to chant talbiyah, saying:

“Here | am at Your service, O Allah, here Iam at Your service. Here Iam at Your service, You have no partner, here I am at Your service. Verily, all praise, blessings, and dominion are Yours. You have no partner.”

A pilgrim should raise his voice with talbiyah, saying it repeatedly.

8 Al-Tirmidhi (819) [3/182] and An-Nasa’i (2753) {3/176]. 9 Abd Dawid (1774) [2/258] and An-Nasa’i (2661) [3/136]. 10 See: Zadul-Ma‘ad,

There are specific forbidden acts that a pilgrim should avoid while being in a state of ihram (a state of ritual consecration during Hajj or ‘Umrah). These prohibited acts are nine:

First: It is prohibited during iharm to cut, shave, pluck out, or remove any kind of hair from one's body without a legal excuse, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“ And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter...”. — (Qur’dn: Al-Baqarah: 196)

As shown in the verse, Allah prohibits pilgrims to shave their heads while being ina state of ihram, and this in turn applies to all kinds of hair in the body. This is because removing any kind of hair from the body implies luxury and elegance, which contradict the spirit of the state of ihram, in which a pilgrim is supposed to be unkempt and dusty. It is permissible, however, to remove any unusual hair that is abnormally around the eye or on the eyelid without

any expiation. This is because it is not a normal place for hair to grow, and by removing it one spares oneself harm or pain.

Second: A muhrim' is prohibited to clip ones fingernails or toenails without any legal excuse. Yet, if a nail is broken and one has to clip it or to remove it with part of its skin, it is permissible for one to do so without any expiation for that. This is because it is removed as a consequence of being broken; as for the skin, it is related to the nail and thus the same ruling is applicable. In addition, it is permissible to remove the hair of the head if it causes any harm such as lice or headache, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“..And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice...” (Qur‘an: Al-Bagarah: 196)

“There was an ailment in my head and I was carried to the Prophet (PBUH) while lice were scattering over my face. Upon that, the Prophet (PBUH) said to me, ‘I have never imagined that your ailment has reached such an extent as I see! Can you afford a sheep?’ I replied, ‘No? Thereupon, the following verse was revealed: ‘..And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice...’ (Qur'an: Al-Baqarah: 196) Then the Prophet (PBUH) said to me, ‘Fast for three days, or feed six needy people, or slaughter a sheep (in expiation for shaving the hair of the head

The permissibility here is because the ailment is caused by lice, not by the hair itself.

Moreover, it is permissible for the muhrim to wash his hair with sidr (the extract of the lote tree leaves) and the like, for it is narrated in the Two Sahihs’ that the Prophet (PBUH) once washed his head while being in a state of ihrém, moving his hands forward and backward through his head’, Shaykhul-Islam Taqiyyud-Din Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“Scholars unanimously agree that it is permissible for a muhrim to take a bath to purify from janabah (a major ritual impurity; in case of having a wet dream during ihram) or for any other reason.”

Third: A male muhrim is prohibited to cover his head, as the Prophet (PBUH) prohibited wearing a turban, hood, or anything of the kind while being in a state of ihram. In this regard, the great Muslim scholar Ibnul-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“There is consensus that everything that touches the head with the purpose of covering it, such as a turban, a cap, a hat, or anything else, is prohibited (during ihram).”

This is applicable to all sorts of head covers, be it something usual such as a turban or unusual such as a paper, mud, henna, or a headband. A muhrim can seek the shelter of a tent, a tree, or a house, for it was narrated that a tent was pitched for the Prophet (PBUH) to take shelter therein while being in a state of ihram’. On the other hand, it is permissible for a muhrim to use an umbrella for shading, only when necessary. Likewise, it is permissible for a muhrim to ride a car with a roof or carry his baggage above his head, provided not for the purpose of covering the head.

Fourth: It is also prohibited for a male muhrim to wear sewn clothes to cover all or parts of the body, such as a shirt, a turban, or a pair of trousers. Similarly, it is prohibited for a male muhrim to wear anything made exactly to fit a certain part of the body, such as shoes, gloves, or socks. It is narrated in the Two Sahihs that when the Prophet (PBUH) was asked what a muhrim should wear, he (PBUH) replied:

“A muhrim should not wear a shirt, or a turban, or a hooded cloak, or a pair of trousers, or a cloth touched with ‘wars’ (a yellow goodsmelled plant used for dyeing) or with saffron, nor (should he wear) khuffs (leather socks or shoes).””

“The Prophet (PBUH) prohibited muhrims to wear shirts, hooded cloaks, trousers, khuffs, or turbans. He (PBUH) also forbade them to cover the head of a male muhrim in case he died, and ordered the man who assumed ihram while wearing a jubbah to take it off. So, wearing anything similar to a jubbah (on the pretext that it is not a jubbah) is regarded as a dishonest interpretation of what the Prophet (PBUH) forbade. A muhrim is also prohibited to wear something similar to a shirt, be it with or without sleeves, or new or torn. The same prohibition applies to wearing a jubbah or a cloak in whose sleeves one passes one’s hands...”

“.» This is the juristic meaning of not wearing ‘sewn’ clothing while being in a state of ihram; sewn clothing is any garment made to fit a certain part of the body. Therefore, a muhrim is not to wear anything similar to trousers, such as shorts and the like.”

However, if a muhrim does not find a suitable pair of slippers, he may wear kuffs (leather socks or shoes), and if he does not find a suitable loincloth, he may wear a pair of trousers until he finds a suitable one. Once the muhrim finds a proper loincloth, he must take off the trousers and wear it, as the Prophet (PBUH) gave permission for male muhrims over Mount * Arafat to wear trousers if they do not find a loincloth’.

As for a female muhrim, she may wear whatever clothes she likes while being in a state of ihrdm, for she must be covered well. Still, she is not allowed to wear a burqu’ (i.e., a veil covering the face and has two holes for the eyes to permit vision). So, a female muhrim is not to wear a burqu’, but she is to cover her face with other things such as a khimdr (a shawl-like cloth covering the head and shoulders) and a gown. Moreover, a female muhrim should not wear gloves to cover her hands, for the Prophet (PBUH) said in the hadith related by Al-Bukhari and other compilers of Hadith:

‘A female muhrim must not wear a niqdb (a face-covering veil), oO nor must she wear gloves.”

In this connection, Imam Ibnul-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“The Prophet's prohibition (for female pilgrims) of covering their faces or wearing gloves indicates that a woman’ face is treated as a man’s body, not head. A male muhrim is not to cover his body with sewn clothes made specifically for certain parts of the body. Similarly, a female muhrim is not to cover her face with a specific face-cover such as anigab (a face-covering veil) or a burqu'. However, she should cover herself with a veil (which shows only her face) and a gown according to the more valid of the two juristic opinions in this regard.”"

The gloves are specifically made for the hands to protect them from cold.

A female muhrim is primarily obliged to hide her face from the eyes of men, and this is not through wearing a burqu’. To illustrate, ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

“Men would pass by us when we accompanied Allah’ Messenger (PBUH) while we were in the state of ihram (a state of ritual conse-

cration during Hajj or ‘Umrah). When they came by us, every one of us would let down her gown over her ‘face, and when they had passed on, we would uncover our faces.”

(Related by Imam Ahmad, Abd Dawid, and other compilers of Hadith)

There is no harm if the face-cover of a female pilgrim touches her face, as she is just forbidden from wearing a burqu’ or a niqab, not from covering her face with something else. Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

from her face either with a small piece of wood, or with her hand, or with anything else; the Prophet (PBUH) made the hand and the face of a woman equal in this case (i.e. they are permitted to be uncovered), and both of them should be regarded as the male pilgrim’s body, not his head. Moreover, the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) used to cover their faces without having to keep the cover away from their faces.”

Ibn Taymiyah also said, “It is permissible for her (i.e. a female pilgrim) to cover her face with any face-cover that touches the face, provided it is neither a nigab nor a burqu'.”"

Fifth: It is prohibited for a muhrim to wear perfume - whether on the body or the clothing of ihram — or even to use it in food or beverage, for the Prophet (PBUH) said to a man in a state of ihrdm to take off his cloak and to wash away the traces of perfume from his body". Likewise, he (PBUH) said to the people about the muhrim who fell down from his mount and broke his neck (and died):

The idea behind the prohibition of wearing perfume during ihram is to detach oneself from luxury and worldly ornaments and pleasures, and to draw one’s attention to the Hereafter. It is also impermissible for a pilgrim to smell perfumes on purpose or rub the body with a perfumed substance.

Sixth: A muhrim is also prohibited to kill game animals, as Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in the state of ihram...” (Qur‘an: Al-M@idah: 95)

That is, do not kill game animals while being in a state of ihrém to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah. Allah, Exalted be He, also says:

“.. But forbidden to you is game from the land as long as you are in the state of ihram...” (Qur'an: Al-M@idah: 96)

That is to say, those in a state of ihram are forbidden to hunt or kill game animals, or help in hunting or slaughtering them. Likewise, it is prohibited for a muhrim to eat a game animal which he hunted, which was hunted for him, or which he helped in hunting, as it will be regarded as a dead animal in this case, which is unlawful to eat. Still, it is not prohibited for a muhrim to eat fish or animals from the sea, whether he hunts it or anyone else does it for him, as Allah, Exalted be He, says: