Islam Guidance

Obligations of Ihram

Obligations of Iḥrām

First: Intention in which several things are to be observed:

a- Decision: that is to decide to perform a particular rite whether Hajj or ‘umrah, e.g. one who wants to perform ‘umrah of tamattu‘, he intend / decide to do it at the time of ihÌ£rām.
Issue 96. In intention it is not necessary to know the detailed picture of the rites; rather, it is enough to know it in general, i.e. one may intend to do its obligatory act in general and then he learns and peforms them step by step.

Issue 97. For the validity of ihÌ£rām it is not necessary to intend not to commit the prohibited acts of ihÌ£rām. Moreover, being determined to do some of these acts would not harm its validity. However, being determined to do some acts which would void the ‘umrah or the hajj, like intercourse in some cases, does not conform to intending to perform the rites and even it is against the intention of ihÌ£rām.
b- Approach and sincerity to Allah the Sublime, because ‘umrah and hajj and all of their rites are worship and intending to perform any of them should be accompanied ny the purpose to approach Allah through such an act.
c- To specify ihÌ£rām for ‘umrah or hajj; whether the hajj is hajj al-tamattu‘, ifrād or qirān; whether it is for himself or on behalf of another; and whether it is Hajjah al-Islam, hajj al-nadhrÄ« or a mustahÌ£abb hajj.
It is not a condition for the intention to be pronounced verbally or to call it in mind, but it will be achieved by determining to do the practice.
Issue 98. If someone intends hajj instead of ‘umrah due to neglect or ignorance, his ihÌ£rām is valid. For instance, while wearing ihÌ£rām for ‘umrah of tamattu‘, if he says put on ihÌ£rām for the sake of Allah for hajj of tamattu‘ having in mind to do whatever others do maintaining that it is called hajj, his ihÌ£rām is valid.
Issue 99. For the intention to be materialized, uttering it or saying it in mind is not a condition. Rather, it is enough that the pilgrim has the intention to perform the action.
Issue 100. Intention must accompany iḥrām. So a previous intention will not be valid unless it is continued till the time of iḥrām.

Second: Talbiyah
Issue 101. In ihÌ£rām, the talbiyah is just like the takbirah al-ihÌ£rām in prayer, i.e. when a pilgrim says the talbiyah, they enter ihÌ£rām and start the rites of ‘umrah.
In fact, talbiyah means the response to the call of the Merciful God who Has called the mukallafs to perform hajj. Knowing that, it is advisable that the talbiyah words are said with full submission and humbility.
According to the most correct view, talbiyah wording is as follows:
"Labbaykallāhumma labbayk, labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk" (Here I am, O Allah. Here I am. You have no partners. Here I am).
If one says only this, his iḥrām will be correct, although it is based on mustaḥabb caution to say after these mentioned talbiyahs:
"Innal-hÌ£amda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk, lā sharÄ«ka laka labbayk" (Truly all praise, all favours and the kingdom belong to You. You have no partner, here I am).
And to oberve more caution, one may add:
"Labbaykallāhumma labbayk, innal-hÌ£amda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk, lā sharÄ«ka laka labbayk" (Here I am, O Allah. Here I am. Truly all praise, all favours and the kingdom belong to You. You have no partner, here I am).
Issue 102. What is obligatory in talbiyah is to say it once only, although it is mustaḥabb to repeat it as much as possible.
Issue 103. The obligatory phrase of talbiyah should be pronounced correctly observing Arabic language. Thus, reading it incorrectly is invalid if one can pronounce correctly, even by learning or after someone else. If he cannot learn it due to time limitations, and he cannot say it correctly after someone else, he should pronounce it in any possible way and it is based on caution to have someone else to say it on his behalf as well.
Issue 104. The rule of one who neglects talbiyah purposely is just similar to that of who neglects to do iḥrām in mīqāt purposely.
Issue 105. The rule of one, who does not pronounce talbiyah correctly and is not excused, is the same as that of who neglects talbiyah purposely.
Issue 106. It is obligatory to stop talbiyah of ‘umrah of tamattu‘ when the old or new buildings of Mecca al-mukarramah appear. Also talbiyah of hajj must be stopped at shar‘Ä« noon on the 9th of Dhul-hÌ£ijjah.
Issue 107. IhÌ£rām for hajj al-tamattu‘ and its ‘umrah, hajj al-ifrād and ‘umrah al-mufradah are not achieved but by talbiyah, while in hajj al-qirān ihÌ£rām is achieved by either talbiyah, ish‘ār or taqlÄ«d. Ish‘ār is specified for a camel while taqlÄ«d includes a camel and other types of sacrifices.
Issue 108. Ish‘ār is to puncture the side of the hump of the camel and stain it with the blood to make it clear that it is the hady. While taqlÄ«d is to hang a string or a sandal (a shoe) in the neck of the animal to make it clear that it is the hady.

Third: Wearing
Wearing two pieces of cloth, the loincolth and the wrap, after one had put off all cloths which are prohibited for muḥrim to wear. He ties the first around his waist and puts the second over his shoulders.
Issue 109. By obligatory caution, one puts on the two clothes before intending ihram and reciting talbiyah.
Issue 110. It is not a condition for the loincolth to cover the navel and the knees; rather, it is sufficient to be in the conventional form.
Issue 111. It is impermissible to tie the loincloth around the neck. However, there is no objection to fastening it using a pin or tying one part of it to the other provided that it still falls under the definition of a loincloth. Also, fastening the wrap with a pin, a clip or by using small pebbles with a thread in a common way — as long as it fits the definition of a wrap — is allowed.
Issue 112. It is based on obligatory caution to wear the two cloths with the intention of closeness to Allah the Sublime.
Issue 113. The two cloths should meet those conditions required for in the prayer cloths i.e. it is invalid to wear pure silk, cloth taken from non-edible animals, usurped cloths, or najis cloths with that kind of najāsah which is not excused in prayer.
Issue 114. It is a condition for the loincolth not to be transparent to the extend that the skin could be seen through, while it is not a condition for the wrap unless it will not be considered really as a wrap.
Wearing the two cloths is specifically obligatory for men, while women are allowed to wear their usual clothes whether they are sewn or not while observing the mentioned conditions of the prayer clothes.
Issue 115. Only men are obliged to wear the two iḥrām dresses. As for women, they are allowed to enter iḥrām wearing their regular clothes, be it sewn or not, provided that they meet terms required for the clothes of a praying person.
Issue 116. It is a condition for women's clothes in iḥrām not to be made of pure silk.
Issue 117. It is not a condition for the two cloths to be textiles of cotton or wool, i.e. it is valid to do iḥrām with leather, nylon or plastic as long as they are really considered as cloths and they are conventionally wearable. In addition, there is no objection in doing iḥrām with matted wool or hair.
Issue 118: If one purposely and consciously, does not take off his sewn cloths while doing iḥrām, the validity of his iḥrām would not be free of problem. By obligatory caution, he takes it off, intend and recite talbiyah again.
Issue 119: If one is forced, due to cold weather or the like, to wear sewn clothes, one is allowed to use normal clothes, like a shirt, yet they should not be worn in a normal way but to be turned upside down or inside out and just put on the shoulders.
Issue 120. A person in ihram is allowed to take off ihram dresses to take a bath, change or wash them, etc.
Issue 121. During ihram one can wear more than two [ihram] dresses to avoid coldness or the like, i.e. one may put two or more wraps on shoulders or more than one loincloth.
Issue 122. If an ihram dress becomes najis one should, by obligatory caution, change or purify it.
Issue 123. While entering ihram it is not a condition that one is ritually pure from wudu' or ghusl invalidators and, thus, one can enter ihram during janābah or menses. However, it is highly mustahabb to take ghusl before entering ihram which is called 'ghusl of ihram'. It is a caution that one does not neglect this ghusl.

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