Acts prohibited during Ihraam

 

Acts prohibited during Ihraam

They are specific forbidden acts that a pilgrim should avoid while being in a state of Ihraam. These prohibited acts are nine:

First:It is prohibited during Hajj to cut the hair of the head.

Second:A Muhrim is prohibited to clip one’s fingernails or toenails without any legal excuse.

Third:A male Muhrim is prohibited to cover his 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. As for female Muhrim, she may wear whatever clothes she like while being in a state of Ihraam, for she must be covered well. Still, she is not allowed to wear 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 Khimaar (a shawl-like cloth covering the head and shoulders) and a gown. Moreover, a female Muhrim should not wear gloves to cover her hands.

Fifth:It is prohibited for a Muhrim to wear perfume, whether on the body or the clothing of Ihraam.

Sixth:A Muhrim is also prohibited to kill game (hunting).

Seventh:A Muhrim is prohibited to marry (while being in a state of Ihraam) or arrange the marriage of another by guardianship.

Eighth:A Muhrim is prohibited to have sexual intercourse. To clarify, if a man in a state of Ihraam (i.e. Muhrim) has sexual intercourse with his wife before the first release (before throwing the pebbles of Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah) from Ihraam, it will invalidate his Hajj. Yet, it is obligatory for him to continue performing the rest of the rites of Hajj.

Still, it is obligatory for such a person to re-perform Hajj the following year, and to slaughter a camel or a cow. On the other hand, if a Muhrim has sexual intercourse with his wife after the first release of Ihraam (after throwing the pebbles of Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah), his Hajj is still considered valid, provided that he slaughters a sheep in expiation or feed six poor individual or fasting three days.

Ninth:A Muhrim is prohibited to touch his wife (or any woman) lustfully (such as kissing or the like).

With regard to the one who does any of these forbidden things out of forgetfulness or ignorance or because he is forced to do so, then there is no blame on him and he does not have to offer any expiation. However, if one does any of them while he has knowledge of this and remembers well that this act is prohibited, he is sinful and has to offer expiation.

It is recommended for the Muhrim to be preoccupied with chanting Talbiyah, praising Allaah The Almighty, reciting Quran, enjoining what is good, and forbidding what is evil.   

Then if a Muhrim reaches Makkah with the intention of Tamattu‘, he is to begin with performing the ‘Umrah rites as follows:

A Muslim begins with performing Tawaaf seven times, starting with the Black Stone. He should stand aligned with the Black Stone with his entire body or some of it. Then he should say Allahu Akbar (Allaah is the Greatest). Muhrim should touch the Stone with his right hand and kiss it if possible, or touch it with his hand and kiss his hand, or touch it with anything and kiss it.  If he cannot reach the Stone due to overcrowding, it is sufficient for him to point with his hand and not to kiss his hand after pointing to it. He should make the Ka’bah on his left and start the first circuit. He should preoccupy himself with the Remmebrace of Allaah The Almighty, Du‘aa (supplication), and recitation of Quran. When he reaches the Yemeni Corner (Ar-Rukn Al-Yamaani, which is the third corner after the Black Stone) he should touch it if possible, without kissing his hand or pointing to it. Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone he should say, “Rabbanaa aatina fi’l-dunya hasanah wa fi’l-aakhirah hasanah wa qinna ‘adhaab al-Naar (Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire). When he reaches the Black Stone, then he completed the first circuit. Then one should touch the Stone or point to it and start the second circuit and so on until he complete the seven circuits.

It is recommended for one to do Raml in the first three circuits only, Iidtibaa’ (wrapping the garment under the right armpit and rolling the two edges over the left arm) in Tawaaf.

Afterwards, he is to offer two light Rak‘ahs (units of prayer) and recite in them the two Soorahs:   Soorat Al-Kaafiroon (Chapter 109) and Soorat Al-Ikhlaas (Chapter 112). It is recommended to perform them behind the Standing Place of Ibraaheem if possible i.e. it is to make it between him and the Sacred House. Otherwise, the Muhrim can perform them elsewhere in the mosque.

Then, the Muhrim is to head for As-Safa to perform Sa‘y (going between As-Safa and Al-Marwah seven times). When Muhrim reaches As-Safa, he should recite the statement of Allaah The Almighty:  

{Indeed, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allaah} [Al-Baqarah: 158]

Then he should climb As-Safa until he can see the Ka‘bah, recite Takbeer, praise and glorify Allaah three times, and say: “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulk, wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer. Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdah, anjaza wa‘dah, wa nasara ‘abdah, wa hazamaa al-ahzaaba wahdah (There is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate; His is the Dominion, all praise is due to Him, and He is able to do all things. There is no god but Allaah alone; he fulfilled His promise, granted victory to His slave, and defeated the confederates alone).

Muhrim should repeat that three times, make Du’aa’ in between and then come down from As-Safa to Al-Marwah. By this, he started the first circuits.

When he reaches the green marker he should run as quickly and when he reaches the second green marker, he should walk normally until he reaches Al-Marwah. He should climb up it and say what he said at As-Safa. By this, he completed the first circuit. Then he should come down from Al-Marwah and head for As-Safa. In this way, he started the second circuit. He should do what he did the first time, and the same when he goes back to Al-Marwah, until he has completed seven circuits; going from As-Safa’ to Al-Marwah is one circuit, and coming back from Al-Marwah to As-Safa is another circuit.

It is recommended for the Muhrim to preoccupy his Sa‘y with Du‘aa, Remembrance and recite Quran.

After finishing the seventh round Sa‘y, a male pilgrim must shave all his head and it is better for man in this situation to cut his hair only if his assuming Ihraam of Hajj was still near. As for a female pilgrim, she should cut a small part (equivalent to a fingertip) of the hair of the head.

In this way, a pilgrim will have accomplished the ‘Umrah rites, so he exits the state of Ihraam and, thus, is allowed to do all lawful acts that have been prohibited while being in a state of Ihraam such as lawful sexual intercourse, wearing perfume, wearing sewn clothes and the like.

As for those Muhrims who reach Makkah with the intention of performing Qiraan or Ifraad, they start with performing the Arrival Tawaaf, following it with the Sa‘y for Hajj (instead of performing it later) if they like. Then they should keep in the state of Ihraam until the Day of Sacrifice, as will be explained later, Allaah Willing.