What is IHRAM? What is the conditions imposed whilst in Ihram?

Ihram ( إحرام ) is an Arabic word that denotes a sacred state in which a Muslim must enter in order to perform Umrah or Hajj. The Ihram has two aspects: Zone (Miqat) and Clothes (Libas)

 IHRAM OF THE MIQAT ( ميقات ) ZONE

ihram

 The Miqat is the place where every pilgrim must wear their ihram and make intention to perform Umrah or Hajj. The pilgrim must not pass this zone without ihram; otherwise they will have to pay fidyah (penalty). The Messenger (saw) specifically named the Mawaaqeet (zones) and for whom they are applicable.

 وقت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لأهل المدينة ذا الحليفة ولأهل الشام الجحفة ولأهل نجد قرن المنازل ولأهل »

صحيح البخاري- كتاب الحج] ]« اليمن يلملم

 The Messenger (saw) said “ (the Miqat) for the people of Madinah is Dhul Hulaifah, for the people of Sham is Al Jahfah, for the people of Najd is Qarn Al Manzil and for the people of Yemen is Yalamlam. [Bukhari – Chapter: Hajj]

 سنن النسائي- كتاب مناسك الحج] ] « أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقت لأهل العراق ذات عرق »

 The Messenger (saw) said “For the people of Iraq (their Miqat is) Dhaat ‘Irq” [Nasai – Chapter: The Rites of Hajj]

 The Mawaaqeet (Zones) For Umrah And Hajj مواقيت العمرة والحج

 There are five zones:

1. Dhul Hulaifah ( ذا الحليفة ) is 450km to the north of Makkah and is the Miqat for the people of Madinah
2. Al Juhfah ( الجحفة ) is 187km north-west of Makkah; people also call it Rabigh, usually for people from

Jeddah and also those coming from Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon.

3. Qarn Al Manazil ( قرن المنازل ) is 94km to the east of Makkah overlooking Arafah and is the Miqat for the

people of Najd.

4. Yalamlam ( يلملم ) is 54km to the south of Makkah and is the Miqat for those coming from Yemen
5. Dhatu Iriq ( ذات عرق ) is 94km to the north-east of Makkah and is the Miqat for the people of Iraq.

However today it has become common practice for the pilgrims to wear their ihram before reaching the Miqat and to make their intention once they reach the zone. If you travel to Hajj by plane, they will announce when to wear the ihram and make niyah (intention). Those pilgrims not flying will make ihram at the closet Miqat to them and those residing inside the zone i.e. (Makkah) will start from where they are.

 IHRAM OF THE LIBAS ( لباس الاحرام ) CLOTHES

IHRAM OF THE LIBAS

 A person that is in the state of ihram is called muhrim (masculine) and muhrimah (feminine)

 THE HAJJ CLOTHING FOR MEN لباس الاحرام الرجال

THE HAJJ CLOTHING FOR MEN

 The Men’s clothes entail two helmless towels (colour white preferred) and slippers.

1. Ridaa’ ( رداء ): is the towel used to cover the upper torso.
2. Izaar ( ازار ): is the lower towel, sometimes this is clipped on by a belt

or safety pin. It must cover between the navel and knees.

3. Ni’aal ( نعال ): are the slippers, the straps should not cover majority of

the feet. In ihram you cannot wear shoes of any form.

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said,

“let some of you wear Ihram with the Izaar, Ridaa’ and Niaal.”

 The recommended acts before putting on the ihram

 It is recommended for the muhrim to clip his fingernails, trimming the moustache, shave off the hair from under the armpits, shave the pubic hair, make ablution or preferably taking a complete bath (ghusl), to comb their beard and hair.

Ibn ‘Umar said: “It is Sunnah for a pilgrim to take a complete bath before entering the state of ihram or before entering Makkah.” This is reported by Al-Bazzar, Ad-Daraqutni, and Al-Hakim, who considers it a sound hadith.

Perfume may be used on the body as well as the Hajj clothes initially, even if it continues to smell afterwards.

Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Allah’s Messenger (saw) combed his hair, wore some perfume, put on his Hajj clothes, along with his Companions, and then he set out from Madinah accompanied by them” reported by Bukhari.

Once in the state of Ihram do not put perfume or cover your head with anything such as a hat.

 THE HAJJ CLOTHING FOR WOMEN

THE HAJJ CLOTHING FOR WOMEN

 Women’s clothes entail Khimar and Jilbab, without Niqab or gloves.

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said: ‘women who make Ihram should not cover their face nor wear gloves’

The women may temporarily cover her face by her hand, or make sadlu which is to bring the khimar slightly over the face temporarily to shield the face from foreign men. If she keeps the covering on for longer than necessary she will have to pay fidya (penalty) for this.

Women usually cover using the following:

1. Khimar: A head scarf which must cover up to the jabe (chest)
2. Jilbab: The outer garment which must be loose
3. Niqab: A face veil (NOT ALLOWED IN IHRAM)
4. Kinah: A mask from leather used a lot by the women from Kuwait

and other Khaliji (Gulf) states (NOT ALLOWED IN IHRAM)

There is no restriction for the woman regarding the colours she can wear. White is the best colour to wear at the time of Hajj, however for women they must take care to wear a dark tunic beneath it so that the sun will not shine through it and thus show off their form. The feet is considered awrah by the majority of the schools of thought (Hanafi do not accept this), so the women is allowed to wear socks and shoes whilst in ihram.

 CONDITIONS IMPOSED WHILST IN IHRAM

 What is permitted in Ihram?

1. Bathing and changing
2. Women to wear shoes
3. Cupping, opening abscess, pulling a tooth
4. Wearing a belt or ring
5. Wearing non-perfumed kohl to the eyes
6. Killing flies or harmful animals
7. Sitting under the shade of a umbrella, tree or even a tent

 What is prohibited in Ihram?

 Sexual intercourse

1. Fighting or arguing
2. Wearing sewn clothes
3. Cutting the hair
4. Trimming the nails
5. Using perfumed soap
6. Wearing perfume
7. Wearing hats (men)
8. Getting engaged
9. Getting married
10. Hunting

You must pay a penalty if you commit any of the acts prohibited in ihram, which will usually mean an extra sacrifice.

Guidelines on before going to Umrah with children

Top 10 Guidelines on before going to Umrah with children – Umrah Tips and Suggestion

Umrah is the life-long dream for every Muslim, and going for Umrah needs to be perfect. Women are only allowed on Umrah if their Mehram is accompanying them. However, a woman has to get separated from the man who is accompanying her in the Masjid a Nabawi and Masjid Al Haram, where there are separate portions from men and women. Usually, people are a little skeptical about taking their kids, especially because at these portions where men and women are separated, the women have to take the responsibility of the children. But, taking children to Umrah does not need to be a difficult or stressful as people might think, as long as some things are remembered.

Things to consider

1. It is a good idea to talk to older kids about why the trip is being taken; importance of Umrah, how there will be regular visits to the mosques unlike the regular vacations. There is no need to worry about taking smaller kids to the trip as the local people do it all the time and there are a lot of children all around.
2. It is important to get the children vaccinated. Infants, children, and even adults are compulsorily needed to get vaccination of meningitis ACWY135. Children belonging to the age group of 2-15 years need to have meningitis and polio vaccinations, while children below and above 3 months, need ‘A’ vaccine, with two shots taken at a gap of 3 months. H1N1 vaccine is also needed.
3. How the children are dressed is quite an essential part of the travel. Western style of dressing, or dresses that may attract too much attention should be avoided. For small children, their everyday clothes should do. In a case of children who are above 6 years old, it is best to dress them in Ihram. Little girls can be made to wear a Hijab.
4. It is a good idea to take some toys to keep the young children busy during the mosque visits. However, dolls, action figures, or toys resembling life-like structures, which can be considered idols, should not be taken, as these are confiscated at the mosque gates. Electronic gadgets like video games, mobile phones, or cameras should not be given to children to play with as these are also taken away at the gates.
5. Since these places are usually crowded, one must remember to not let the children out of sight. It is very important to keep the children close, hold their hands, and be very careful about where they are going, especially at the gates. Some people make an arrangement to enter alone, leaving the kid with the spouse and then take on the child to allow the spouse to do the same. If a person enters to pray with the kid, it is a good idea to find a place that is less crowded. In case there is an infant, one could just tie elastic rope around the child and attach it to him/her, to let the children enough freedom, and yet not lose him/her.
6. Strollers are not allowed inside the mosques. However, wheelchairs are available for rent, and these can be used for seating children.
7. People often lose their shoes at the gates, and it can be particularly difficult for children to lose their shoes, as they are more sensitive. Shoes can be taken in a bag and carried inside.
8. There are several activities and site-seeing that can be done during this trip. Taking these could pique the interest of the children. For example, after the Sabah prayer, they can be allowed to feed the birds. In the Masjid a Nawab, there are classes for children during ASR and Maghreb prayers. Children below the age of 6 years are allowed to sign up after the daily ASR prayers.
9. Snacks should be brought along for the children, in case they get hungry. A small bottle should also be carried, to fill up with the zam-zam water available around the mosque. Other necessities for children must also be carried.
10. It is important to let the children have proper rest. Resting between the prayers is a good idea for the children as well as the adults who are responsible for taking care of them.

A Brief Guide to Perform Sacred Umrah Travel

Hajj and Umrah are obligations of too much important in Islam. Every Muslim has a desire in his hear to offer pilgrimage in Mecca and Medina at least once in this life. If you are planning to offer Umrah pilgrimage then there are few things that are needed to be considered.

 First, it is always better to book a complete Umrah packages from a Umrah service company. The time duration of Umrah travel consists of 5, 10 and 15 days or even then for a month. Therefore it is always guide to book complete your packages for such a long travel. If you book a umrah tour services then you do not have to worry about each and every thing to manage during your Umrah pilgrimage. This gives you a complete satisfaction of mind during your spiritual journey and you can offer your sacred rights of Umrah with great ease.

Secondly, don’t panic to choose Umrah services from a company. Take time to know details of different Umrah packages offered by different companies and compare prices and facilities offered in these packages to make sure that you go for a best and get cheap Umrah trip.

It is also very important to check the reputation of a company from whom you will book your Umrah tour package. This can be done by getting reviews from people who have used Umrah services of that company, so you can check out the quality of services and facilities of a certain Umrah services company to understand. If you can not find a person to map a particular Umrah tour services will then alternatively you could go online and check for online reviews and testimonials of some Umrah services provider companies. It is always better to have a Umrah packages booked from a such company which is registered with Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah as Saudi Government issues licenses only to those companies that already have the standards set by Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and if this company is not registered then it may not provide the services as promised which causes troubles for pilgrims.

Although Umrah can now be performed at any time of year in accordance with new laws of Saudi Government, but it’s better to book your Umrah services in 2015, as new Umrah packages are available in December and if you book a Umrah services early then you complete book a Umrah services because you get the opportunity to choose best package from many packages veracious services providers of Umrah packages 2015.

Also look at the details of your Umrah tour services to make sure that you will be provided with all necessary services such as accommodation, transport, Visa processing, Booking your tickets, visit to holy trip, schedule for your return flight, the delivery of a guide during your Umrah, so you do not need any of these things to be managed on your own.

Which are Important things to be consider before choosing your Umrah packages?

Hajj and Umrah are obligations majority of Muslims who desire to pursue. Hajj is compulsory for every Muslim who has capable to cover the cost of the pilgrimage at least once time in his life. Umrah, however, is not as compulsory as the Hajj. Umrah also has a significant religious importance in Islam.

 Hajj is performed in the month of Zill-Haj, while Umrah can be perform throughtout the year. Muslim around the world make the Holy journey to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. However, there are few things to consider for all Muslims before planning your Umrah so we can fulfill this religious obligation with sufficient comfort and peace of mind.

 The first thing to decide before planning your Umrah tour is to choose the most suitable package for Umrah. Many packages are available for Umrah according to the length of stay and level of services offered during the Umrah. These packages range from high cost packages that offer quality accommodation and transport services at low cost Umrah packages that offer accommodation and services only for transportation. However, the low quality and cheap Umrah services offer does not mean poor quality services. These packages also offer cheap Umrah packages which provide all necessary facilities for Umrah pilgrims but these facilities are not luxurious. You must choose your plan carefully according to your budget and the services you want to enjoy during your Umrah tour.

 There are many travel companies world wide offering Umrah packages and you can chose a packages for you from one of these companies. However, it is crucial to choose Umrah services from a company that is trust worthy. The best way to check the reliability of a company is by searching online reviews of a particular company. If someone in your family and friends has already performed the Hajj or Umrah before then access to select a travel agency, so do your Umrah trip through a reliable service and not have to face many problem during their journey.

One thing more important to consider before choosing the appropriate Umrah tour is to check the distance of your accommodation Haram-e-Kaaba. Many travel companies offer luxurious accommodation but usually these hotel are located at remote distance from Masjid-ul-Haram and pilgrims have to cover long distances to visit the Holy Kaaba and this becomes a bit tedious especially if pilgrims are more the 40 years of age. Therefore, always remember to make sure that you choose a hotel that is situated within driving distance from Grand Mosque of Mecca.

If you are going to the Holy Umrah trip with your family then also ask your Umrah services providers that you are being offered a shared room or a room exclusively for your family. This is important because it is always best choose an exclusive room for your family to perform their Holy Umrah duty with confidence.

Notes on different types of Tawaf

Tawaf is the circumambulation seven times of the Holy Kaaba.

Each circumambulation (shawt) starts from the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad).

You should move off from the Black Stone counter-clockwise.

Each circuit is completed when you return to the Black Stone and perform the Istilam (the kissing, touching or pointing to the Stone).

On completion of seven circuits, continue to move counter-clockwise until you reach your point of exit.

There are five types of Tawaf.

Tawaf al- Qudum

Tawaf al-Ifadha

Tawaf al-Wadaa

Tawaf al-Nafl

Tawaf al Umrah

Tawaf al Qudum

Also known as the welcome Tawaf.

This Tawaf is performed by anyone coming to Makkah for any reason, whether for Umrah, Hajj, Business or just for a visit.

Tawaf al-Ifadha

Also known as Tawaf al-Hajj

This Tawaf must be performed by all pilgrims undertaking Hajj.

Tawaf al-Wadaa

Also known as the Farewell Tawaf.

This is the last ritual before leaving the Holy City of Makkah on completion of your Hajj or whatever you came for.

Tawaf al-Nafl

This Tawaf may be performed at any time and as often as desired.

Tawaf al-Umrah

This Tawaf is performed as part of the rituals of Umrah.