Al - IHRAM

Al - IHRAM

Ihram: The best time for wearing it for Hajj is the day of Tarwiyyah which is the eighth of Dhul Hijjah at noon and it is permissible to wear ihram from three days before then for old and sick people fearful of overcrowding. They can wear ihram and depart from Makkah before the other people. Indeed, if need be, immediately after completing Umrat-ul-Tamat'toe, it is permissible to wear the ihram for Hajj and depart from Makkah.

Just as it is not permissible to wear the ihram for Hajj before Taqseer, so it is not permissible in Hajj to wear the ihram for Umrat-ul-Mufradah before the completion of the ceremonies of Hajj. However, it can be worn after completion of all the ceremonies but before Tawaaf ul-Nisa.

The time for wearing ihram is very limited on the day of Arafaat when there is fear of missing the time for the required stay in Arafaat.

The rules concerning the procedure, obligations and prohibitions in the state of ihram apply just the same to both the ihram for Umrah and Hajj, and the only difference between them is in the niyyah.

It is obligatory to wear ihram from Makkah as mentioned above. The best place for it is the Holy Mosque and it is recommended to wear the ihram after reciting two rakaats at Maqaam-e-Ibrahim or Hijr Ismail.

If a pilgrim forgets to wear ihram or ignorant of the rules, departs from Makkah without wearing it and then remembers or acquires the knowledge, it is obligatory on him to return to Makkah, even if he is in Arafaat, and wear ihram from there. If because of limited time or other reason it is not possible to return to Makkah, he should wear the ihram wherever he is. Similarly if he remembers or acquires the knowledge after the stay at Arafaat, he should proceed to Makkah if that is possible and wear ihram there but if he does not remember or acquire the knowledge until after completion of Hajj, his Hajj is valid.

If a pilgrim knowingly and deliberately omits to wear ihram, it is obligatory on him to correct it and if it is not possible to do so before the stay at Arafaat, his Hajj is invalidated and he is obliged to repeat it in the following year.

As a matter of caution, one must not make an optional Tawaaf after wearing the ihram for Hajj and before departing from Makkah and if one does so, one must, as a matter of caution, renew the talbiyah after the Tawaaf.