Ḥajj & ‘Umrah

Tamattu‘ — ‘Umrah first, then leave iḥrām entirely, then enter it again for Ḥajj on the 8th. A hady is owed. The easiest, and what the Prophet ﷺ instructed his Companions to do.

Qirān — one iḥrām for both, held unbroken until the 10th. A hady is owed.

Ifrād — Ḥajj alone, with no ‘Umrah in the same journey. No hady is owed.

The boundaries at which iḥrām must be entered. Passing one without it obliges a dam.

Dhul-Ḥulayfah — Madīnah

Al-Juḥfah — Shām, Egypt, the west

Qarn al-Manāzil — Najd

Yalamlam — Yemen

Dhāt ‘Irq — Iraq

Those flying enter iḥrām before passing overhead — change and make the intention on board, or at the airport before boarding. Residents of Makkah enter from where they are.

Bathe, perfume the body — not the garments — then wear two unsewn white cloths. A woman wears her ordinary dress, with face and hands uncovered.

Cutting hair or nails.

Perfume of any kind, including scented soap.

Intercourse, and all that leads to it.

Contracting a marriage, or proposing one.

Hunting or assisting a hunt within the ḥaram.

Men only — sewn garments, and covering the head.

Women only — the niqāb and gloves; she may drape a cloth loosely over her face before men.

Purity is required, as in prayer, and the shoulders are covered.

Begin at the Black Stone facing it, say Allāhu akbar, and keep the Ka‘bah on your left.

Men uncover the right shoulder and walk briskly for the first three circuits — in ṭawāf al-qudūm only.

Touch or point to the Stone at each circuit; touch the Yemeni corner if you can, without pushing.

Between the two corners say: Rabbanā ātinā fid-dunyā ḥasanah…

After seven, pray two rak‘ahs behind Maqām Ibrāhīm, then drink Zamzam.

From Ṣafā to Marwah is one, Marwah to Ṣafā the second, ending at Marwah. Men run between the green markers. On mounting each hill, face the Ka‘bah and say Allāhu akbar three times, then supplicate.

‘Umrah ends by shaving the head or shortening the hair — a woman cuts a fingertip’s length from each braid.

Enter iḥrām for Ḥajj from your lodging in Makkah. Go to Minā before noon and pray Ẓuhr, ‘Aṣr, Maghrib, ‘Ishā’ and Fajr there — each shortened to two, but not joined.

After sunrise move to ‘Arafah. Be certain you are within its boundary — the whole plain is a standing place except Baṭn ‘Uranah.

Pray Ẓuhr and ‘Aṣr joined and shortened at the time of Ẓuhr, with one adhān and two iqāmahs.

Stand from noon until sunset facing the qiblah, hands raised, in du‘ā and dhikr. This standing is the Ḥajj.

Do not leave before the sun has fully set.

Five acts, in this order where possible — though the Prophet ﷺ was asked about each done out of order and said each time: “Do it, and there is no harm.”

1 · Jamrat al-‘Aqabah — seven pebbles at the largest pillar, saying Allāhu akbar with each. The talbiyah stops at the first stone.

2 · The hady — sacrificed by those performing tamattu‘ or qirān. It may be arranged through an authorised agency.

3 · Shaving or shortening — shaving is better; the Prophet ﷺ asked mercy three times for those who shaved and once for those who shortened.

4 · Ṭawāf al-Ifāḍah — a pillar of Ḥajj; it cannot be replaced by any compensation.

5 · Sa‘y — for those performing tamattu‘, and for others who did not do it after the arrival ṭawāf.

First release — after stoning and shaving: everything becomes lawful again except intercourse. Full release — after ṭawāf al-ifāḍah: all is lawful.

Spend the nights of the 11th and 12th in Minā. Each afternoon, after the sun passes its zenith, stone all three pillars in order:

Ṣughrā — seven pebbles, then step aside, face the qiblah and make a long du‘ā.

Wusṭā — seven pebbles, then du‘ā again.

‘Aqabah — seven pebbles, and no du‘ā after it.

You may depart after stoning on the 12th, provided you are out of Minā before sunset. Remaining for the 13th is better, and then stoning it is obligatory.

Seven circuits as your last act in Makkah — obligatory, with a dam if omitted. A woman in ḥayḍ is excused it entirely.

Hady — for tamattu‘ and qirān. A sheep, or a seventh of a camel or cow.

Omitting a wājib — passing a mīqāt without iḥrām, not staying at Muzdalifah, not stoning, omitting the farewell ṭawāf: one sheep each.

Fidyat al-adhā — shaving or wearing sewn cloth from need: choose one of fasting three days, feeding six poor, or a sheep.

Hunting — its like in livestock, or the equivalent in food, or a day’s fast for each portion.

Intercourse before the first release — the Ḥajj is invalidated, it must be completed, repeated the following year, and a camel sacrificed.

No part of Ḥajj, but a journey of its own merit — a prayer in the Prophet’s masjid is worth a thousand elsewhere. Pray two rak‘ahs, then greet him ﷺ and his two companions quietly, facing the chamber, and ask Allah alone for your needs.