Hajj, Pilgrimage, Rituals In Details
On Arrival
1. Ihram at Meeqat for those who have not put on Ihram earlier.
2. (i) Two Rakats Nafil and Niyah (Declaration of Intention) and Talbiyah must be performed for Hajj and Umrah combined (Qiran) or
ii)Two Rakats Nafil and Niyah and Talbiyah must be performed for Umrah only (Tamattu) or
iii) Two Rakat Nafil and Niyah and Talbiyah must be performed for Hajj only (Ifraad).
3. Tawaf Qudoom in Makkah (Arrival Tawaf).
4. Two Rakats Nafil /Drink Zamzam.
5. Sai’e
i) For Qiran, maintain Ihram until Hajj.
ii) For Tamathu, one can come out of the Ihram.
8th Dhul Hijjah
6. Ihram from Makkah
i) For those residing in Makkah, Ihram is from the place of residence.
7. Two Rakats Nafil and Niyah for Hajj and Talbiyah.
8. Arrival in Mina before Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha prayers and Fajr Prayer of 9 Dhul Hijjah.
9th Dhul Hijjah
9. After Fajr prayer, arrival at Arafat.
10. Zuhr, Asr shortened and combined in Nimra Mosque or wherever the tents have been put up in the camps.
11. Standing at Arafat, after sunset, departure to Muzdalifah without performing Maghrib prayer at Arafat.
12. Arrival at Muzdalifah, delayed Maghrib and Isha prayers with one Azan and two Iqamats combined. (Isha shortened)
13. Collect pebbles for Rami of Jamra. Pebbles may also be collected in Mina.
10th Dhul Hijjah
14. Arrival at Mina after Fajr prayer in Muzdalifah.
15. Lapidation (Rami) at Jamra Aqaba (Big Satan) before the sun is past the meridian.
16. Sacrifice an animal. One lamb or sheep per person. 7 people can share a camel and a cow.
17. Haircut or shaving of the head.
18. Come out of Ihram and proceed to Makkah.
19. At Makkah Tawaf Ziarah and Saee
Return to MINA before dawn of 11th Dhul Hijjah
11th Dhul Hijjah
20. Lapidation (Rami) at all three Jamarat after the sun is past meridian (seven pebbles at each jamra)
21. Stay in Mina
12th Dhul Hijjah
22. Lapidation to be repeated as on 11 Dhul Hijjah
23. Leave Mina for Makkah before sunset, perform Tawaf Wida(farewell) and depart for Madinah or home if you have already visited Madinah.
13th Dhul Hijjah
24. If the sun sets in Mina before departure for Makkah on the 12th, stay there and do lapidation as on the previous two days after the sun is past meridian, leave Mina for Makkah.
( NOTE: Pebbles must be thrown singly and not all together)
25. Tawaf Wida (Farewell Tawaf) when leaving Makkah for Madinah or home country.
Talbiyah
Pilgrims are also recommended to repeat the traditional phrase declaring that they are responding to Allah’s call for them to offer the pilgrimage and complete it. They repeat these phrases as they go into Ihram.
Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik.
Labbaik Laa Shareeka Laka Labbaik
Innal Hamda Wannimata laka
walmulk Laa Shareeka Lak
Translation
“I respond to Your call, my Lord
I respond to You, there is no deity save You.
All praise, grace and dominion belong to You.
You have no partners.”
Men should utter this aloud, while women should say it silently.
Repeat this Talbiyyah frequently, and engage in the praise of Allah, in supplication for forgiveness, and in the enjoining of what is good and the forbidding of what is evil.
Essentials of pilgrimage
There are four essentials of pilgrimage which must be done for it to be valid. Omitting any one of these will invalidate one’s pilgrimage. These are:
1. Ihram
2. Attendance at Arafat at the specified time
3. The Tawaf of ifaadah(farewell) and
4. Sa’ie between Safah and Marwah
5. A fifth essential is added by the Al-Shafie school of thought, which is to shave one’s head (for men only) or to shorten one’s hair.
Restrictions of Ihram
In the state of Ihram, the following acts are forbidden.
1) To cut or shave the hair of the head or body, till the sacrifice of animals is completed.
2) To cut the nails.
3) To wear stitched clothes (for men only).
4) To wear a turban or cap, or anything which covers the head (for men only).
5) To wear shoes or socks above the ankle.
6) To apply perfume.
7) To cover the face
8) To perform Nikah or to arrange for Nikah.
9) To hunt animals.
10) To fight or quarrel.
11) To have sex.
Women in Hajj
Performing Hajj without a Mahram is forbidden. According to Nusrat Ibn Abbas, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said that no woman should make a journey without a Mahram. On hearing this, one person said: “O Prophet (peace be upon him), my name has been included in Jihad, and my wife has left for the Hajj pilgrimage.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Go and perform the Hajj with your wife”. (Mishkat)
Mahram means a person with whom a marriage is not possible, for example, father, son, nephew, son-in-law, paternal uncle and maternal uncle. Paternal cousins and maternal cousins cannot be Mahram because marriage can be consummated with them. Mahram is such a person with whom one may not experience feelings which are natural only in a married state. Some women consider anyone a brother or son for the sake of making a journey. This is not allowed by Shariat. In the performance of the holy rites of Hajj, to break Shariat law and perform the Hajj is clearly a sin and considered haram. This is because from the beginning to the end, it is a violation of the Shariat. Without a Mahram, the journey is forbidden, whether the journey is by air or by any other means.
Some points to remember
(i) If a woman is eligible to perform Hajj with the necessary means to do so but cannot find a Mahram, she is not allowed to perform it.
(ii) If a woman having the means to perform Hajj and also has a Mahram is in the state of Idat (Obligatory period observed after husband’s death), then the performance of Hajj for her is incorrect.
(iii) Performing Hajj for a woman in the period of Iddat (after separation in marriage) is considered a sin.
iv) If a wife wishes to perform Hajj with a Mahram (such as a son), then the husband cannot prevent her from performing Hajj.
Ihram for Women
(i) It is obligatory for women to cover the head.
(ii) Stitched cloth is allowed.
(iii) Any colour dress is allowed.
As for a woman pilgrim, she is forbidden to use perfumed clothes, a veil that covers the face, and gloves. Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) reported: “Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) forbade women pilgrims from wearing gloves, veils and clothes dyed with saffron or worse. Besides these, they may wear anything else, any colour, silk clothes, ornaments, trousers, or a shirt or shoes.”
Bukhari reported that ‘Aishah (radi Allahu anha) wore a dress that was dyed with ‘usfur’ while she was in a state of Ihram, and she said: “A woman must neither wear a veil to cover her face, nor wear clothes that are dyed with saffron or other fragrant dyeing material.” Jabir said (radi Allahu anhu), “I do not consider ‘usfur a scent.”
‘Aishah (radi Allahu anha) held that there is no harm in women pilgrims wearing ornaments, black or rose-coloured clothes and shoes.
Bukhari and Ahmad have reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A pilgrim woman must neither cover her face nor wear gloves.” This proves that a woman in the state of Ihram should not cover her face and hands. The scholars, however, say that there is no harm if she covers her face with something other than a veil. She may also use an umbrella or similar item as a screen between men and herself. But if she is afraid of tempting others, she must cover her face.
‘Aishah (radi Allahu anha) said: “Men on camels used to pass by us while we were with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and in the state of Ihram. We would cover our faces with our gowns when they passed by us, and then uncover them again.”
On Menstrual Days
It is reported by Hazrat Aishah that once on a Hajj Pilgrimage, when she experienced the inconvenience of her monthly period, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), noticing her inconvenience, said: “There is no need to cry. This is something that Allah has made as a natural occurrence for daughters of Adam (peace be upon him), meaning all women.”
Most scholars are of the opinion that purification is not necessary for performing Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, in light of what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to ‘Aishah once when she menstruated. He told her. “You may perform all rites (of Hajj) as other pilgrims do, except performing tawaf around the Ka’bah, which you may do after you are clean and no longer menstruating.” ‘Aishah (radi Allahu anha) and Ummi Salamah (radi Allahu anha) said: “A woman who performs the tawaf, offers two rak’ah prayer (by the Station of Ibrahim), and then finds that her period has started, may perform Sa’i between Safa and Marwah.” It is preferable, however, to be in a state of complete purity while performing various rites of Hajj or ‘Umrah, because cleanliness is commendable in Islam.
* It is permissible for a woman to enter the state of Ihram in case she has experienced a menstrual period or childbirth by performing the ghusl (obligatory bath) and making the niyat (intention) of Hajj or Umrah. She will have to recite “Labbaik, Allahumma Lubaik, La Shareeka Lak, Innal Hamda, Wannaymata Lak, Walmulk, La Shareeka Lak. This is enough for her to enter the state of Ihram.
* She may not offer the two rak’ats nafil salat of Ihram until she is fully clean and has performed the obligatory ghusl. (bath).
* After Ihram, she may perform the duties of Arafat, Muzdalifa and Mina.
* She may not perform tawaf in this state after reaching Makkah.
* She may pray and recite Istaghfar and all other duas.
* If a woman fears that she may begin to menstruate, she may perform the Tawaf Al-Ifadah early on the day of Nahr – 10th of Dhul-Hajjah as a precaution against the menses.
* If a woman (Pilgrim) is afraid of her monthly period, she may perform the Tawaf of Ka’bah before throwing the pebbles at Jamarah Al Aqabah and even before her sacrificial animal is slaughtered.
* Women may touch and kiss the Black Stone when there is an opportunity, and no men are around. It is reported that ‘Aishah (radi Allahu anha) said to a woman, “Do not crowd with others at the Black Stone, but if you find a chance, touch and kiss it, otherwise if there is crowding, then say a takbir (Allah is the Greatest) when you are opposite to it, and make your tawaf and do not cause any harm to anyone.”
*Staying at Arafah means physical and mental presence in any part of Arafah, whether one is awake, asleep, riding, sitting, lying down, walking, and regardless of whether one is in a state of purity or not, e.g., a menstruating woman.
*There is consensus on throwing pebbles before midnight on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (the Night of Sacrifice). It is permissible, however, for women, children, the weak, and those who have a valid excuse to throw pebbles at Jamarah Al-Aqabah in the night.
* Persons who, for valid reasons, illness, etc., cannot themselves throw the pebbles may ask someone else to throw pebbles on their behalf. Jabir (radi Allahu anhu) said, “We performed Hajj with the Prophet (peace be upon him), and we had some women and children with us. We (adults) uttered talbiyah and threw pebbles on behalf of the children.” This was reported by Ibn Majah.
* Abu Daw’ud and others reported from Ibn’ Abbas (radi Allahu anha) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Women (Pilgrims) do not have to shave (their heads); they may only shorten their hair.”
Ibn ‘Umar said (radi Allahu anha), “When a woman (Pilgrim) wants to cut off her hair, she may hold her hair at the front and cut it off about the length of the tip of a finger.”