Ihram is a state of consecration consisting of intention and the recitation of the talbiyah, by which a person enters the state of prohibition for performing either Hajj, Umrah, or Qiran pilgrimage. During this state, men wear a set of two pieces of cloth called “rida” and “izar,” which is commonly referred to as the ihram (women’s ihram consists of their regular clothing). It involves making certain permissible things forbidden in order to perform the acts of Hajj or Umrah.(Inaye, Vol. 2, p. 429)
The secret and wisdom behind entering into ihram is to strip away the worldly adornments of clothing, to contemplate on birth, resurrection of the dead, the place of gathering (Mahshar), the Day of Judgment, the balance (Mizan), and to attain spiritual blessings through purity. Hajj and Umrah cannot be performed without entering into the state of ihram.
The person who is going to enter ihram first trims their nails, cleans the hair in the armpits and groin area, if necessary trims the hair and beard, and fixes their mustache. If possible, they perform a full ritual bath (ghusl). If it’s not possible to take a full bath, they perform ablution (wudu). Performing ghusl before entering ihram is a confirmed sunnah.
This ghusl is not for removing ritual impurity (hadt), but for physical cleanliness. Therefore, women in the state of menstruation (hayd) or postnatal bleeding (nifas) can also perform this ghusl. After performing ghusl, they apply a fragrance that doesn’t leave color or residue on the body. The body is covered only with the izar (lower garment) and rida (upper garment).
The head remains uncovered, and the feet are bare. However, they wear sandals that expose the heels. After putting on the izar and rida, they pray a 2-unit (rak’ah) prayer: In the first rak’ah, after reciting Surah Al-Fatiha, they recite Surah Al-Kafirun. In the second rak’ah, after reciting Surah Al-Fatiha, they recite Surah Al-Ikhlas. After the prayer, facing the Kaaba, they make the intention for either Hajj or Umrah (or appoint a representative to make the intention), and without interruption, they recite the talbiyah three times: “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaika La Sharika Laka Labbaik, Inna Al-Hamda Wan-Ni’mata Laka Wal-Mulk, La Sharika Lak.”
After the talbiyah, they say “Allahu Akbar” and recite the Salawat (blessings upon the Prophet). This completes entering ihram. From this point on, along the journey, they continue reciting the talbiyah, sending blessings to the Prophet, making supplications, engaging in dhikr (remembrance of Allah), tasbih (glorification of Allah), and tahleel (saying “La ilaha illallah”). After obligatory prayers, they recite the talbiyah multiple times. It is recommended for men to recite the talbiyah loudly, while women recite it softly.
There are specific places to enter ihram, known as “mikat” points. Those who intend to reach the Kaaba must be in ihram before crossing the mikat points. People fall into three categories regarding mikat:
To exit the state of ihram, men either shave their heads completely using a razor or trim at least one-fourth of their hair to a length of about 1.5 to 2 centimeters. Shaving the entire head is preferable. Women, on the other hand, do not shave their heads; they only trim the tips of their hair by 1 to 2 centimeters. This way, they are considered to have exited the state of ihram.
We recommend you to read the following pages for more information about ihram:
If you want to learn about the necessary conditions for entering ihram, you can read our article titled “Conditions of Ihram“.
To learn about the things that should not be done while in the state of ihram, you can examine our article titled “Prohibitions of Ihram“.
Additionally, if you are interested in ihram-related matters specifically for women, we advise you to read our article titled “Ihram for Women“.
