The State of IhramDuring the Hajj to

MeccaBy Emily Rompelman

- WHAT IS ‘IHRAM’?- WHERE AND WHEN DOES IHRAM START? - REASONS OF IHRAM - PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF IHRAM- HOW TO WEAR THE IHRAM- PHYSICAL RESTRICTIONS OF IHRAM- PHYSICAL EXCEPTIONS TO IHRAM- SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF IHRAM- VARIATIONS BY GENDER- THE CESSATION OF IHRAM- HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS- PERSONAL ACCOUNTS- RESOURCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHAT IS ‘IHRAM’?- “al-ihram”: means ‘prohibition’ or making unlawful

- First prescribed ritual act of the hajj, marking the entranceinto spiritual purification, represented through physical and spiritual change.

- At the specific ‘miquat’ or sacred point, men are to take off all stitched clothing and put on two hirrawems, or white cloths. One on the lower portion of the body from the waist down and the other is shoulder down, covering only the left shoulder, leaving the right shoulder and arm openfor movement.

- Because of technological advances, pilgrims dress in airplanes or other modes of transportation.

Encyclopedia of Religion, p. 7158Peters, F.E., p. 117, 114-115

WHERE AND WHEN DOES IHRAM START?

Peters, F.E., p. 114-115Encyclopedia of Religion, p. 7158

-Begins with salat (daily prayers); trims nails, shaves all hair (further cutting of nails and hair is prohibited)- Niyah: Prayer that declares a pilgrim’s intention of lesser pilgrimage (circumambulate the Ka’ba)- Salat: formal prostrations in the direction of the Ka’ba, doneTwice before entering sacred territory. Then done at dawn, noon, midday, sunset and dusk.- Du’at: asking God for supplication- Talbiyyah: said loudly when passing through markers and Voiced frequently throughout the hajj. Translated to: “ Here I am, O Lord! What is Thy command?” or “At Your Service O Lord, at Your Service”

REASONS OF IHRAM

- One’s ihram represents their answering God’s call- The physical aspect represents the burial shroud; as oneenters ihram and performs the hajj, their soul is the onlything in front of God and not their body.- Brotherhood: The uniform cloth represents how all Muslims are brothers, which the hajj and umrah celebrate.

Peters, F.E., p. 115

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF IHRAM

-“ ‘He [man] shall not wear shirt, nor turban, norTrousers, nor headgear, nor any dyed cloth; and if he Cannot find footwear, then let him wear leather Stockings, but cut off so they may be lower than the ankles.’”

- Bukhari, The Sound 3.53

- Clothing- hirrawems: white cloths; a belt can beused to hold up the lower cloth.

- Footwear- Gimgameea: thin-soled shoes where leather only covers the toes. It appears that flip-flopSandals are appropriate.

- One is to not wear any perfumes or scents.

Peters, F.E., p. 55-56, 115-116

Click picture to view an online store

HOW TO WEAR THE IHRAM

- Wishah (normal way): The izar, or lower cloth, is worn from waist downand the rida, or upper cloth, is worn to cover the shoulders.

- Idtiba (done when entering Tawaf ul Qudom, to perform the hajj): the rida is put over the left shoulder, from back to front, withthe other end under his right arm and put over the left shoulder.

Textile Research Center, Leiden Netherlands

click picture for various applications of the ihram

PHYSICAL RESTRICTIONS OF IHRAM

- Cutting or shaving any hair, until the sacrifice of animals is done. - Cutting the nails. - Men cannot wear any stitched clothing or head coverings (hat/turban, etc). -Wearing shoes or socks above the ankle. - Covering the face. - Hunting animals: Some tell that a pilgrim, when in ihram, cannot even kill a flea. If the bug is sucking their blood, one may move it to another spot on their body, but cannot kill it..- Fornication.

Peters, F.E., p. 117http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/december02_index.php

PHYSICAL EXCEPTIONS TO IHRAM

- Only in cases of extreme heat can one put on their originalclothes. If this occurs regular clothing can be put on.When the pilgrim reaches Mecca, they have to put on the Ihram shroud, sacrifice a sheep and then give it to the poor.

Peters, F.E., p. 116-117

SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF IHRAM

- Because one is in front of God, tempers, desires and language have to be censored.

- Forbidden aspects vary by school : for example the Shafi’iteschool does not allow pilgrims to look in a mirror.- Brotherhood: as all pilgrims are dressed alike,

socio-economic and backgrounds are to disappear. Peters, F.E., p. 115-117, 119

VARIATIONS BY GENDER

http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/december02_index.php

- Physical Differences: Women are allowed to wear dresses, traditionally white, but can now wear various colors. A woman cannot cover their face but cover their hair with scarves. Women can also wear stitched clothing.

- Spiritual Differences: Women follow the additional spiritual guidelines as male pilgrims. For example, women cannot sell wild animals, break an egg of a wild bird, etc…

VARIATIONS BY GENDER, cont…

- When menstruating: A woman must perform the obligatorybath (ghusi) before entering ihram and before saying herintentions (niyat). Women can perform everything, but arerequired to bathe before circumambulating the Ka’ba.

- Women need to perform the hajj with a mahram (someonewho the woman cannot marry). Ifa woman feels as if she will tempt men, she may use an umbrella to shield her face.

http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/december02_index.php

THE CESSATION OF IHRAM

- Only once all rituals have been performed can onerightfully discard their ihram shroud.

- The ritual sacrificing of the sheep occurs and then pilgrims can put on their original clothing or even new clothes. It is at this time that the celebration begins and the pilgrims congratulate each other on their completing the hajj.

Festival at the end of the hajjPeters, F.E., p. 254

HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS

- Ibn Battuta : At the mosque of Dhu Hulayfa (5 mi. fromMedina), the Prophet assumed the pilgrim garb and entered the ihram state. He said a prayer and made two bowings, making his intentions for the Greater Pilgrimageknown.

- Burton’s: Miquat was al-Zariba. When entering ihram, he bathed, facedMecca and said: “I vow this ihram of the Hajj and the Umrah to AllahAlmighty”. They he bowed twice and prayed: “O Allah! Verily I purposethe Hajj and the Umrah, then enable me to accomplish the two, and accept them both of me and make both blessed to me.” He then says the talbiyya.

Peters, F.E., p. 104, 117-118

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiwZB6-L1fE

PERSONAL ACCOUNTS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyLqu-utGPU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP5dWtHw--I

Various personal accounts of the hajj andihram can be found online. Here are a few

links to YouTube videos, giving additional informationon ihram.

RESOURCES

INFORMATION:

Encyclopedia of Religion. Jones, L. (Ed.) 2nd Ed. Vol. 10. Thompson Gale: NY, 2005.

Peters, F. E., The Hajj: The Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca and the Holy Places. PrincetonUniversity Press: NJ, 1994.

http://home.tiscali.nl/willemvogelsang/Exhibitions/hajjexhibition.digital/hajj.ihramdress/ihram.dress/hajj.ihram.How%20is%20ihram%20worn%20during%20the%20Hajj.htm

http://islamicvoice.com/December2006/Rituals/?PHPSESSID=4e3796a9c2fd5e71640a1-e72ee7902f6

PICTURES:Various online

sources.

http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/december02_index.php

http://www.YouTube.com