Upon making Ihraam for Hajj or ‘Umrah, there are certain things that are forbidden as long as one is in the state of Ihraam. They are designated by Muslim scholars as “Prohibitions of Ihraam” and they form three categories: Prohibitions for both men and women, prohibitions for men only, and prohibitions for women only.

Prohibitions for both men and women:

1) Removing hair of the head by means of shaving or otherwise, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {…And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter….} [Quran 2:196] The majority of scholars extended the prohibition to other body hair. As such, pilgrims are forbidden to intentionally remove any hair while in the state of Ihraam, and they are required to pay Fidyah (ransom) should they do so. If the hair fell by itself, the pilgrims are not blamed for that. It is permissible to remove the hair if the pilgrim is physically harmed by keeping it unremoved, and in this case a ransom is obligatory, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {…And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice….} [Quran 2:196] Details will be provided in the section on ransom rulings.

2) Clipping nails is forbidden by analogy with the prohibition of hair removal. In this regard, Ibn Qudaamah said: “There is consensus among scholars that pilgrims who are in the state of Ihraam are forbidden to clip their nails.” The prohibition is applicable to fingernails and toenails alike. However, if a nail broke and caused harm, the pilgrim is permitted to clip the annoying part and is not required to pay a ransom for it.

3) Applying perfume to the clothes or the body, according to the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet said about a pilgrim who is in the state of Ihraam: “He must not wear a garment to which either curcuma or saffron was applied.” Likewise, the Prophet said about the pilgrim who died because of a kick from his riding camel while he was in the state of Ihraam: “Do not apply perfume to him nor cover his head.” [Al-Bukhari] What is meant here is applying perfume after entering the state of Ihraam, but traces of perfume which a pilgrim has applied before he entered Ihraam and they remained on his body are not forbidden, for ‘Aa’ishah was reported to have said: “I would see the glistening of musk (in the parting of the head) of the Messenger of Allah while he was in the state of Ihraam.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

4) Concluding marital contracts, as the Messenger said: “A pilgrim in the state of Ihraam shall neither get married, nor marry off, nor get engaged.” [Muslim] This means that a pilgrim in the state of Ihraam is not permitted to marry, or to conclude a marital contract for someone else, or to make a marriage proposal until his Ihraam is over.

5) Caressing, kissing, or touching that is motivated by lust and otherwise, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {….There is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj…..} [Quran 2:197] In this context, sexual relations include foreplay like hugging, kissing, touching, and the like. Consequently, a pilgrim who is in the state of Ihraam is not permitted to kiss his wife or touch her out of sexual desire. Also, a woman in the state of Ihraam is forbidden to permit her husband to approach her in that way.

6) Having sexual intercourse, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {…There is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj….} [Quran 2:197] Sexual relations, in this context, refer to sexual intercourse and foreplay. Sexual intercourse is actually the major prohibition and the one that affects Ihraam the most, for it is the only prohibition that invalidates the Hajj. Consequences of having sexual intercourse while in Ihraam are detailed in the ransom rulings.

7) Killing lawful-to-eat land game, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {…..But forbidden to you is game from the land as long as you are in the state of Ihraam…..} [Quran 5:96] Pilgrims in the state of Ihraam are not permitted to either catch lawful-to-eat game animals such as gazelles, rabbits, and the like, or kill them, or help anyone to kill them by guiding them to that effect, or pointing to the animals, or handing them (a lethal weapon), or the like. Also, pilgrims in the state of Ihraam are not permitted to eat game that is caught especially for them by other people who are not in the state of Ihraam. If the animal was not caught especially for them, then they are permitted to consume it.

Prohibitions of Ihraam Specific to Men:

1) Wearing form-fitting clothes, as it is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that when the Prophet was asked about the clothes to be worn by people in the state of Ihraam, he said: “They shall not wear Qamees (a loose shirt), turbans, hooded cloaks, trousers, leather socks, or clothes that were scented by curcuma or saffron.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Form-fitting clothes include garments that cover roughly the entire body such as the Qamees and hooded cloaks, or the garments that cover a part of the body such as trousers, leather socks and fabric socks. Pilgrims in the state of Ihraam may wear a rope or a belt or the like around their waists, and they may wear leather socks if shoes are lacking.

2) Covering the head with a fitting object, as the Prophet said about the man who was knocked down by his she-camel at ‘Arafah: “Wash him with water and Sidr and shroud him in his two garments and do not cover his head.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Hence, men who are in the state of Ihraam are not permitted to cover their head with a fitting object such as caps, scarves, turbans, and the like. However, if the cover is not in contact with the head, such as an umbrella or the shade of a tree, the roof of a tent or a car, then there is no harm, for Umm Al-Husayn was reported to have said: “I performed Hajj with the Messenger of Allah during the farewell Pilgrimage and saw Usaamah and Bilaal, one of them had caught hold of the noseband of the she-camel of the Prophet while the other was raising his garment (over his head) protecting him from the heat until he hurled the pebbles of Jamrah al-‘Aqabah.” [Muslim]

Also, men in the state of Ihraam are not permitted to cover their faces because the Prophet said regarding the man who was fatally knocked by his she-camel (in a version of the Hadeeth): “….and do not cover his face.” [Muslim and others]

On the other hand, women may cover their heads and put on any clothes for Ihraam without showing their adornment. However, they are not allowed to wear Niqaab (face cover) or gloves. Women are permitted to cover their faces if men are passing nearby, by lowering their head cover over their faces.

The abovementioned prohibitions are not permissible to be committed intentionally and without due excuse. Anyone who intentionally commits any of them without a due excuse is sinful and is required to pay a ransom. Anyone who needs to commit a violation owing to a due permitting excuse, then he may commit it and as such he is not sinful. Anyone who commits a violation out of forgetfulness, ignorance, or under coercion, then he is not liable for that, as the Prophet said: “My Ummah is absolved of (the consequences of) anything they do mistakenly, forgetfully, or under coercion.” [Ibn Maajah] If there are no further excuses of ignorance, forgetfulness, sleeping or coercion, one must stop committing the violation immediately. If he continues to commit it without a due excuse, then he is sinful and has to observe the relevant consequences such as paying a ransom, and so on. For example, a person who covers his head while asleep is not blamed, yet he must uncover his head immediately when he awakes. If he leaves his head covered despite being aware of the obligation of uncovering it, then he has committed a sin and he must observe the consequences. Details of the rules of the ransom will be explained in a separate article.