Hajj and Umrah

Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah and the holy places, and the fifth of the five pillars of Islam. This page gathers Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen’s teaching on Hajj and ‘Umrah from two of his books: Arousing the Intellects, Volume 2, his explanation of ‘Umdatul-Ahkaam, and his booklet How to Perform Hajj.

The Shaykh’s own words and the hadeeths he brings stand as quotations on the page; everything else is his teaching carried in summary.

What Hajj Is and Its Obligation

The Shaykh opens his Book of Hajj with the word’s meaning:

“Hajj linguistically means intention. Legislative meaning: Intending (heading for) Mecca and the Holy Places to perform pilgrimage rites.”

“Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The proof that it is obligatory is found in the Holy Qur’an, Hadith and the consensus of Muslim scholars.”

Hajj is the fifth of those pillars; the hadeeth naming all five stands on the page What Are the Five Pillars of Islam? The verse he brings for its obligation:

“Pilgrimage is duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures.” (Surah Al-‘Imran 3:97)

This verse also stands on the Five Pillars page, in another printing, ending at the duty. Here it is whole.

The Shaykh says Hajj was imposed after the conquest of Makkah, in the ninth or tenth year after the Hijrah. The booklet adds that its verse came in the ninth year, the year of the delegations, and explains the wisdom in the delay.

And the duty does not repeat yearly. The Shaykh quotes the hadeeth:

“Hajj is obligatory only once in one’s lifetime. Whatever one does over and above this is supererogatory (a voluntary act) for him.”

The book’s footnote says it is narrated by Ahmad and an-Nasa’i, and its text is in Sahih Muslim.

Upon whom is it obligatory? The booklet answers: upon every sane, adult, capable Muslim, in wealth and in body. A child’s Hajj is valid but voluntary; the obligation remains upon him at adulthood. One permanently unable appoints someone in his place; one whose inability may pass waits; and if a person dies owing it, it is performed from his estate. The booklet also urges hastening once able, noting that the hadeeth it quotes for hastening has a weak chain.

The Three Forms of Hajj

Hajj is performed in one of three forms, which the booklet names and defines:

“There are three types of Hajj: Tamattu’, Qiran, and Ifrad. Tamattu’ Hajj: It is to assume Ihram for ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, meaning after the beginning of the month of Shawwal, and complete ‘Umrah, then assume Ihram for Hajj in the same year. Qiran Hajj: It is to combine Hajj and ‘Umrah by assuming Ihram for both together, or by assuming Ihram for ‘Umrah alone and then adding Hajj to it before starting the Tawaf of ‘Umrah. Ifrad Hajj: To assume Ihram for Hajj alone. The majority of scholars agree that a person has the choice between these types of Hajj, and they differed regarding which is the best. The correct view is that Tamattu’ is the best, because the Prophet ﷺ commanded his Companions to perform it and encouraged them to do so.”

In the ‘Umdah, the Shaykh’s benefits of the hadeeth about changing the intention say the same: Tamattu’ is the best sort of ritual, because the Prophet ﷺ ordered it for those who had not brought the hady [the sacrificial animal].

Tamattu’ and Qiran owe a hady: a sheep, or a seventh share of a camel or a cow, slaughtered on the day of Eid or the three days after, in Mina or Makkah, and he eats from it. Whoever cannot find or afford one fasts three days during the Hajj and seven on returning home.

The Mawaqit: Where Ihram Begins

Ihram is entered at appointed places, the mawaqit (one is a miqat). The hadeeth that fixes them heads the ‘Umdah’s chapter:

“Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah specified for the people of Madinah, Dhul-Hulaifah as Miqat. For those coming from ash-Sham, he specified al-Juhfah. For those coming from Najd, he specified Qarn al-Manazil. For those coming from Yemen, he specified Yalamlam, who pass by them on their way to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah. Those living within those boundaries can assume ihram from where they set out, and even the residents of Mecca, their Miqat would be the place where they are staying in Mecca. Agreed upon.”

Its closing words are its sourcing here: “Agreed upon”, meaning al-Bukhari and Muslim. Four places are named in it; the fifth, Dhat ‘Irq, stands in the booklet’s list. In today’s names: Dhul-Hulaifah is Abyar ‘Ali; al-Juhfah is ruined, and people enter from Rabigh; Qarn al-Manazil is as-Sayl al-Kabir; Yalamlam is as-Sa’diyah. His benefits: ihram from the mawaqit is necessary for whoever intends Hajj or ‘Umrah, and no one intending either enters before his miqat.

Whoever passes a miqat intending Hajj or ‘Umrah enters ihram there; a traveller by air or sea enters when his route comes level with one. Those inside the mawaqit enter from where they are, and Makkah’s people enter for Hajj from Makkah itself. For ‘Umrah they enter ihram outside the Haram [the sacred precinct of Makkah], as ‘A’ishah did at at-Tan’im; the booklet’s footnote gives that hadeeth as al-Bukhari (1560) and Muslim (123/1211).

Entering Ihram and the Talbiyah

Before entering ihram, the booklet’s preparation: a ghusl [the full ritual bath], like the ghusl for janabah [the state after sexual relations]; the best perfume he has, on hair and beard; and white upper and lower sheets. A woman wears what she wishes, without displaying adornment. And if he prays two rak’ahs [units of prayer] beforehand, they are the Sunnah of wudu [the ablution]: no Sunnah prayer is established for ihram itself.

Then he makes his intention and speaks the talbiyah [the pilgrim’s call of response]. For ‘Umrah the booklet prints it thus:

“Labbayka Allahumma labbayk; labbayka la sharika laka labbayk; inna al-hamda wa an-ni’mata laka wa al-mulk, la sharika lak; labbayka Allahumma ‘Umrah” (I respond to Your call, O Allah, I do respond; I respond to Your call, and You have no partner. Verily, the praise, blessing, and sovereignty belong to You; You have no partner. Here I am O Allah to perform ‘Umrah).

“A man should raise his voice with it, while a woman should recite it quietly.”

The ‘Umdah explains the name: ihram is from ihlal, raising the voice, for the pilgrim raises his voice with it on entering it. For Hajj, the booklet prints the same call ending labbayka Allahumma Hajjan, here I am, O Allah, for Hajj. The talbiyah continues from then on: for ‘Umrah until tawaf begins; for Hajj, until the stoning of Jamrat al-‘Aqabah on the day of Eid.

The Prohibitions of Ihram

From the moment of ihram, things lawful before become forbidden until he comes out of it. The clothing is fixed first, by the ‘Umdah’s chapter on what a muhrim [a pilgrim in ihram] may wear:

“Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that a man said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger. What type of clothes should a Muhrim wear’ Allah’s Messenger replied, ‘Do not wear shirts, turbans trousers hooded cloaks or Baranes or Khifaf; but if someone cannot get sandals, then he can wear Khuffs after cutting them short below the ankles. Do not wear clothes touched by saffron or waras.’”

Al-Bukhari added: “Women should not wear Niqab or gloves.”

Khuffs are leather socks, cut below the ankles; waras is a perfumed dye.

The booklet gathers the rest into groups. Eight are shared by men and women: removing or cutting the hair; cutting the nails; perfume after entering ihram, on the body, the clothes, or in food and drink; wearing gloves; lustful contact with one’s spouse; sexual intercourse; contracting a marriage, which is invalid and carries no ransom; and killing land game.

Intercourse is the gravest. If it happens in Hajj before the first tahallul [the first release from ihram’s restrictions], four things follow: the Hajj is nullified, it must be gone through with, it must be made up the following year, and a camel is offered. Killing land game carries its own ransom: an equivalent animal for the poor of the Haram, its value in food for them, or a day’s fast for each poor person.

Two prohibitions belong to men alone: a head covering that clings to it, and stitched clothing fitted to the body. A tent, a car roof, or an umbrella is not the clinging covering meant, and the booklet allows a patched wrap, a ring, a watch, glasses, a hearing aid, and a money pouch. One belongs to women alone: covering the face, whose ruling is al-Bukhari’s line above.

One permission stands beside the prohibition of game: a pilgrim may eat game hunted by someone not in ihram, if it was not hunted for him. The ‘Umdah closes its Book of Hajj with Abu Qatadah’s hadeeth: he hunted a zebra while not in ihram, and the pilgrims ate of it with the Prophet’s ﷺ approval.

For these prohibitions there is a fidyah, a ransom. The booklet states the choice in one sentence:

“One can choose between fasting three days, feeding six poor people, giving each poor person half a Sa’, or slaughtering a sheep.”

The food and sheep go to the poor in Makkah, or where the prohibition was done. The hadeeth behind the choice stands in the ‘Umdah’s chapter on fidyah: Ka’b ibn ‘Ujrah was suffering from lice while in ihram.

“‘Abdullah ibn Ma’qil is reported as saying, ‘I sat once with Ka’b ibn ‘Ujrah. I asked him about the Fidyah. He answered, “It was sent down concerning me specifically, but it generally addresses all of you as well. Then he said, “I was carried to the Prophet, and lice were falling over my face. He said, “I did not know that you are suffering to that extent.” Or, “I did not know that your disease is hurting you as much as what I see. Can you afford a sheep?” I said, ‘No.’ He then said, “Fast three days or feed six poor people, half a Sa’ each.” According to another narration, the Prophet ordered him to feed six poor people with one Faraq (a measurement equal to three Sa’s) of food, slaughter a sheep, or fast for three days.’”

The book’s footnote gives it as al-Bukhari (1719) and Muslim (1201).

The booklet sorts everyone who does a forbidden act into three cases. One who does it with no need and no excuse has sinned, and the ransom is on him. One who does it out of need pays the ransom and has not sinned. And one who does it out of ignorance, forgetfulness, coercion, or while asleep has neither sin nor ransom, but must leave it at once when the excuse lifts.

The Sanctity of Makkah

On the day of its conquest, the Prophet ﷺ declared Makkah’s sanctity, and the ‘Umdah prints the hadeeth whole:

“Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that Allah’s Messenger said on the day of the conquest of Mecca, ‘There is no emigration after the conquest, but there is Jihad and good intentions. And when you are called for Jihad, you should come out at once.’ Allah’s Messenger also said, on the day of the conquest of Mecca, ‘Allah has made this town a sanctuary since the day He created the Heavens and the Earth. So, it is a sanctuary by Allah’s Decree till the Day of Resurrection. Fighting in it was not legal for anyone before me, and it was made legal for me only for an hour by daytime. So, it (i.e., Mecca) is a sanctuary by Allah’s Decree till the Day of Resurrection. Its thorny bushes should not be cut, and its animals should not be chased, its fallen property (i.e., Luqata) should not be picked up except by one who will announce it publicly; and its grass should not be uprooted,’ On that Al-‘Abbas said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon)! Except for the Idhkhir, because it is used by the goldsmiths and the people for their houses.’ On that, the Prophet said, ‘Except the Idhkhir.’”

The book’s footnote gives it as al-Bukhari (112) and Muslim (1353). One exception was asked for and granted: al-Idhkhir [a sweet-smelling grass], used by the goldsmiths and for houses.

Performing ‘Umrah

‘Umrah is performed on its own at any time of year, or as the first part of Tamattu’. In Makkah he begins with tawaf [circling the Ka’bah], seven rounds. At the Black Stone he touches and kisses it if he can without crowding; if not, he points and says the takbir [Allahu Akbar: Allah is the Greatest]. The Yemeni Corner he touches, but does not kiss. In the first three rounds he does ramal [walking briskly with short steps], and through all seven he keeps idtiba’ [the upper sheet under the right arm, leaving the right shoulder bare]. He fills the rounds with dhikr [remembrance of Allah] and du’a [supplication] as he wishes: there is no fixed du’a for each round, and holding to one wording is an innovation, the booklet says.

After tawaf he prays two rak’ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim [the Station of Ibrahim], reciting Surah al-Kafirun in the first and Surah al-Ikhlas in the second. Then sa’i, the walking between as-Safa and al-Marwah, seven rounds, Safa to Marwah counting as one. On each hill he faces the qiblah [the direction of prayer] with hands raised in dhikr and du’a, and the men jog between the two green signs. Then he shortens his hair, and a woman takes a fingertip’s length from hers. His ‘Umrah is complete and his ihram ends; if it was Tamattu’s ‘Umrah, he stays out of ihram until the eighth day.

The Rites of Hajj, Day by Day

On the eighth day, the day of Tarwiyah, he enters ihram for Hajj from where he is staying, with the same preparation. At Mina he prays the five prayers, the four-unit ones shortened to two, not combined.

On the ninth day he goes to ‘Arafah. There Dhuhr and ‘Asr are prayed shortened and combined, and the rest of the day is given to remembrance and supplication, facing the qiblah, until sunset. The standing at ‘Arafah is the heart of the Hajj, and its time is that day. After sunset he moves to Muzdalifah, prays Maghrib and ‘Isha’ there, and spends the night. After Fajr, remembrance and supplication until the morning is bright, then on to Mina.

The day of Eid is the fullest day. At Mina he stones Jamrat al-‘Aqabah with seven pebbles, with the takbir at each throw. Then he slaughters his hady and shaves or shortens his hair, shaving being better; a woman shortens a fingertip’s length. With that comes the first tahallul: all of ihram’s prohibitions lift except relations with his wife. Then he goes to Makkah for Tawaf al-Ifadah and the sa’i after it, without ramal or idtiba’. With that comes the second tahallul, and all is lawful to him.

The day’s works have their order: throwing, slaughtering, shaving or shortening, then tawaf and sa’i. An-Nawawi, quoted in the ‘Umdah’s footnote, names the day of sacrifice’s four works in that order, and says one may be done before or after another, with no expiation for leaving the order. Its hadeeth of that day’s questions:

“‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah stayed for a while in Mina during the Farewell Hajj. At the same time, people asked him questions, and he answered them. A man asked, ‘O Prophet of Allah! I was not alert and shaved my head before slaughtering my animal!’ The Prophet answered, ‘There is no harm; go and slaughter your animal.’ Another man asked, ‘I forgot and slaughtered the animal before I threw the Jamarat? The Prophet said: ‘There is no harm, go and throw your Jamarat.’ The narrator added: So on that day, when the Prophet was asked about anything (as regards to the rituals of Hajj) performed before or after its due time, his reply was, ‘Do it (now), and there is no harm.’”

The book’s footnote gives it as al-Bukhari (83) and Muslim (1306).

The nights of the eleventh and twelfth are spent at Mina. On each day, after the sun has passed its height, he stones the three jamarat [the pillars at Mina], seven pebbles at each, standing to supplicate after the first and the second. Whoever leaves on the twelfth before sunset has finished; whoever stays for the thirteenth has done what is better. Those days are not days of fasting:

“The Days of Tashriq are days of eating, drinking, and remembrance of Allah.”

The booklet’s footnote gives it as Muslim (1141), from Nubaishah al-Hudhali, and sets beside it Allah’s command to remember Him during the appointed days (Surah al-Baqarah 2:203).

The Farewell Tawaf

A pilgrim does not simply leave Makkah. The booklet says he should not depart until he has performed the Farewell Tawaf, making it his last act there. Its hadeeth is Ibn ‘Abbas’s:

Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father): “People were commanded to make (Tawaf around) the Ka’bah the last thing they do, but an exception was made for menstruating women.”

The booklet’s footnote gives it as al-Bukhari (1755) and Muslim (380/1328); women in menstruation or post-childbirth bleeding are exempt.

The ‘Umdah carries the same relief in Safiyyah’s case: she had performed Tawaf al-Ifadah on the day of sacrifice before her menses came, and the Prophet ﷺ let her depart without the farewell tawaf. The book’s footnote gives her hadeeth as al-Bukhari (1440) and Muslim (1211), and quotes Ibn Qudamah that Tawaf al-Ifadah is obligatory and not to be left. So the farewell is lifted for her; the Ifadah is not.

Visiting the Prophet’s Mosque

Many pilgrims add a visit to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. It is one of the three mosques to which journeys are undertaken, and praying in it is prescribed at all times. The visit is not a rite of Hajj: Hajj is complete without it and not lessened by leaving it out; the two journeys are often made together.

The booklet states, in its own words, that a prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere, except for the Sacred Mosque; the hadeeth is reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

The visitor prays in the mosque, sends salam [greetings of peace] upon the Prophet ﷺ, then steps a little right to greet Abu Bakr, and a little more to greet ‘Umar.

The Wisdom of Hajj

The Shaykh closes his opening with its wisdom. In Hajj, a Muslim worships Allah divested of his stitched clothes, free of ihram’s forbidden acts and sayings: circling the House, walking between Safa and Marwah, standing at ‘Arafah, the nights at Muzdalifah and Mina, stoning, and shaving. And in it the Muslims of every land meet: they know one another, guide one another, and love is planted among them.

And Allah knows best.

References

Arousing the Intellects with an Explanation of ‘Umdatul-Ahkaam, Volume 2, explanation by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen, Maktabatulirshad Publications Ltd, First Edition Rabi’ Thani 1443 / November 2021, ISBN 978-1-6856-4760-5, translated by ‘Ihsan Gonsalves, Raha Batts and ‘Abdullah ‘Ibrahim ‘Imran: the Book of Hajj, printed pp. 216, 218, 219, 223, 226, 241, 253, 325, 335, 344, 357.

How to Perform Hajj (Sifat al-Hajj), by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen: printed pp. 24 to 49. The copy in my library carries no publisher, edition, year or ISBN statement; it is cited by its title page only.

The books print the divine name as “Allaah”. It is written “Allah” throughout this page, in quotations as well, following the site’s spelling decision; the rest of each quotation stands exactly as printed.