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ইহরাম is the sacred state entered for হজ্জ or উমরাহ by making the intention at the miqat. During ইহরাম, it is হারাম to cut hair or nails, apply perfume, have sexual relations, hunt, or make marriage contracts. Men must not wear fitted clothing or cover their heads. Violations require fidyah: fasting 3 days, feeding 6 poor people, or sacrificing a sheep.
ইহরাম is not merely clothing — it is a sacred state of consecration that a Muslim enters for performing হজ্জ or উমরাহ. The word 'ইহরাম' comes from the Arabic root h-r-m, meaning 'to make হারাম,' because the হাজী makes certain normally permissible things হারাম upon himself. ইহরাম begins with the intention (niyyah) in the heart, not with the wearing of the garments. A person wearing ইহরাম garments without making the intention is NOT in ইহরাম. Conversely, a person who makes the intention in regular clothes is in ইহরাম and must change immediately. Allah says: 'And complete the হজ্জ and উমরাহ for Allah' (Al-Baqarah 2:196). The ইহরাম symbolizes equality before Allah — kings and commoners, rich and poor, all dressed the same, stripped of worldly distinctions.
The process of entering ইহরাম involves several মুস্তাহাব steps: (1) Perform গোসল (sunnah mu'akkadah for both men and women, including menstruating women, based on the hadith that নবী করীম commanded Asma bint Umays to bathe though she was in post-natal bleeding — Sahih Muslim, 1209). (2) Apply perfume to the body before making the niyyah (for men), based on the hadith of Aisha: 'I used to perfume the Messenger of Allah before his ইহরাম' (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1539). (3) Men put on the izar (lower wrap) and rida' (upper wrap) — white and unstitched. Women wear any modest clothing. (4) Pray two rak'at if it is not a disliked time (sunnah, not ওয়াজিব). (5) At the miqat, make the intention and begin the তালবিয়াহ. The intention must be made at or before the miqat.
These are the most frequent errors pilgrims make during this stage of Hajj.
Scholarly references supporting this guidance from established Islamic sources.
Men in ইহরাম must avoid the following: (1) Wearing any stitched or fitted clothing — no shirts, pants, underwear, socks, or shoes that cover the ankle and top of the foot. নবী করীম (সাল্লাল্লাহু আলাইহি ওয়া সাল্লাম) said: 'The muhrim (one in ইহরাম) should not wear a shirt, turban, trousers, hooded cloak, or leather socks' (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1542). (2) Covering the head with anything attached to it — no caps, helmets, or scarves tied around the head. Using an umbrella or walking under a structure for shade is permissible because it is not attached to the head. (3) Cutting or removing hair from any part of the body, as Allah says: 'And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of sacrifice' (Al-Baqarah 2:196). (4) Trimming nails. (5) Applying perfume or using scented soap, shampoo, or lotion. (6) Hunting land animals. (7) Sexual relations or any intimate contact. (8) Marriage contracts — neither marrying nor arranging marriages.
Women in ইহরাম must avoid the same general prohibitions as men (no perfume, no cutting hair/nails, no hunting, no sexual relations, no marriage contracts), with the following specific differences: (1) Women do NOT wear the niqab (face veil with a slit for the eyes). নবী করীম (সাল্লাল্লাহু আলাইহি ওয়া সাল্লাম) said: 'The woman in ইহরাম must not wear the niqab or gloves' (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1838). However, she may cover her face by draping a cloth from her head over her face when non-mahram men are near — this is established from the practice of Aisha and the female companions. (2) Women do NOT wear gloves, but they may cover their hands with their sleeves or a draped cloth. (3) Women may wear ANY modest colored clothing — there is no requirement for white or any specific color. (4) Women may wear stitched clothing, shoes, and socks. (5) Women's ইহরাম is in their clothing, not in removing it.
If a হাজী violates ইহরাম restrictions, the penalty depends on the type of violation: (1) For cutting hair, trimming nails, applying perfume, covering the head (men), or wearing fitted clothing (men), the penalty is a fidyah: the হাজী chooses one of three options — fasting 3 days, feeding 6 poor people (half a sa' of food each, approximately 1.5 kg of rice or dates), or sacrificing a sheep. This is based on Al-Baqarah 2:196 and the hadith of Ka'b ibn Ujrah (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1815). (2) For hunting, the penalty is either an equivalent animal as sacrifice, or feeding poor people with the equivalent value, or fasting one day for each mudd of food (Al-Ma'idah 5:95). (3) For sexual intercourse before the first tahallul, the হজ্জ is invalidated but must be completed, and the হাজী must perform it again the following year, plus sacrifice a camel. (4) For accidental violations (forgetting or ignorance), there is no penalty according to the strongest opinion, based on: 'Our Lord, do not take us to account if we forget or make a mistake' (Al-Baqarah 2:286).
There are two stages of exiting ইহরাম during হজ্জ: (1) The First Tahallul (partial release): This occurs after performing two of the three acts on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah — stoning জামারাত al-Aqaba, shaving/trimming the hair, and তাওয়াফ al-Ifadah with sa'i. After the first tahallul, all restrictions are lifted EXCEPT sexual relations with one's spouse. (2) The Second Tahallul (complete release): This occurs after completing all three acts. After the second tahallul, ALL restrictions are lifted, including sexual relations. For উমরাহ, exiting ইহরাম occurs after completing তাওয়াফ, sa'i, and shaving/trimming — all restrictions are lifted at once. নবী করীম (সাল্লাল্লাহু আলাইহি ওয়া সাল্লাম) put on perfume after his first tahallul and before performing তাওয়াফ al-ifadah (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1539).