What are the penalties (fidyah) for violating Ihram?

Ihram violations fall into different categories with corresponding penalties. The most common violations — wearing sewn clothing (men), covering the head (men), using perfume, cutting hair, and trimming nails — carry the standard fidyah outlined in the Quran (2:196). The pilgrim chooses one of three options: fasting 3 days, feeding 6 poor people (giving each approximately 1.5 kg of staple food like wheat or rice), or sacrificing a sheep. This choice is the pilgrim's, not ranked in priority.

For sexual intercourse before standing at Arafat, the penalty is the most severe: the Hajj is invalidated (though the pilgrim must complete the remaining rituals), a camel (or equivalent large animal) must be sacrificed, and the Hajj must be repeated the following year. If intercourse occurs after Arafat but before the first Tahallul (partial exit from Ihram), it does not invalidate the Hajj but still requires a camel sacrifice.

For hunting a land animal while in Ihram, the penalty is to sacrifice an equivalent animal, or to estimate the animal's value and feed the poor accordingly, or to fast one day for each poor person who would have been fed. If a violation was committed out of forgetfulness or genuine ignorance, scholars differ — the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools still require fidyah regardless of intent, while the Hanafi school distinguishes between intentional and unintentional violations. In all cases, consult a knowledgeable scholar for your specific situation.