Ehraam and Injunctions thereof

What should one do before adopting Ehraam? One should, prior to putting on Ehraam, take bath washing oneself well. If can not then perform Wudu (ablution). Anoint the hair with fragrant oil and comb them. If possible, get the head shaved off thereby relieving oneself of taking care of the hair. Pare the finger-nails, get the beard trimmed as per the Shari’ah, remove the hair of armpits and pubes. Applying perfume to oneself is Sunnat. Divest oneself of sewn cloths and put on two new or washed and clean sheets of cloth preferrably white. One covering the upper half of the body and the other covering the lower half. Reaching Meeqaat offer two Rak’at prayer with the intention of Ehraam reciting “Surah Al-Kaaferoon” in the first Rak’at after “Surah Al-Faateha” and Surah Al-Ikhlaas” in the second Rak’at and after completing the prayer form Niyat of Hajj or ‘Umrah as the case may be and then say loudly “Talbiyah” i.e. “Labbaiek”. This is Ehraam that brings the pilgrim under sanctions. Which things are unlawful in the state of Ehraam? The following things,acts are unlawful in the state of Ehraam: (1). Sexual intercourse or kissing or such carnal things, (2). lustful talks before women, (3). Vulgarity which is unlawful in normal course of life, becomes even worse in the state of Ehraam, (4). Querrel even with one’s own servant or subordinate, (5). Hunting or aiding it, (6). To break, cook, fry, sell, purchase or eat eggs or birds or to tease them or milk the wild animals, (7). To pare the finger-nails or strip off any hair of the body from head to toe. Cropping or shaving the beard is even more “Haraam” (unlawful) in the state of Ehraam, (8). To cover the face or head with a piece of cloth or to put/carry a bundle of cloths or bed on the head, (9). To don “Amaamah” (turban) or cap or wear “Burqa” (gown-like veil covering the body from head to toe) or gloves or socks that cover the ankle or to put on sewn cloth(s), (10). to apply perfume to the hair or body or cloth(s), (11). To wear the cloth(s) dyed with the sandal-wood colour or with any other fragrant colour if still giving off aroma, (12). To eat or to tie by the corner of stole or keep a pure perfume, cloves, cardamom, cinnamom, saffron etc. in any manner on one’s person, (13). To wash the head or beard with a fragrant substance or with such a thing that kills lice, (14). To apply hair-dye or to colour the hair with “Wasmah” (a kind of leaves that are used to dye the beard or head) and to apply black-dye is always “Haraam” (unlawful) in normal course of life and in the state of Ehraam such acts are even worse, (15). to set the hair with gum, (16). to apply olive-oil or sesame-oil, although it is odourless, to the body or the hair, (17). to shave off the head of someone even though he is not attired in Ehraam, (18). To kill a louse or throw it away or ask,signal somebody to kill it, (19). To wash cloths or place them in the sunlight to kill lice and (20). To apply any chemical like “Paarah” (poisonous substance) to the hair to kill lice or to cause killing of lice in any way. Which things are “Makrooh” in the state of Ehraam? The following things,acts are “Makrooh” (undesirable) in the state of Ehraam: (1).To remove the dirt from the body or wash the hair or the body with odourless soap or oil-cake, (2). To comb the hair or ruffle the hair or scratch the head in such a way that hair or louse falls off, (3).to put coat or robe on the shoulders in wear-like style, (4). To put on cloth(s) or cover oneself with a sheet of cloth fumigated with some fragrance that is stih giving off aroma, (5). To smell fragrance deliberately although it may be a fragrant fruit or leave like lemon and mint, (6). to bind or cover the head or face with a strip of cloth or to cover the nose or any part of the face with a piece of cloth, (7). To enter inside “Ghilaaf-e-Ka’bah” (the blessed cover of the House of Allah in such a way that it touches one’s head or face, (8). To eat or drink some thing containing aromatic substance which has neither been cooked nor its fragrance suppressed, (9). To put on the unsewn cloth which is darned or patched, (10). To lie prone resting the face on a pillow. However, it is not “Makrooh” to place a pillow under one’s head or cheek, (11). To touch fragrant perfume. However, if it sticks to the hand then it is unlawful, (12). To tie an amulet,talisman round the arm or the neck even though it is wrapped-up in an unstitched piece of cloth, (13). To bandage the body unnecessarily. However, it is permissible to bandage a wound on any part of the body except the face and head, (14).to do one’s make-up. However, it is not Makrooh to see in the mirror, (18). To wrap oneself up in a sheet of cloth knotting its corners with each other provided that the head is not covered otherwise it is “Haraam”, (16). To knot the corners of “Taihband” (a sheet of cloth used as garment for the lower part of the body) and (17). To tie “Taihband” with a drawer-string,waist-band. Which things are permissible in the state of Ehraam? The following things.acts are permissible in the state of Ehraam: (1).To put coat,shirt or robe over oneself in such a way that the head and face are not covered, (2). To tie coat, shirt, robe or trouser round the waist or to put the corner of sheet inside the lower garment, (3). To tie a purse or belt or weapon round the waist, (4). To go under water even though the head disappears in the water. In this condition one can also take bath without removing dirt from the body, (5). To wash cloth(s). But it should not be meant for killing lice, (6). To brush the teeth with “Miswaak” or wear a ring or apply odourless antimony to the eyes, (7).to sit under the shade of something or to put up an umbrella to shelter oneself from rain or sunlight, (8).to remove the loose grinder or dislodged finger-nail or the hair, if falls, in the eye or to circumcise, (9).to have one’s vein opened to bleed without shaving off the hair (of any part of the body) or burst pustule or abscess, (10).to scratch the head or body in such a way that neither the hair falls nor louse, (11).to let the aroma of perfumes applied before adopting Ehraam remain, (12).to slaughter, cook or eat flesh of or milk a domesticated lawful animal or to break, fry or eat egg(s), (13).to catch fish for food or hunt an aquatic animal for medicine. It may be noted that hunting of wild animals or of aquatic ones for sport is unlawful and doing so in the state of Ehraam is even more “Haraam”, (14).to place one’s own or other’s hand on the head or nose, (15).to cover the nape or ear(s) with a piece of cloth or cloth touches the beard beneath the chin, (16).to carry a tray or bag full of material on the head, (17).to eat cooked food containing musk etc. even though it still gives off aroma or to eat such food item which is sprinkled with some fragrance after it is cooked but does not emit aroma, (18).to apply mustard-seed or coconut or gourd,pumpkin or lethuce oil, that is not scented, to the body or hair (head), (19).to put on the cloth which has been dyed with some aromatic substance but is odourless now. However, putting on saffron coloured cloth(s) is unlawful for man, (20).to argue or fight for the sake of Islamic faith. It is “Fard” and “Waajib” when needed, (21).to wear such a pair of shoe that does not cover the insteps of the foot, (22). To put an amulet,talisman wrapping up in an unsewn piece of cloth round the neck, (23).to touch such a fragrance that does not give off aroma at present like aloe, frankincense and sandal-wood or tie it by the corner of stole, (24).to hold “Nikaah” (to solemnise marriage), (25).to strip off grass grown in the outskirts of “Haram” (Holy Ka’bah) or cut down trees, (26).to kill dangerous and filthy animals like kite, crow, chameleon, lizard, bug, snake, scorpion, mosquito, flea, fly etc. and (27).to eat the flesh of such an animal that was hunted by a “Gh
air-Mahram” (the one to whom a woman can be married) and no “Mahram” (the close relatives to whom a woman can not be married) helped him in it in whatsoever way provided that the animal was neither of “Haram” nor was slaughtered in the “Haram”. Do these injunctions apply to men and women equally or not? These injunctions are equally applicable to men and women. However, somethings are permissible for women: (1). To cover the head. It is “Fard” (obligatory) for prayer and to hide from “Naa-Mahram” (one other than a close relative)’s eyes. So carrying a bundle on the head is permissible, (2).to set the hair with gum, (3). to bind a strip of cloth round the head even to tie an amulet,talisman round the arm or put round the neck even though it is sewn up in a piece of cloth, (4).to enter inside the “Ghilaaf-e-Ka’bah” (the blessed cover of the House of Allah) in such a way that it touches,covers the head with the face uncovered, (5).to wear gloves, socks and sewn cloth(s), (6).women should not utter “Labbaiek” so loudly that “Naa-Mahram” may hear her voice. However, it is must for all (irrespective of man and woman) to recite (Quranic chapter(s),verses and “Labbaiek” etc: so audibly that one could hear his/her own voice. NOTE: Covering the face in the state of Ehraam is also unlawful for woman. So she should use a fan etc. as cover to hide her face from Naa-Mahram’s eyes. But it should not touch the face. What injunction is there about unintentional occurance of such things that are impermissible in the state of Ehraam? There is no sin if something,act that is impermissible and unlawful is done in the state of Ehraam due to any excuse or inattention,forgetfulness. However, the penality prescribed for such impermissible thing,act will be due whether it is done intentionally or unintentionally under duress or during sleep, knowingly or unknowingly, in ignorance, in consciousness or unconsciousness.