How To Wear Ihram

Ihram Wearing Guidelines

Man Ihram


A man must wear the clothes of Ihram which are two pieces:

1.The wraparound (izar)
2 The robe (rida`). 

Conditions For Ihram
The conditions for these clothes are the same of that for clothes in prayer. They must not be made from pure silk, not be made what can be eaten, by precaution, it cannot have gold on it, and it must be pure (tahir), but of course it can be impure the same amount allowed in prayer.

Rule: It is of precaution to purify any of the two pieces of the clothes of Ihram after doing the Ihram if they become impure by any reason.

Woman Ihram:
As for a woman, she does Ihram in any clothes and any colour she wishes as long as it conceals her and is adequate Hijab. The way of doing Ihram is by wearing the two pieces of Ihram clothes, making the intention and then saying the talbiyah.

Recommended acts in Ihram


It is recommended to do certain things during Ihram:

1. Cleaning of the body, cutting of the nails, shortening the moustache, removing the hair from the underarms and private parts, which should all be done before Ihram.

2. Leaving the head hair and beard grow from the beginning of Dhil-qi’dah for he who wants to do Hajj, and a month before the trip of he who wants to do ‘Umrah Mufradah.

3. Ghusl for Ihram in one of the Miqaats, and it is apparently valid for a woman who is in her menstrual or postnatal periods (haydh or nifas). If someone feared that they will not be able to get any water in the Miqaat, they can do the ghusl before getting there, but if they get there and there is water, they must redo the ghusl. If the pilgrim does the ghusl and then does a minor hadath(1) or eats or wears something forbidden, they must repeat the ghusl. Doing the ghusl will be sufficient until the next evening if done in the day, or the end of the next day if done in the night.

4. There are certain supplications to be read at the time of ghusl, the time of Ihram and at the time of Talbiyah.

5. The two pieces of Ihram should be made from cotton.

6. To do the Ihram after dhuhr prayer, and if one cannot do so, then after any obligatory prayer.

7. Pronouncing the intention of Ihram along with doing the Talbiyah.

8. For men it is recommended to do the Talbiyah with a loud voice.

9. The Talbiyah should be throughout Ihram, when waking up, after prayers, during travelling, and it is more recommended to repeat it in the early morning, even if the pilgrim was in the state of janabah or haydh. It is recommended that one not cease from doing Talbiyah until they see the houses of Mecca if in ‘Umratul-tamattu’, and until noon time of ‘Arafah day if in Hajjultamattu’.