When a Muslim goes to perform Umrah, he enters a state of Ihram, during Ihram, there are some things that are not allowed during Umrah, and a set of rules that must be followed for the Umrah to be valid.
What Is Ihram?
It is a state that a Muslim enters when going to perform Umrah or Hajj, where he wears some customized clothes and performs some purification.
Ihram helps to achieve equality among all the pilgrims, so everyone is equal during the Umrah.
Things That Are Not Allowed During Umrah
In terms of clothing, the rules differ between men and women as follows:
For Women
A set of prohibited clothes and tools that are not allowed during Umrah for women:
- Wear eye-catching clothes during the Umrah, she must wear comfortable, light-colored clothes that are not conspicuous or tight, and long that cover the entire body, with an Islamic headscarf (Hijab).
- Wear gloves and ruband (niqab).
- Combing or cutting hair; to avoid hair loss.
- Wear shiny and bright jewelry and clothes.
- Use of cosmetics, scented oils, or perfumes.
- Chanting the Talbiyah loudly, or talking in a loud voice to others.
- That the woman is menstruating or postpartum.
- Crowding with strangers men or performing Umrah at a close distance from them, while performing Umrah a woman must maintain a safe distance from other men and remain near her accompanying man (mahram), or walk in the space designated for women.
For Men
There are many things not allowed during Umrah for men, such as:
- Wearing sewn clothes or covered shoes such as socks and shoes, he must wear open shoes like sandals.
- Cutting nails.
- Removing or trimming hair.
- Covering the head during the Umrah, or using any tool to shade from the sun or rain.
- Sexual interactions with the wife or getting married.
- Killing insects or hunting wild animals, except in the case of self-defense.
- Use perfumes or oils to enhance beauty.
- Possessing and carrying weapons of any kind such as knives.
- Lying or bragging.
- Fighting with others or using harsh words.
Other Things That Are Not Allowed During Umrah
Many things are not allowed during Umrah, including:
- Wearing dyed or scented clothes.
- Touching the Black Stone (Al-Hajar al-Aswad) or the Yemeni Corner; So that too much perfume does not stick to the person.
- Putting henna on any part of the body, or using scented kohl.
- Body hair removal, from anywhere in the body.
- Cutting or shortening nails during the Umrah.
- Masturbation or any sexual interaction.
- Harming animals, or hunting in Al-haram.
- Cutting down trees and herbs, unless they are dry or from plants that are grown regularly (like wheat and barley).
- Repeal or non-application of any of the conditions for performing Umrah without reason or fatwa.
Things You Can Do During Umrah
Some people misunderstand the prohibitions and avoid doing many of the permissible things, such as the following actions that are permitted during the Umrah:
- Use belt pockets to carry valuables such as travel documents and money.
- Use unscented soap for self-cleaning.
- Take a shower with unscented products, with care not to do anything that causes hair loss.
- Killing a harmful animal that threatens the life of the pilgrim, such as a snake or a scorpion.
- The man may cover his body with a blanket or a piece of cloth sewn at the edges to keep himself warm.
- Use pins and clips to secure men’s ihram clothes.
- The use of creams and lotions for medical purposes is permitted.
- Protect the head from rain or sun by standing in a shaded place.
Penalty For Violating The Prohibitions
If a Muslim violates any of the rules during the Umrah, he must pay a ransom, which is:
- Offering a large sacrifice such as a camel or a cow.
- Offering a small sacrifice such as a sheep or a goat.
- Alms (Sadaqah) for the poor in the form of food.
Note that the type of punishment imposed on a person varies according to the type of violation.
