Lesson — Learn Arabic & Islamic Studies

Lesson Content

Ihram is the state you enter with the intention; the two white cloths are only its clothing.

How ihram begins

Ihram begins with the intention, joined to a word or action of the rite, such as the Talbiyah (Khalil, in the Risalah commentary). The intention alone in the heart, without starting, is not yet ihram in the Maliki school.

BatheGhusl as for janabah, if convenient

PerfumeMen: head and beard, not the clothes. Not for women in public

DressMen: izar and rida'. Women: normal modest clothes

PrayThe obligatory prayer if it is due, otherwise two rak'ahs of wudu'

Intend and say"Labbayka 'Umratan" (or "Hajjan") and the Talbiyah

Ibn 'Uthaymeen. Perfume that remains on the body after ihram does no harm.

A woman in menses or postnatal bleeding also bathes and enters ihram. She does everything except the prayer and, later, the Tawaf. Asma' bint 'Umays gave birth at the miqat, and the Prophet ﷺ told her to bathe and enter ihram (Muslim).

The Talbiyah

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ"Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion are Yours. You have no partner."The Talbiyah of the Prophet ﷺ

Arabic	Words	Meaning
لَبَّيْكَ	Labbayk	An answer after an answer: here I am, responding to You again and again
لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ	La sharika lak	You have no partner: the Talbiyah is a declaration of tawhid
الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ وَالْمُلْكَ	al-hamd, an-ni'mah, al-mulk	Praise, blessing and dominion all belong to Him

The Risalah links "labbayk" to the call of Ibrahim: when he called the people to Hajj, they answered him from the east and the west.

How and when to say it

Men

Raise the voice.

Women

Loud enough for the one beside her to hear (Ibn 'Uthaymeen). See lesson 12 for the other views.

Say it often, especially when times and places change: going up or down, at nightfall and daybreak, after prayers, on meeting fellow travellers.
'Umrah: from entering ihram until you start Tawaf.
Hajj: from entering ihram until you start stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah on the day of 'Eid.

The condition (ishtirat)

If someone fears that illness or another obstacle may stop him, he adds when entering ihram:

فَإِنْ حَبَسَنِي حَابِسٌ فَمَحِلِّي حَيْثُ حَبَسْتَنِي"If I am prevented by an obstacle, my place (of leaving ihram) is wherever You hold me back."Ibn 'Uthaymeen; the Prophet ﷺ taught it to Duba'ah bint az-Zubayr (al-Bukhari, Muslim)

Without such a fear, he does not make the condition. It can be made for 'Umrah as well.

The Risalah says the Talbiyah stops on entering Makkah until Tawaf and Sa'y are done, then resumes until midday on 'Arafah. Al-Lakhmi inclined to the narration in Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ continued until he stoned Jamrat al-'Aqabah, which is the view followed in this course.

Key points

Ihram: intention joined with the Talbiyah.
Bathe, perfume the body (men), dress, pray, then intend and say the Talbiyah.
Talbiyah: a declaration of tawhid; men aloud, women softly.
'Umrah: until Tawaf begins; Hajj: until stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah.
The condition "my place is wherever You hold me back" if one fears an obstacle.

Video Lesson

Entering Ihram and the Talbiyah