Allah (SWT) says in the Quran: "So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming ihram), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allah knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!" (Surah 2:197)
O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the Symbols of Allah, nor of the Sacred Month, nor of the animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlanded people or animals , and others nor the people coming to the Sacred House (Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But when you finish the ihram (of Hajj or 'Umrah ), you may hunt, and let not the hatred of some people in (once) stopping you from Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. (Surah 5:2)
Believers, do not hunt while you are in the state for sanctity. Whoever kills an animal intentionally must make amends by offering an equivalent domestic animal comparable to what was killed as defined by two just men-an offering to be delivered to the Ka'bah. Or, he may atone for his sin by feeding the needy, or by fasting an equivalent number of days, so that he may understand the seriousness of what he has done. God forgives what is past, but if anyone does it again, God will punish him severely. God is mighty, and capable of exacting the penalty. It is permitted for you to catch and eat seafood. This is an enjoyment for you as well as for travelers, although you are forbidden to hunt on land while you are in the state of sanctity. Be mindful of God to whom you will be gathered. (Surah 5:95-96)
Ihram is a simple unsewn apparel worn at the time of Pilgrimage. It consists of two sheets of untailored cloth, one of which is wrapped around the lower part of the body while the other is thrown over the upper part. Once a man has assumed it he must treat as prohibited a number of things which are ordinarily lawful, for example either shaving or trimming the hair, or using perfumes and other items of toiletry and the gratification of sexual desires. These restrictions also extend to both killing and hunting, and to leading anyone else to either kill or hunt an animal.
Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard the Prophet (pbuh) saying "Five practices are characteristics of the Fitra: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the moustaches short, clipping the nails, and depilating the hair of the armpits." (Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5891)
When a person is in the state of pilgrim sanctity (Ihram) it is prohibited for him both to hunt and to assist in hunting animals. Indeed, even if an animal has been hunted for him by someone else he may not eat it. However, if someone hunts an animal for himself and makes a gift of it to such a person, there is no harm in his eating it. There is an exception to this injunction and that is with regard to harmful animals. Snakes, scorpions, mad dogs and other such animals which cause injury to man may be killed even by one in the state of ihram.
In another narration, Yahya related to me from Malik that Ata ibn Abdullah al-Khurasani said that an old man from Suq al-Buram in Kufa had related to him that Kab ibn Ujra said, "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came to me while I was blowing under a cooking pot belonging to my companions and my head and beard were full of lice. He took my forehead and said, 'Shave your hair and fast three days or feed six poor people.' The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was aware that I did not have anything with me to sacrifice.'"
Malik said, concerning paying compensation (fidya) for the relief of physical discomfort, "The custom concerning it is that no one pays compensation until he has done something which makes it obligatory to pay compensation just as making amends (kaffara) is only done when it has become obligatory for the one who owes it. The person can pay the compensation wherever he wishes, regardless of whether he has to sacrifice an animal or fast or give sadaqa -- in Makka or in any other town."
Malik said, "It is not correct for a person in ihram to pluck out any of his hair or to shave it or cut it until he has left ihram, unless he is suffering from an ailment of the head, in which case he owes the compensation Allah the Exalted has ordered. It is not correct for a person in ihram to cut his nails, or to kill his lice, or to remove them from his head or from his skin or his garment to the ground. If a person in ihram removes lice from his skin or his garment, he must give away the quantity of food that he can scoop up with both hands. "
Malik said, "Anyone who, while in ihram, plucks out hairs from his nose or armpit or rubs his body with a depilatory agent or shaves the hair from around a head wound out of necessity or shaves his neck for the place of the cupping glasses, regardless of whether it is in forgetfulness or in ignorance, owes compensation in all these instances, and he must not shave the place of the cupping glasses. Someone, who, out of ignorance, shaves his head before he stones the jamra. must also pay compensation."
Reference : Book 20, Hadith 248; Book 20, Hadith 945
Intention of Entering into Ihram
There are three types of Hajj: Tamattu’, Ifraad and Qiraan.
Tamattu’ means entering ihraam for ‘Umrah only during the months of Hajj (the months of Hajj are Shawwaal, Dhu’l-Qi’dah and Dhu’l-Hijjah; see al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 7/62). When the pilgrim reaches Makkah he performs tawaaf and saa’i for ‘Umrah, and shaves his head or cuts his hair, and exits ihraam. Then when the day of al-Tarwiyah, which is the 8th of Dhu’l-Hijjah, comes, he enters ihraam for Hajj only, and does all the actions of Hajj. So Tamattu’ involves a complete ‘Umrah and a complete Hajj.
Ifraad means entering ihraam for Hajj only. When the pilgrim reaches Makkah he performs tawaaf al-qudoom (tawaaf of arrival) and saa’i for Hajj, but he does not shave or cut his hair and does not exit ihraam, rather he remains in ihraam until he exits ihraam after stoning Jamarat al-‘Aqabah on the day of Eid. If he delays the saa’i of Hajj until after the tawaaf of Hajj, there is nothing wrong with that.
Qiraan means entering ihraam for ‘Umrah and Hajj both together. Or entering ihraam for ‘Umrah first then including Hajj in that before starting the tawaaf of Hajj. That is done by intending that his tawaaf and saa’i will be for both Hajj and ‘Umrah.
The actions done in Qiraan are the same as those done in Ifraad, except that the pilgrim doing Qiraan has to offer a hadiy (sacrifice) whereas the pilgrim doing Ifraad does not.
The pilgrim should observe the Sunnahs of ihraam, namely doing ghusl, applying perfume and praying. Then he should enter ihraam after he finishes the prayer or after boarding his means of transportation.
Then if he is doing Tamattu’, he should say, “Labbayk Allaahumma bi ‘Umrah (Here I am, O Allaah, for ‘Umrah).”
If he is doing Qiraan, he should say, “Labbayk Allaahumma bi Hijjah wa ‘Umrah (Here I am, O Allaah, for Hajj and ‘Umrah).”
If he is doing Ifraad, he should say, “Labbayk Allaahumma Hajjan (Here I am, O Allaah, for Hajj).”
- Then he should say, “Allaahumma haadhihi hijjah laa riyaa’a fiha wa la sum’ah (O Allaah, this is a pilgrimage in which there is no showing off or seeking reputation).”
- Then he should recite the Talbiyah as the Prophet (pbuh) did: “Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wa’l-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk, laa shareeka lak (Here I am, O Allaah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner).”
- The Talbiyah of the Prophet (pbuh) also included the words, “Labbayka ilaah al-haqq (Here I am, O God of Truth).”
- Ibn ‘Umar used to add to the Talbiyah the words, “Labbaayk wa sa’dayka, wa’l-khayr bi yadayka, wa’l-raghba’ ilayka wa’l-‘aml (Here I am and blessed by You, and all good is in Your hands, and desire and action are directed towards You).”
Men should raise their voices when saying this, but a woman should recite in such a manner that those who are beside her can hear it, unless there is a man beside her who is not one of her mahrams, in which case she should recite it silently.
If the person who is entering ihraam fears some obstacle that may prevent him from completing his pilgrimage (such as sickness, an enemy, being stopped from proceeding any further, etc), then he should stipulate a condition when entering ihraam by saying, “If I am prevented then my exiting ihraam is where I am prevented” – i.e., if something prevents me from completing my pilgrimage such as sickness or delay etc, then I will exit my ihraam. The Prophet (pbuh) commanded Dubaa’ah bint al-Zubayr, when she wanted to enter ihraam but she was sick, to stipulate such a condition, and he said, “Your condition is valid with your Lord.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5089) and Muslim (1207).
Narrated `Abdullah: A man got up and said, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What do you order us to wear when we assume the state of Ihram?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Do not wear shirts, trousers, turbans, hooded cloaks or Khuffs (socks made from thick fabric or leather), but if a man has no sandals, he can wear Khuffs after cutting them short below the ankles; and do not wear clothes touched with (perfumes) of saffron or wars."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5805; Book 77, Hadith 23; Vol. 7, Book 72, Hadith 696
A woman may enter ihraam in whatever clothes she likes, black or any other colour, so long as she avoids wanton display (tabarruj) or clothes of fame and vanity such as tight, see-through, short, thin or decorated clothes. Women must also be careful to avoid clothes that resemble the clothes of men or the kuffaar. If a woman who has her period enters ihraam, she should do everything that other pilgrims do in Hajj or ‘Umrah, apart from performing Tawaaf around the Ka’bah.
It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said; "A man stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! What garments do you command us to wear in Ihran?' The Messenger of Allah said: 'Do not wear shirts or pants, or 'Imamahs, or burnouses, or Khuffs except if someone does not have sandals, in which case let him wear Khuffs that come below the ankles. And do not wear any garment that has been touched by (dyed with) saffron or Wars. And women should not cover their faces when in Ihram, or wear gloves.'' (Grade: Sahih)
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 2673; Book 24, Hadith 55; Vol. 3, Book 24, Hadith 2674
He should enter ihram after offering an obligatory prayer, if it is the time for an obligatory prayer, or after a supererogatory (naafil) prayer which he should intend as the Sunnah prayer following wudoo’, because there is no specific naafil prayer for entering ihram, as there is no report to that effect from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Lastly in another hadith, Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "It is not sinful of a person in the state of Ihram to kill any of these five animals: The scorpion, the rat, the rabid dog, the crow and the kite."
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خَمْسٌ مِنَ الدَّوَابِّ مَنْ قَتَلَهُنَّ وَهْوَ مُحْرِمٌ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ الْعَقْرَبُ، وَالْفَأْرَةُ، وَالْكَلْبُ الْعَقُورُ، وَالْغُرَابُ، وَالْحِدَأَةُ ".
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3315; Book 59, Hadith 121; Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 532
Rest Allah knows best.
Source: Quran, Hadith, In the shade of the Quran, Tafsire Ibn Kathir, Islam QA