The word ‘Ihram’ is an Arabic word that linguistically translates to the meaning ‘to make something that is Halal as Haram upon oneself (for a certain period of time)’. Muslim pilgrims who are arriving in the kingdom of Saudia Arabia through umrah 2022 from Manchester for the holy rituals of Hajj/Umrah necessarily have to be in the state of Ihram. No pilgrim can offer the holy rituals without being in Ihram; it’s not permissible.
Where should Ihram must be assumed?
Ihram must be assumed by a pilgrim before the Miqat region is crossed. There is a total of five different Miqat regions present in Makkah city, covering all of its corners. So, the pilgrims arriving in the region must go to the Miqat place that is specified for his/her region of travel.
While the fundamental rules imposed on a pilgrim in the state of Ihram are the same for everyone; certain things are gender-specific as well. So, here’s a brief description of the rules of Ihram for female pilgrims.
1. Clothing.
Though men have a particular dress code to abide by for their Ihram i.e., consisting of two sheets of unstitched cloth; there’s no such limitation for female pilgrims. In other words, female pilgrims can wear anything as their Ihram provided that it remains modest, simple, and in accordance with Islamic teachings.
For this reason, many women prefer wearing an ‘Abaya’ on top of their ordinary clothes out of caution i.e., avoiding any confusion in the rules related to Ihram clothing.
Fabric.
Since Makkah possesses a hot desert climate; summers are intensely hot here. In fact, even in winters, there’s no significant temperature drop; the average daytime temperature never falls below 20 Degrees Celsius. Thus, it remains advised for pilgrims to wear light-colored clothes made of cotton blended fabric.
One must keep in mind that the fabric as light as it can be, should remain thick enough that it doesn’t reveal any part of your body under bright sunlight. Many female pilgrims also choose to wear white-colored abayas and scarves i.e., to blend in with their male companions, but it’s not necessary as any color can be worn by women.
2. Covering the head.
Female pilgrims are required to cover their heads at all times during the holy rituals of the hajj or umrah pilgrimage. In this regard, wearing a hijab with under scarf caps remains advised.
3. Is it permissible to cover your face and hands?
Female pilgrims, in the state of ihram, are prohibited to cover their faces (wearing a face veil) and hands (wearing gloves). However, contrary to men, it’s permissible for them to wear socks and closed footwear.
These are some of the rules of Ihram specific for female pilgrims that one must consider.
