On performance of Hajj, Umrah (II)

The Performance of Hajj If you ‘are performing Hajj al-Ifrad or Hajj-Qiran (i.e. hajj combined with ‘umrah), you enter into ihram at the station of Ihram, (al miqat) through which you pass on your way to Makkah. If you do not pass through any station of lhram on your way to Makkah for hajj from […]

The Performance of Hajj
If you ‘are performing Hajj al-Ifrad or Hajj-Qiran (i.e. hajj combined with ‘umrah), you enter into ihram at the station of Ihram, (al miqat) through which you pass on your way to Makkah.
If you do not pass through any station of lhram on your way to Makkah for hajj from your residence in Makkah on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah, perform ghusl (shower or washing of the entire body), perfume yourself if possible, and put on, the two garments of Ihram. This applies to men. Women likewise perform ghusl but are not to use perfume. They may wear any suitable clothes they have, as long as they do not show their adornments, and cover parts of their bodies except the hands and face. For a woman, if she is in the presence of other men who are not her immediate relatives like her husband, father, brother or son then she should cover her face.
After putting on ihram make your niyyah (intention) by saying:  Labbayk Innal-hamda wannamata laka wal-mulk La shareeka lak”. (meaning ‘O my Lord, here I am at Your service, here I am. There is no partner with You, here I am. Truly the praise and the provisions are Yours, and so is the dominion and sovereignty. There is no partner with You..’
2. You then go to Mina, where you pray the Dhuhr, Asr, Magrib, Isha and Fajr prayers at their proper times, shortening prayers of four rak’as to two rak’as. Do not combine these prayers.
3. When the sun has risen on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, proceed toward ‘Arafat in a dignified manner and without harming    your fellow pilgrims.
At Arafat, pray the Dhur and Asr prayers, shortened and combined during the time of Dhur with one adhan and two iqamahs. Make sure that you are within the boundaries of Arafat, stay within the boundaries of Arafat, except the valley of Oranah, reciting the praise of Allah the Most High, and offering supplications facing the qiblah with upraised hands as was the practice of prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Remain at Arafat until after sunset.
4. When the sun has set, proceed toward Muzdalifa in peaceful and dignified manner, reciting talbiyyah. Do not harm or cause any discomfort to your fellow Muslims.
When you arrive at Muzdalifa, pray the Magrib and Isha prayers combined, shortening Isha to two rak’ats. Stay at Muzdalifa until you have prayed the Fajr prayer, Then wait until the brightness of the morning is widespread, supplicate facing qibla with upraised hands, following the practice of the prophet (peace be on him)
*(For women or weak individuals, it is permissible to proceed to Mina at any time after midnight.)
5. In Muzdalifah, pick up only seven pebbles to throw at the stone pillar of ‘Aqbah. Other pebbles can be picked up at Mina. There is no harm even if the seven pebbles to be thrown at the stone pillar of ‘Aqbah are picked at Mina.
6. When you arrive at Mina, do the following:
(a) At the Stone Pillar of ‘Aqbah (this is the pillar nearest to Makka) throw the seven pebbles one after the other, saying “Allahu akbar” at each throw.
(b) Shave your head or cut some hair from it. Shaving is preferable for men, while for women the length of hair to be cut is that of a fingertip.
* The above-mentioned order of doing things is preferred, however, if they are done in some other order, there is no harm in it.
* After you have thrown the pebbles and shaved or cut some of your hair, the prohibitions of ihram are lifted, except the prohibition of sexual intercourse with your spouse. This is the first tahallul, i.e. returning to one’s normal state. You can now wear your usual clothes.
7. Then you go to Makkah and perform the Tawafal-Ifadah (the tawaf which is an essential part of the Hajj). If you are doing Hajj al-Tamatt’u, you also perform Sa’ayi. If you are performing Hajj al-Ifrad or Hajj al-Qiran and you did not perform Sa’ayi with Tawaf al-Qudum (the Tawaf of Arrival), you must do Sa’ayi now. After this, the prohibition of marital relations is also lifted and you    return to a completely normal life.
* It is permissible to delay the Tawafal-Ifada until the days spent at Mina are over, going to Makkah for this tawaf after all three pillars have been stoned.
8. After performing your Tawaf al-Ifadah on the Day of Sacrifice, return to Mina and spend there the nights preceding the 11th, 12th, and 13th  days of Dhul-Hijjah (the three days following the Day of Sacrifice which are known as ayyamu-tashreeq). It is however, permissible to spend only two nights in Mina instead of three.
9. At any time in the afternoon of each of the two or three     days of your stay in Mina, stone each of the three pillars, starting with the first pillar (i.e. the one which is farthest from Makkah), followed by the middle pillar and lastly,     the pillar of ‘Aqbah. Throw seven pebbles, one by one, at each of these pillars, saying ‘Allahu akbar” at each throw.
* If you stay in Mina for only two days, you must leave Mina before the sunsets on the second day. If the sun should set before you are able to depart, remain in Mina for the third night and throw pebbles again the next day. In any, case, it is preferable to remain in Mina for three nights.
* It is permissible for the sick and the weak to appoint a proxy ‘to throw their pebbles. The proxy first throws his own pebbles, followed by the pebbles of the person he represents while at the same pillar.
10. If you decide to return to your country after completing the rites of hajj, you perform the Farewell Tawaf (Tawaf al-Wida) before leaving Makkah. No one is excused from this except women who are menstruating or in the period of discharge following childbirth.
Kutubi (ASP) is the Zonal Imam, Police Zone 7, Wuse Division, Abuja