Brief Explanation about: Types of Hajj and their Rules
The three types of Hajj
Tamattu’, Ifrad, Qiran
* The first is the kind obligatory for one who lives more than eighty eight kilometres1 outside of Mecca.
*The other two are incumbent for the people of Mecca and those who live less than eighty eight kilometres away.
*As the duty of the majority of pilgrims is Hajj Tamattu’, this is what we will confine our explanation to.
Hajj Tamattu’
This kind of Hajj is comprised of two worship acts.
The first is called ‘Umrah, and the second is called Hajj, in other words, the first is called ‘Umratul-Tamattu’, and the second is Hajjul-Tamattu’.
Umratul-Tamattu’ is the first action to carry out, and it is done as follows:
- To perform Ihram and follow to the things related to it.
- Then to enter the House and circle1 around it, then to pray two rak’ahs in the two allocated places.
- The Sa’i (walking) between Safa and Marwah.
- The cutting of hair.
When the pilgrim does the Ihram and performs the mentioned actions, he will leave the state of Ihram and the things that were prohibited for him to do will then become permitted. After this, the first act of worship (‘Umratul-Tamattu’) in the pilgrimage will be finished. When it becomes close to the ninth day of the sacred month of Dhil-hijjah, the pilgrim must prepare for the second worshipping rite, which is Hajjul-Tamattu’.
How to do Hajjul-Tamattu’
- To do the Ihram and observe the things related to it, and also wearing the Ihram clothes, doing the Talbiyah (1), and refraining from what is prohibited during this state.
- Leave towards ‘Arafaat and staying there in its allocated time.
- Leave towards al-Mash’ar and stay there until the allocated time.
- Go to Mina on the day of ‘Eid and cast the seven stones on Jamrah al ‘Aqabah.
- Slaughter the sacrifice if obligatory for the pilgrim to do.
- Shave or shorten hair.
- Go towards Mecca and circle the House, then pray two rak’ahs in the two allocated places.
- Sa’i (walking) between Safa and Marwah.
- Go back to the House and circle the Tawaf al-Nisa(2) and pray its two rak’ahs.
- Return to Mina to stay there and finish off the casting of the three Jamaraat, and after doing this the Hajj rituals will be finished.
In brief, there are five things obligatory to do in‘Umratul-Tamattu’:
1. Ihram from one of the known places of Ihram,which will be mentioned later on.
2. Circling (Tawaf) around the House.
3. Prayer of Tawaf.
4. Sa’i between Safa and Marwah.
5. Cutting of hair, which is the cutting of some of the hair on the head, beard or moustache, and after this is done he leaves the state of Ihram and all that was prohibited for him to do become permitted again.
Rule: When the pilgrim finishes the rites of ‘Umratul-Tamattu’, it is impermissible for him to leave Mecca other than for Hajj, as a precaution.
Rule: The prohibited exiting from Mecca after finishing the rites of ‘Umrah means to go to another place outside of Mecca, but this does not include the places that are extensions of the city and are now considered to be a part of Mecca. Therefore, it is permissible for the pilgrim to go to these places after
finishing the ‘Umrah, with or without a reason.
(1) Talbiyah means to comply and fulfill. Once in the state of Ihram the pilgrim must recite the known
invocation: Labbaik Allahumma Labaik……….
