(Ihram is the state entered into at the Miqat in which certain acts and types of clothing are forbidden).
It is mustahabb for anyone going for Hajj or �Umrah
to take a ghusl (bath) for Ihram
- even if a woman is in her period or in after-birth confinement.
Then the men may wear whatever clothes he wishes that are not made in the
shape of the body - and these clothes are called by the fuqaha' (religious
scholars) �ghair al mukheet (unstitched)�. So he wears a rida'
(upper garment) and izar (lower garment)
or whatever, and sandals or any footwear that does not cover the ankle-bone.
He does not wear a hat or an �imamah (turban) or anything like that which
fits onto and covers the head - this referring only to men. As for the women
- she does not remove anything of the clothes that are prescribed for her
in the Shari'ah, except that she should
not tie on the niqab [8] (face-veil) or
the burqa' or the litham (lower face cover,
up to the eyes) or handkerchief and she should not wear gloves [9]. And the
Prophet said: �The muhrim should not
wear the shirt, or the �imamah, or the hooded cloak, or trousers, or garment
touched by wars (dyes with saffron) or saffron; or leather socks - unless
he cannot find sandals) then in that case he may wear leather socks), [10]�
and the Prophet said: �The woman muhrim should not affix a face veil and should
not wear gloves [11]. And it is permissible to for the women to cover her
face - even if it touches her face according to the correct opinion - however,
she should not tie it on, as Ibn Taymiyyah says.
He may put on the clothing of Ihram before the miqat even in his own house
as the Prophet and his Companions did. And this makes it easier for those
making Hajj by airplane for whom it is not possible to put on Ihram at the
miqat - so it is permissible for them to embark on the plane in Ihram, but
they do not make the intention of Ihram until very shortly before the miqat
- in order that they do not go past the miqat without Ihram.
He may use body oil and perfume himself with any perfume he please which was
has odor but not color, however, women use that which has color not but no
odor - and all this to be before he makes intention of Ihram at the miqat
- after that is Haram. Ihram and Niyah (intention)
So when he comes t the miqat it becomes wajib (obligatory) for him to assume
Ihram - and the mere wish and intention to perform Hajj is not sufficient
as that has been with him since leaving his own land - rather he must perform
by word and action what will cause him to be muhrim. So when he recites `talbiyah'
intending to enter into Ihram then his Ihram is concluded - as agreed upon
by the scholars.
And he does not say anything more than the talbiyah such as their saying:
�O Allah, I intend to make Hajj or `Umrah so make it easy for me and accept
it from me�� as none of this is reported from the Prophet - just like speaking
with the intention for wudu' and salah
and Fasting - all of this being from the newly invented matters and is well-known
the Prophet said: ��for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and
every innovation is a going astray and every going astray is in Hell_Fire.�
[Tirmidhi - sahih] 