Hajj is a good act of worship that every Muslim man and woman must do. Women must do all the rights and ceremonies of Hajj just like men, but there are some things for which women have different rules. Umrah in the month of Ramadan is also equal to the Hajj. You can book Best Ramadan Deals for 2023 to perform Umrah. Here are the rules for women who want to do Hajj:
It is a sin for a woman to go to Hajj or Umrah without her Mahram or without her husband. It is forbidden and a sin to do Hajj or Umrah with a fake Mahram. Your Hajj will still be done, but Islamic Shariah does not allow it. Both young and old women have to follow the rule. Hazrat Ibn Abbas says that the Prophet PBUH said, “No man should stay alone with a strange woman, and neither should a woman travel alone without her Mahram.” On this, someone said, “O Rassulullah, I’ve signed up for Jihad, and my wife has left for Hajj.” “Don’t go on Jihad and Hajj with your wife,” the Prophet (PBUH) said.
If a woman reaches an age when Hajj is required of her and she wants to go, but she can’t find a Mahram to go with her, she should put off her Hajj until she finds a Mahram. Because of this, putting off Hajj will not be a sin. If she doesn’t find a Mahram before she dies, she can put in her will that someone else do Hajj for her.
It is Haram for a woman who is in IDDAH, whether she is a widow or a divorcee, to go on Hajj.
Women can wear stitched everyday clothes, even coloured ones, because they don’t need Ihram sheets like men do. Socks and gloves can also be worn by women, but it is best not to. Women are allowed to wear silk dresses, gold, and other jewellery, as well as shoes that cover the heel bone.
Women can’t keep their heads uncovered like men can. Instead, it is Wajib for them to cover their heads. It is better and recommended that she tie her hair back with a small handkerchief so that her head stays covered. However, she should not cover her forehead with the handkerchief, or she will have to pay a fine because it is not allowed for the cloth to touch her forehead when she is in the Ihram state.
Women aren’t allowed to say Talbiyah out loud like men do.
Ramal is an important part of Tawaf, but only men have the right to it. Women shouldn’t do Ramal during the Tawaf because men have to walk very quickly for the first four rounds of Ramal. Some women do what men tell them to do, which is wrong.
If there are a lot of men, it is Mustahab for women to do Tawaf far away from the Holy Kabah. It has been seen that because there are so many people, men and women get mixed up while making a circuit around the Kabah. Sometimes, parts of their bodies that aren’t covered touch each other, which is a serious sin. So, women should do Tawaf when there aren’t many men around, or they should walk while staying away from men.
On busy days like the 8th Zil-Hajj, women should finish their Tawaf well before the Jamah Prayer starts, because there won’t be room in Mataf for them to pray.
If there are a lot of people at Maqam Ibrahim, women should do the Rakatain of Tawaf somewhere else in Masjid Haram instead of at Maqam Ibrahim.
Women need to remember that they are different from men and shouldn’t run between the two green pillars of Saf and Marwah hills. During the Sa’ey rituals, some women not only run between the two green pillars, but they also keep up the same fast pace as the men. Both of these things should not be done.
Women shouldn’t go too high up Safa and Marwah hill.
Women should have to walk along the railing so they can get away from the crowd of men.
Women are not allowed to shave their heads. Instead, they should have a haircut about the size of a finger joint from the whole head or one-fourth of the head.
Women can leave their homes and take Ihram even if they are having their period. Wudhu, she should probably take a bath. Then, with her back to Qiblah, she must decide to do Hajj or Umrah and say Talbiyah, but she can’t give two Rakas for Ihram.
If your period starts after you have entered the state of Ihram, it does not change the state of Ihram. She won’t take off Ihram until she has done all of the Hajj rituals.
This kind of woman should stay at her home in Makkah and not go to Masjid Haram, because a woman shouldn’t go into the holy mosque until she has taken a cleansing bath. She can read Talbiyah, Tahlil, Astghfar, Takbeer, and other prayers, but not the verses of the Holy Quran.
If a woman’s family is leaving for home and she is still not clean, she can skip Farewell Tawaf and not pay Dam.
Most women think that there is no hiding during Hajj or Umrah. This is just because she doesn’t know any better, and she sins along with the men who look at women without covering their faces. Syeda Ayesha Siddiqa RA said, “We women were with the Prophet PBUH during Hajj, and because we were in Ihram, we didn’t cover our faces. When the men walked by, we threw the cloth we were wearing over our heads. This is how we keep the veiling in place. And when the men left, we again showed the face to the light.
