Entering ihram
Perform ghusl, trim nails and remove unwanted hair beforehand, you cannot once in ihram. Apply unscented toiletries only. Then dress, make the intention for Umrah, and begin the Talbiyah.
Men recite the Talbiyah aloud, women quietly, repeating it frequently until tawaf begins.
The miqat
Flights from India to Jeddah cross Yalamlam, announced by cabin crew roughly 30 minutes before landing. Flights routing through Madinah first use Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali), 9 km from Masjid an-Nabawi.
Crossing the miqat without ihram carries a penalty, a sacrifice, or returning to the boundary to enter ihram properly. Most Indian travellers change at the airport before boarding rather than on the aircraft.
What breaks ihram
Applying perfume or any scented product. Cutting hair or nails. Covering the head (men) or the face (women). Wearing stitched clothing (men). Hunting or killing game. Marital relations. Arguing or fighting. Contracting a marriage.
The overwhelmingly most common breach is scented soap, deodorant or sunscreen applied after changing. Buy unscented versions in India, those sold around the Haram are not always genuinely unscented.
Leaving ihram
Ihram ends after halq or taqsir, men shaving the head or trimming it evenly, women cutting a fingertip length from the end of their hair. Every restriction lifts at that point.
Common questions
What is ihram?
Ihram is the state of consecration a pilgrim enters before crossing the miqat boundary to perform Umrah or Hajj. Men wear two unstitched white cloths, the izar around the waist and the rida over the shoulders. Women wear ordinary modest dress with the face and hands uncovered. The state begins with the intention and the Talbiyah.
What breaks ihram?
Applying perfume or any scented product, cutting hair or nails, covering the head for men or the face for women, wearing stitched clothing for men, hunting, marital relations, arguing or fighting, and contracting a marriage. The most common accidental breach by far is scented soap or deodorant applied after changing.
Where is the miqat for flights from India?
Flights from India to Jeddah cross Yalamlam, which cabin crew announce roughly 30 minutes before landing. Flights routing through Madinah first use Dhul Hulayfah, also called Abyar Ali, about 9 kilometres from Masjid an-Nabawi.
What happens if you cross the miqat without ihram?
It carries a penalty, either a sacrifice, or returning to the miqat boundary to enter ihram properly and resume from there. This is why most travellers from India change into ihram at the departure airport rather than attempting it on the aircraft.