Chapter: Mention of Ihram

554 - Issue: Abu al-Qasim said: "And whoever desires Hajj, and the months of Hajj have entered, when he reaches the miqat, it is preferable for him to perform ghusl (full ritual bath)."

His statement: "And the months of Hajj have entered" indicates that it is not appropriate to enter into the state of ihram for Hajj before its months. This is the most correct view, for ihram for Hajj before its months is disliked (makruh), because it is entering into the state of ihram for it before its appointed time, thus resembling entering into the state of ihram for it before its miqat, and also because there is a difference of opinion regarding its validity. If one enters into the state of ihram for it before its months, it is valid, and if he remains in his state of ihram until the time of Hajj, it is permissible. Ahmad stated this explicitly. This is the position of al-Nakha'i, Malik, al-Thawri, Abu Hanifah, and Ishaq. 'Ata', Tawus, Mujahid, and al-Shafi'i said: He should designate it as an 'Umrah, due to the saying of Allah the Almighty: "Hajj is [during] well-known months" (Quran 2:197). Its interpretation is: The time for Hajj is well-known months, [or: the months of Hajj are well-known months]. Thus, the possessor (al-mudaf) was omitted, and the possessed (al-mudaf ilayh) was placed in its stead. Once it is established that He has appointed a time for it, it is not permissible to precede it with ihram, similar to the times of the prayers. Our counter-argument is the saying of Allah the Almighty: "They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say, 'They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj'" (Quran 2:189). This indicates that all of the months are a miqat. Furthermore, it is one of the two rituals of Qiran (combining Hajj and 'Umrah), so it is permissible to enter into the state of ihram for it during the entire year, just like 'Umrah. Or [it is] one of the two miqats, so ihram is valid before it, just like the spatial miqat. The verse is interpreted to mean that entering into the state of ihram