The Chapter on Ihram

Ihram is the intention to undertake the rite.

The author’s statement, “Ihram,” is derived from taḥrīm (making something prohibited). Thus, aḥrama means that one has entered into a state in which certain things are prohibited, just as anjada means that one has entered Najd. For this reason, the opening takbir of the prayer is called takbīrat al-iḥrām, because through it one enters the state in which the acts prohibited to one praying become forbidden.

What is meant here, however, is his statement: “the intention to undertake the rite”—that is, the intention to enter into it, not merely the intention to perform Umrah or Hajj. There is a difference between the two. For example, if a man intends to perform Hajj that year, do we say that he has entered ihram by this intention?

The answer is no, because he has not intended to enter into the rite.

Likewise, if we intend to pray Isha, have we, by this intention, entered the prayer, such that what is prohibited to one praying has become forbidden to us?

The answer is no. Thus, the intention to perform an act has no effect; rather, it is the intention to enter into it that has an effect. The intention to enter into the rite is called ihram because, once one intends to enter the rite, he makes prohibited for himself matters that had been permissible before ihram, such as sexual relations, perfume, shaving the head, hunting, and other things.

It is sunnah for one intending it to bathe—or, if water is unavailable, to perform dry ablution—to cleanse himself, apply perfume, remove sewn garments, wear a white waist-wrapper and upper garment, and enter ihram after two rakahs…

The author’s statement, “It is sunnah for one intending it”: the one who established this sunnah is the Messenger ﷺ.