by the hadiths transmitted from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Muslims have not disputed the status of any third sanctuary except “Wajj,” a valley in al-Tā’if. Some consider it a sanctuary, but the majority do not.

A person in ihram may kill creatures that habitually harm people, such as snakes, scorpions, mice, crows and vicious dogs. He may also defend himself against humans or animals that harm him. If someone attacks him and can only be repelled by fighting, he may fight him. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Whoever is killed defending his property is a martyr; whoever is killed defending his life is a martyr; whoever is killed defending his religion is a martyr; and whoever is killed defending his honour is a martyr.”

If fleas or lice bite him, he may remove or kill them without incurring any liability. Removing them is less serious than killing them. Likewise, he is forbidden to kill animals that come his way, even if they are themselves unlawful to eat, such as lions and cheetahs. If he does kill such an animal, however, no compensation is due according to the stronger of the two scholarly views. As for removing lice when they are not causing discomfort, this is a form of seeking comfort, so he should not do it. If he does, however, he incurs no liability.

Sexual intercourse and the acts leading to it are forbidden to a person in ihram. He must not engage in intercourse with anyone or anything, whether a woman or otherwise. Nor may he seek pleasure through kissing, touching with his hand, or looking with desire. If he has intercourse, his Hajj is invalidated. Whether ejaculation without intercourse invalidates it is disputed. Nor does he invalidate