Things Forbidden to the Pilgrim in Ihram

Question: What are the things that are forbidden to a person who is in the state of ihram for Hajj or ʿUmrah?

Answer: The prohibitions that apply to one in ihram for Hajj or ʿUmrah are as follows:

1. A man must refrain from wearing any stitched or tailored clothing during his ihram. He is to limit himself to an izar (lower wrap) and a ridaʾ (upper sheet) and remove every kind of tailored garment from his body. It is also unlawful for him to cover his head with anything that rests directly upon it—such as a turban or any other head-covering; rather, his head must remain uncovered for the entire period of ihram.

2. A woman is forbidden to cover her face with a burquʿ or a niqab, or to cover her hands with gloves. She is required, however, to veil her face from men who are not her mahram, but not with a burquʿ or niqab; instead, she should draw a portion of her garment over it or use a face covering that is not tailored to the shape of the face. Likewise, she should cover her hands with her clothing and not with gloves—gloves being knitted or sewn to fit the hands. In short, the woman in ihram must avoid any tailored face covering and wearing gloves, while she is obliged to cover her face and hands from unrelated men by other means.

3. It is forbidden for both men and women in ihram to apply any kind of perfume. They are likewise prohibited from removing hair from the head or any other part of the body, and from clipping their nails while in ihram.

4. Hunting is also unlawful for the male and female pilgrim alike, for Allah the Exalted says: “Do not kill game while you are in a state of ihram” (al-Māʾidah 5:95). Thus it is impermissible for the pilgrim to hunt while in ihram or to assist anyone in hunting, whether by word or by deed.

And it is forbidden for the pilgrim, male or female,