Forms of Pilgrimage

There are three forms of Hajj:

Tamattu':
- A pilgrim wears Ihram for Umrah only during the months of Hajj, which means when he reaches Mecca, he makes Tawaf and Sa'i for Umrah.
- He then shaves or clips his hair.
- On the day of Tarwiyah, which is the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, he puts on his Ihram for Hajj only and carries out all of its requirements.
Ifrad:
- A pilgrim wears Ihram for Hajj only.
- When he reaches Mecca, he performs Tawaf for his arrival and Sa'i for Hajj.
- He doesn't shave or clip his hair as he doesn't disengage from Ihram. Instead, he remains in Ihram till after he stones Jamrat Al-'Aqabah on the Eid day.
- It is permissible for him to postpone his Sa'i for Hajj until after his Tawaf for Hajj.
Qiran:
- A pilgrim wears Ihram for both Umrah and Hajj or he wears Ihram first for Umrah, then makes intentions for Hajj before his Tawaf for Hajj.
- The obligations on one performing Ifrad are the same as those on one performing Qiran, except that the latter must slaughter whereas the former is not obligated to do so. The best of the three forms is Tamattu'.
- It is the form that the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged his followers to perform.
- Even if a pilgrim makes intentions to perform Qiran or Ifrad he is allowed to change his intentions to Tamattu'; he can do this even after he has performed Tawaf and Sa'i.

Who is required to do Hajj?

The pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime is the religious duty of every Muslim.
It is obligatory on every adult, sane, free Muslim who can afford to bear the expenses of this journey.
Hajj is compulsory for all those Muslims who can meet the travel expenses and their expenses whilst at hajj and also have enough funds to leave behind for their dependents and household till the pilgrims return.
One also needs to be physically fit to undertake this journey;
Danger to life owing to war in certain areas in or around the Holy land or in one’s own country may free a person from the obligation of performing hajj.
Also, a woman is not allowed to proceed to pilgrimage without a mahram male and if she can’t find a mahram it is not obligatory for her to perform pilgrimage.