The Committed Believer · Hajj & Umrah

Hajj & Umrah Specific Rulings

Test your knowledge of specific rulings and practices in Hajj and Umrah.

14 questions · Medium · about 7 minutes

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14 questions, about 7 minutes.

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1. Why must the required hadiy or expiatory sacrifice of Hajj be slaughtered in the Haram?

  • Because Allah prescribed the Haram as the place for this ritual sacrifice. (correct answer)
  • Because meat cannot be distributed outside Makkah in any circumstance.
  • Because it is merely easier for pilgrims already in Makkah.
  • Because the pilgrim’s home country has no poor people.

Why

The required hadiy for tamattu‘ and qiraan, and sacrifices required for omitting obligatory actions, must be slaughtered in the Haram and are not acceptable elsewhere. The source explains that hadiy refers to something brought as a gift to a place, and its place is the Haram. The deeper wisdom is obedience to Allah’s command: just as tawaf, ‘Arafah, Muzdalifah, and stoning the Jamarat have prescribed places, the required sacrifice also has its prescribed place.

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2. On the days of al-Tashreeq, when is stoning the Jamarat valid according to the majority view cited?

  • After the sun has passed the meridian. (correct answer)
  • Before sunrise.
  • Any time before Fajr of that day.
  • Immediately after Fajr before the sun rises.

Why

According to the majority view cited, stoning the Jamarat before the sun passes the meridian is not valid on the days of al-Tashreeq, because the Prophet ﷺ stoned after the sun had passed the meridian and said, “Learn from me your rituals.” Stoning before the meridian on those days requires a sacrifice to compensate for missing the prescribed time. The source also notes that if a sacrifice was paid without intending it as expiation, it does not count as expiation, because acts of expiation require the proper intention.

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3. Who may appoint someone else to stone the Jamarat on their behalf?

  • Someone with a valid excuse such as illness, severe weakness, old age, or pregnancy-related fear. (correct answer)
  • Anyone who finds the walk inconvenient.
  • Only men, because women are automatically exempt.
  • No one under any circumstances.

Why

The basic principle is that whoever is able to stone the Jamarat must do so personally, because stoning is one of the actions of Hajj and the pilgrim must complete the rituals properly. Delegating the stoning is only allowed for a valid shar‘i excuse, such as illness, severe weakness, old age, inability to bear the crowding, pregnancy-related fear for the foetus, blindness with serious difficulty, or similar necessity. Mere distance or inconvenience is not enough by itself.

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4. If someone from Jeddah lives and works in al-Jubayl and wants to do Hajj tamattu‘, where should they enter ihram for the ‘umrah?

  • From the first miqat they pass through. (correct answer)
  • From Jeddah because their family lives there.
  • From inside Makkah.
  • From wherever they are working without regard to the miqat.

Why

The ruling is based on the person’s actual residence and travel route when they intend the ritual. If someone from Jeddah is living and working in another city such as al-Jubayl, then when they travel intending Hajj tamattu‘, they enter ihram for ‘umrah from the first miqat they pass through. After completing ‘umrah and exiting ihram, they may go to family in Jeddah; then on the eighth of Dhu’l-Hijjah they may enter ihram for Hajj from Jeddah or from wherever they are staying, and they do not need to return to the miqat again.

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5. From where did the Prophet ﷺ enter ihram for Hajj and ‘umrah?

  • Dhu’l-Hulayfah. (correct answer)
  • Madinah itself.
  • Yalamlam.
  • Qarn al-Manaazil.

Why

The Prophet ﷺ entered ihram from Dhu’l-Hulayfah, which is now called Abyaar ‘Ali, not from Madinah itself. He also defined Dhu’l-Hulayfah as the miqat for the people of Madinah. Reports mention that he entered ihram from the mosque of Dhu’l-Hulayfah and did ghusl there.

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6. What does rafath refer to in the context of Hajj?

  • Intercourse and what leads to it of words and deeds. (correct answer)
  • Consuming riba.
  • Backbiting and gossiping.
  • Disputing without a just basis.

Why

Rafath includes intercourse and the words or actions that lead to it, such as kissing, speaking about intercourse, and desire. The same verse also mentions fusooq, which refers to sins and disobedience generally, and jidaal, which refers to arguing without a just basis. These matters are forbidden generally, but the prohibition is emphasized during Hajj because the pilgrim should protect the worship from anything that spoils or diminishes it.

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7. If a woman has already travelled far for Hajj and then learns that her husband died, what should she do?

  • Complete Hajj, then observe the remaining ‘iddah at her husband’s house when she returns. (correct answer)
  • Return home immediately in every case.
  • Ignore ‘iddah completely because she was on Hajj.
  • Continue Hajj only if she has not entered ihram.

Why

If the news of her husband’s death reaches her before she leaves home, she should not travel for Hajj during ‘iddah. If she has already set out and is still close to home, she should return and observe ‘iddah in her husband’s house. But if she has travelled far enough that returning would cause difficulty, she completes Hajj and does not have to go back immediately. When she returns, if any of the ‘iddah remains, she completes it in her husband’s house.

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8. If a husband is able to do his obligatory Hajj and leaving will not harm his breastfeeding wife or child, may he delay Hajj just so they can go together later?

  • No, he should not delay his obligatory Hajj for that reason. (correct answer)
  • Yes, he must delay until his wife can go with him.
  • Yes, but only if the wife also has enough money.
  • No, because his wife must travel even if the baby may be harmed.

Why

The more correct view cited is that once Hajj becomes obligatory, it must be done immediately and should not be delayed without a valid excuse. If leaving his wife will not harm her or the child, the husband should perform his obligatory Hajj that year and should not delay merely because he wants his wife to accompany him. The wife’s case may differ: if the baby would be harmed by her leaving, she may delay Hajj until the impediment is gone. Voluntary Hajj may also be delayed.

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9. If a woman miscarries before eighty days of pregnancy and bleeds, what is the ruling on her tawaf?

  • She may perform tawaf because the bleeding is istihaadah, not nifaas. (correct answer)
  • She must wait forty days in all cases.
  • She may not pray or perform tawaf until the bleeding stops.
  • Her Hajj becomes invalid automatically.

Why

If miscarriage occurs before eighty days of pregnancy, human features have not appeared in the foetus, so the bleeding is treated as istihaadah, not nifaas. It does not prevent prayer or tawaf, though she should do wudoo’ for each prayer. If miscarriage occurs after one hundred and twenty days, the bleeding is definitely nifaas. Between eighty and one hundred and twenty days, the foetus is examined: if human features are visible, the bleeding is nifaas; if not, it is istihaadah.

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10. If someone completed sa‘i and only afterward doubted whether they did enough laps, what is the ruling?

  • The doubt is ignored and nothing is due. (correct answer)
  • They must offer a sheep.
  • They must repeat the entire ‘umrah in every case.
  • They must assume the lowest number after finishing.

Why

Doubt after finishing an act of worship does not affect it. If someone only doubts after completing sa‘i whether they missed a lap, they do not need to do anything. But if they are certain that they only did five or six laps, then sa‘i is incomplete and they are still in ihram; they must avoid ihram prohibitions, return to Makkah, do sa‘i from scratch, and then cut the hair properly to exit ihram.

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11. What is the ruling on drinking Zamzam water during Hajj or ‘umrah?

  • It is mustahabb, not obligatory. (correct answer)
  • It is wajib.
  • It is makruh.
  • It is only allowed after tawaf.

Why

Drinking Zamzam water is recommended but not obligatory. It is also not restricted to after praying two rak‘ahs behind Maqam Ibraaheem; rather, drinking Zamzam is mustahabb at all times. A fasting person doing ‘umrah does not sin by not drinking it during the fast and may drink it after breaking the fast. If fasting while travelling makes ‘umrah difficult, then breaking the fast may be better so the pilgrim can perform the rituals with energy and focus.

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12. What is the miqat for people of Somalia or Ethiopia coming from the south?

  • When they come in line with Yalamlam. (correct answer)
  • Raabigh in every case.
  • al-Juhfah in every case.
  • Madinah.

Why

The miqat for people from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan varies according to the route by which they come. If people of Somalia or Ethiopia come from the south, they enter ihram when they are parallel with Yalamlam, the miqat appointed for the people of Yemen. If they come from north of Jeddah, then their miqat is al-Juhfah or Raabigh. If they come between those points and reach Jeddah before coming in line with either miqat, then their miqat is Jeddah.

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13. What are the four components of ‘umrah?

  • Ihram, tawaf, sa‘i, and shaving or trimming the hair. (correct answer)
  • Ghusl, perfume, two rak‘ahs, and Zamzam.
  • Visiting Madinah, giving charity, fasting, and du‘a.
  • Offering a sacrifice, standing in ‘Arafah, staying in Muzdalifah, and stoning the Jamarat.

Why

‘Umrah is made up of four main actions: entering ihram, performing tawaf around the Ka‘bah, doing sa‘i between as-Safa and al-Marwah, and then shaving the head or cutting the hair. Ihram means intending to begin the ritual. The pilgrim then recites the Talbiyah until tawaf begins, performs tawaf, prays after tawaf, performs sa‘i, and exits ihram by shaving or cutting the hair.

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14. How should a woman cut her hair when completing Hajj or ‘umrah?

  • Cut something from all of her hair, preferably about a fingertip’s length. (correct answer)
  • Shave her head completely.
  • Cut only one lock of hair.
  • Leave the hair uncut and just change clothes.

Why

Women do not shave their heads to exit ihram; rather, they cut their hair. According to the correct view cited, it is essential to shorten all of the hair. If she has braids, she cuts a little from the end of each braid. If she does not have braids, she gathers the hair and cuts from the ends of all of it. The recommended amount is a fingertip’s length, roughly two centimeters, though less than that may be acceptable because no fixed amount is stated in the texts. Cutting only one lock is not the required manner, so the woman should cut the hair properly when she learns the ruling.

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A note on these answers

These questions are for learning and self-testing. Explanations are drawn from the sources linked on each question and are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar.

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