Rules for Lady Pilgrims

Majority of rules of umarh and hajj apply equally upon the male as well as the female
pilgrims. However, there are certain rules that are specific to women and that is what I would
like to address in this chapter so that their issues can become clear. Of course, the basic rules
will also be summarized.
The rules for ihram at miqat or by nadhr for a lady pilgrim are same as that for the male.

A lady can use her normal clothes for ihram. And she should do the niyyat and the talbiyya
in the same way as the men do.

Monthly cycle or post-natal bleeding prevents a female pilgrim from doing the tawaf and
its salat but does not prevent her from doing most of the rituals of umrah and hajj: she
can put on the ihram from the miqat, do the sai between Safa and Marwah, stay in
Arafat and Muzdalifa, and fulfill the rituals of Mina while she still is in her cycle.

A female pilgrim is allowed to wear stitched/sewn clothes except gloves. Therefore, she is
allowed to wear her normal clothes as ihram provided it is not made of pure silk. This is
based on precaution.

A lady in ihram is allowed to wear socks, etc. to over the upper part of her feet.

A lady in ihram is forbidden from wearing jewelry with cosmetic purpose except what she
normally wears before putting on the ihram. Of course, if she does wear extra jewelry,
then there is no penalty on her even though it is haram for her to do it.

It is forbidden for a lady pilgrim in ihram to cover her face by putting on something like
burqa or niqab. Based on obligatory precaution, neither is she allowed to cover
her face by any kind of covering nor to cover her face partially with a tissue paper or
handkerchief.

If a lady gets her cycle after putting on the ihram, then she is allowed to continue her
umrah by doing the rituals other than tawaf and salat of tawaf. Therefore, she should do
sai between Safa and Marwah and do taqsir.

The recommending of walking briskly between the pillars is only for men and not for
women.

The next obligatory ritual is taqsir. The niyyat would be same as mentioned in earlier part
of this book.

A lady pilgrim should do taqsir by cutting a little of her hair. She is not allowed to shave
her head.