Chapter on the Sequence of the Rituals of Hajj

If you intend to embark on Hajj, gather your family, perform two units of prayer, glorify Allah سبحانه وتعالى abundantly, send blessings upon Muhammad and his family, and say: "O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I entrust to You today my religion, myself, my wealth, my family, my children, my neighbors, those who are present among us, those who are absent, and all the blessings You have bestowed upon me. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, place us under Your protection, safeguarding, refuge, and might. Mighty is Your protection, exalted is Your praise, and inviolable is Your refuge. There is no deity other than You. I rely on the Living, who does not die. All praise is due to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, who has not taken a consort or a child, who has no partner in His dominion, and who has no helper out of weakness. And magnify Him with due magnification. Allah سبحانه وتعالى is the Greatest, abundantly great. All praise is due to Allah سبحانه وتعالى in abundance. Glory be to Allah سبحانه وتعالى in the morning and evening." When you leave your home, say: "In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. There is no power or strength except with Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Most High, the Most Great. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of travel, the sorrow of return, and unpleasant sights concerning my family, wealth, and children. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You in this journey for joy and deeds that earn Your pleasure. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, spare me its distance and its difficulties. Be my companion in it and leave goodness in my family in my absence." When you mount your ride and it settles under you, say: "All praise is due to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, who guided us to Islam, taught us the Quran, and favored us with Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). Glory be to the One who subjected this to us, for we could not have controlled it ourselves, and indeed, to our Lord عز وجل, we shall return. All praise is due to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Lord عز وجل of all the worlds. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, You are the one who carries us on this mount, the One from whom we seek help in our affairs. You are the companion in travel and the guardian of family, wealth, and children. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, You are my support and my helper." When your mount moves you along your journey, say on your way: "I have set out by the will and power of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, not by any will or power of my own, but through the will and power of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. I renounce my own will and power before You, O Lord عز وجل. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You for blessings in this journey and blessings for its people. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You, by Your expansive bounty, for lawful, wholesome, and pure provision, which You will send to me while I proceed in ease and well-being, by Your power and ability. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I have undertaken this journey not relying on myself but entirely trusting in You, and not placing hope in anyone other than You. So, grant me in this journey gratitude towards You, Your protection, and success in Your obedience and worship until You are pleased with me and after Your pleasure is achieved." On your journey, observe piety towards Allah سبحانه وتعالى, prefer His obedience, avoid disobedience, and practice noble character and actions. Be kind and companionable to those who travel with you, control your anger, recite the Quran frequently, remember Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and make supplications. When you reach one of the Miqats (stations for assuming Ihram) designated by the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)—he designated: • For the people of Iraq, Al-‘Aqiq, with its beginning at Al-Maslakh, its middle at Ghamrah, and its end at Dhat ‘Irq (the beginning is the best). • For the people of Ta’if, Qarn al-Manazil. • For the people of Yemen, Yalamlam. • For the people of Syria, Al-Juhfah, also known as Al-Mihyah. • For the people of Medina, Dhu al-Hulayfah, which is the Mosque of the Tree. Perform ghusl (ritual bath) after trimming your nails, shortening your mustache, plucking your armpits, and cleansing yourself. When performing ghusl, say: "In the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and by Allah سبحانه وتعالى. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, make this (ghusl) a light for me, a purification, a protection, and a security from every fear, and a cure from every illness and sickness. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, purify me, purify my heart for me, expand my chest, and make my tongue flow with Your love, praise, and glorification. For I have no power except through You, and I know that the foundation of my religion lies in submission to Your command and following the Sunnah of Your Prophet, peace be upon him and his family." Then wear the two garments of Ihram and say: "All praise is due to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, who provided me with what covers my private parts, enables me to fulfill my obligations, worship my Lord عز وجل, and comply with His commands. All praise is due to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, whom I sought, and He allowed me to reach Him; whom I desired, and He aided me; who accepted me and did not abandon me; and whose direction I sought, and He granted me safety. He is my fortress, my refuge, my protection, my support, my shelter, my sanctuary, my provision, my reserve in hardship and ease." Perform six units of prayer (rak’ahs) for Ihram, directing yourself to Allah سبحانه وتعالى in the first of them. In each pair of units, recite in the first unit Surah Al-Hamd (Al-Fatihah) and Surah Al-Ikhlas (Say: He is Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the One), and in the second unit Surah Al-Hamd and Surah Al-Kafirun (Say: O disbelievers). Perform the qunut in the second unit of each pair before bowing (ruku’) and after reciting the Surahs. Conclude with salutations (taslim) after every two units. If you wish, you may perform just two units of prayer for Ihram as described. The best time for entering Ihram is when the sun declines from its zenith, but it does not matter at what hour you assume Ihram, whether at sunrise or sunset. If it coincides with the time for an obligatory prayer, perform the six units before the obligatory prayer, then perform the obligatory prayer, and assume Ihram immediately after it for added merit. When you have completed your prayer, praise Allah سبحانه وتعالى, glorify Him as He deserves, and send blessings upon His Prophet Muhammad and his family. Then say: "O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You to make me among those who respond to You, believe in Your promise, and follow Your command. I am Your servant, in Your grasp. I can only be protected by what You protect me from, and I can only receive what You grant me. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I intend to fulfill what You have commanded, by performing Tamattu’ with Umrah leading to Hajj, according to Your Book and the Sunnah of Your Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. If an obstacle arises that prevents me, then release me where You prevent me, according to what You have decreed for me. O Allah سبحانه وتعالى, if this is not a Hajj, then let it be an Umrah. I dedicate my hair, my skin, my flesh, my blood, my bones, my marrow, and my nerves to You, away from women and perfume, seeking thereby Your noble countenance and the Hereafter." It suffices to say this once when assuming Ihram.