A man asked the Messenger of Allah — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “What may the person in a state of iḥrām wear?”
The Messenger of Allah — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — said: “Do not wear shirts, turbans, trousers, hooded cloaks, or leather socks, except if one does not find sandals, then let him wear leather socks and cut them below the ankles. And do not wear any clothing that has been touched by saffron or wars (a type of yellow dye).”
Narrated by al-Bukhārī (no. 1542) and Muslim (no. 1177), from the narration of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar — may Allah be pleased with them both.
In another narration by al-Bukhārī (no. 5804) and Muslim (no. 1178), from the narration of Ibn ʿAbbās — may Allah be pleased with them both — the wording is: “…And whoever does not find sandals, let him wear leather socks,” and he did not mention cutting them.
In another narration by al-Bukhārī (no. 1838): “A woman in iḥrām must not wear a face veil, nor wear gloves.”
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
Ḥajj is one of the manifest rituals of Islam, and it has pillars, obligations, and prohibitions. Among its prohibitions is for the muḥrim to wear a qamīṣ (shirt), which is a garment tailored to fit the body, usually covering the chest, back, and arms. This includes anything similar to it from stitched garments, such as undershirts and the like. Also, among its prohibitions is wearing ʿimāmah (turban), which is cloth wrapped around the head. This includes everything that covers the head, such as the ghutrah, shumagh, skullcap, and the like. Moreover, among its prohibitions is wearing sirwāl (trousers), which are garments worn on the lower body and tailored to the shape of the legs, such as pants. This also includes short trousers like the tubbān. Also prohibited are barānis (sing. burnus), which are garments with an attached hood, like a cloak with the well-known hooded covering. And khuff (leather socks), which are shoes usually made of leather that cover the ankles, are also prohibited—except for one who cannot find sandals; in that case, he may wear them but should cut them below the ankles, as a precaution for the act of worship. This ruling applies to men.
As for a woman, she may wear any covering, modest clothing she wishes, but she is not permitted to cover her face with a niqāb, nor to wear gloves, due to the ḥadīth: “A woman in iḥrām must not wear a niqāb nor wear gloves.” However, she must cover her face and hands in the presence of non-maḥram men by letting her khimār hang down from over her head and placing her hands under her cloak, as the wives of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to do.
Among the prohibitions of iḥrām is the use of perfume, whether on the body or on clothing, because it involves adornment and luxury, and it may lead to sexual intercourse. The prohibition applies to both men and women, but it is even more emphatic in the case of women, as a woman is prohibited from using perfume in the presence of men altogether.
Among the benefits of the ḥadīth is the Companions’ –may Allah be pleased with them– keenness to ask questions in order to perform acts of worship in the most perfect manner.
It also shows the eloquence of the Prophet –may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him– in teaching, as he limited the prohibition to what is forbidden, indicating that what is permissible in clothing is too abundant to enumerate.
It also shows that the prohibition of adornment and luxury during iḥrām is a means of refining the soul and stripping it of excess, in humility before Allah and in reverence when performing this great rite.