Do you know how Hajj obligations differ for women compared to men? Islam has given women a prestigious status. Does it make the same concessions for women when it comes to Hajj? Here is everything you need to know about women and Hajj obligations.
Women and Hajj Obligation in Islam
Some people commonly believe that Hajj is compulsory only for men. However, this is not true. Just as for men, Hajj is obligatory for women. It is the fifth pillar of Islam and a duty of a believer towards Allah the Almighty. For women, Hajj is a highly revered worship which earns them a reward equal to that of Jihaad.
Just as for men, some conditions make Hajj compulsory for a woman. However, for women, there are additional conditions given their different physiology.
● Physical Fitness
Women must be physically fit to perform the holy journey. Hajj requires a lot of strength and endurance. Therefore, women must not endanger their lives or cause trouble for their dependents. Allah is all-Knowing and Merciful.
● Financial Capability
Hajj requires a lot of financing. You need to cover your air fare, transportation within Saudi Arabia, accommodation, and other known and unknown expenses. Therefore, a woman willing to perform Hajj should be financially able. She must not cause financial distress for her family by taking loan or resorting to extreme measures to perform Hajj.
● Mahram Requirement
This is one of the distinguishing features of Hajj for women. Women cannot travel to perform Hajj without a Mahram. If a woman does not have a Mahram, Hajj is not obligatory for her. A Mahram is a father, son, husband, brother, maternal and paternal uncle. A maternal or paternal nephew is also a Mahram. This rule is based on the following hadith,
“A woman should not travel except with a Mahram” (Bukhari and Muslim)
The objective of this conditioning is to provide security and protection to women as Hajj is not an easy journey. Millions of Muslims gather to seek Allah’s blessings. So there is a risk of being lost, trampled, or hurting oneself.
● Appropriate Age
Hajj becomes obligatory when a woman reaches puberty. If she performs Hajj before that time, her pilgrimage is considered voluntary. She would still have to perform her obligatory Hajj. It is because Hajj is a spiritual journey. To fully benefit from it, the pilgrim must be mature to understand its meaning.
● Mensturation
This is a major issue for women. If a woman begins to menstruate during Hajj, she can perform all the rituals in that condition, except for tawaf. She needs to be in a clean state to perform tawaf. Other rituals like Sai, throwing stones at Jamarat, gathering at Arafat, and spending the night at Muzdalifah can be carried on. If a woman is expecting her cycle during the Hajj days 2025, it is permissible to take pills to delay menstruation. This would ease her situation, making her comfortable in performing the rituals.
● Pregnancy or Other Conditions
If a woman is pregnant, she can delay Hajj until she can perform the sacred journey. Similarly, if a woman is post-partum or has an infant less than a year old who is dependent on the mother, she can wait till the baby is old enough to stay without the mother.
Mahram for Hajj for Women
Traditionally, women have been forbidden to perform Hajj without a Mahram. However, recently, the Saudi Arabian Hajj authorities have changed the rule to accommodate women who do not have a Mahram. Now, women without a Mahram can perform the holy journey, provided they have the company of a trusted female group.
Conditions for Women to Follow During Hajj
The reward of an accepted Hajj is nothing less than Paradise, according to a hadith. So it is a golden opportunity for pilgrims to make their afterlife blissful. Here are some conditions for an accepted Hajj for women.
- Ihram for women is different than that for men. Women can wear any modest clothes that sufficiently cover their bodies.
- Women must not wear clothes that resemble the clothes of men or disbelievers.
- Their clothes must not be flashy or see-through, which grabs attention.
- A woman must not let non-Mahram see her face or hair.
- While spending the night at Muzdalifah, women must not sleep in front of non-mahram men.
- Applying fragrance is impermissible for women as it is a condition for Ihram.
- Women must not cover their hands or face.
Convenience for Women During Hajj
Allah considers the physiological difference between men and women, making special concessions for women for the holy journey. Here are some of them.
- Women are not required to recite Talbiyah loudly; rather, they must say it quietly. This is to guard them against unwanted attention.
- Women can choose to perform tawaf, sai, stoning at Jamarat, or kissing the Black Stone at less crowded hours.
- Women are not supposed to walk fast during tawaf or jog during Sai.
- Women can leave Muzdalifah for Jamarat before dawn so that they can stone before the place gets crowded.
To Sum Up
Women and Hajj obligation make us realize how much value Islam places on women. The rules and exemptions for women are only for their benefit and protection. This allows women to perform the spiritual journey with ease and comfort.
