Fatwa ID: 06248
Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Question:
Shower Gel in Ihram
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Ya`la used to say, “I wish I could see Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ at the time he is being inspired Divinely.” When the Prophet ﷺ was at Al-Ja’rana and was shaded by a garment hanging over him, whilst some of his companions were with him. A man perfumed with scent came and asked: “O Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ! What is your opinion regarding a man who assumes Ihrām and puts on a cloak after perfuming his body with scent?” The Prophet ﷺ waited for a while, and then the Divine Inspiration descended upon him. `Umar pointed out to Ya`la, telling him to come. Ya`la came and pushed his head (underneath the screen which was covering the Prophet ﷺ) and behold! The Prophet’s ﷺ face was red and he kept on breathing heavily for a while until he was relieved. He asked: “Where is the questioner who asked me about Umrah a while ago?” The man was sought and then was brought before the Prophet ﷺ who said (to him): “As regards to the scent which you perfumed your body with, you must wash it off thrice, and as for your cloak, you must take it off; and then perform in your Umrah all those things which you perform in Hajj.” [Sahih al-Bukhāri: Hadith 4985; Sahih al-Muslim: Hadith 1180] [1]
Based on the above narration the prohibition is taken in applying or using any scented objects while one is in the state of Ihrām. Though it shows it to be scent-free, most soaps, shower gels, shampoos, etc. do still have some sort of a scent, so caution must be stressed. Though, technically it could be permissible to use this shower gel, if it is actually scent-free, the use of it goes against the spirit of being in the state of Ihrām.
If it was scented and used then the penalty will vary based on the number of usages, the size and portion of the limb(s) it was applied to, and the quantity in which it was used. The penalty could be to give charity to the amount of Sadaqat al-Fitr or a Damm (sacrificial animal). [Radd al-Muhtār: vol. 2, pg. 489] [2]
Nonetheless, the use of any of these, including deodorants, sun tan lotion, and other toiletries would be better avoided. The number of days that we are in the state of Ihrām is limited to a maximum of five days (during Hajj) and a matter of hours for Umrah. The spirit of being in Ihrām is to fall into a messy, ungroomed, and unkempt state. We attempt to adopt the appearance of someone fully engrossed in the love and worship of Allāh Ta’ālā whilst forgetting about all worldly attachments and beauties.
A man stood before the Prophet ﷺ and asked: “Who is the (real) Hajj pilgrim, O Messenger of Allāh ﷺ!” He ﷺ replied: “The one with dishevelled hair who smells bad.” [Sunan at-Tirmizi: Hadith 2998; Sunan Ibn Mājah: Hadith 2896] [3]
Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.
Written by Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1]حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَطَاءٌ،. وَقَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَطَاءٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي صَفْوَانُ بْنُ يَعْلَى بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، أَنَّ يَعْلَى، كَانَ يَقُولُ لَيْتَنِي أَرَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ يُنْزَلُ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْىُ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْجِعْرَانَةِ وَعَلَيْهِ ثَوْبٌ قَدْ أَظَلَّ عَلَيْهِ وَمَعَهُ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ إِذْ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ مُتَضَمِّخٌ بِطِيبٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَرَى فِي رَجُلٍ أَحْرَمَ فِي جُبَّةٍ بَعْدَ مَا تَضَمَّخَ بِطِيبٍ فَنَظَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَاعَةً فَجَاءَهُ الْوَحْىُ فَأَشَارَ عُمَرُ إِلَى يَعْلَى أَنْ تَعَالَ، فَجَاءَ يَعْلَى فَأَدْخَلَ رَأْسَهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُحْمَرُّ الْوَجْهِ يَغِطُّ كَذَلِكَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ سُرِّيَ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ ” أَيْنَ الَّذِي يَسْأَلُنِي عَنِ الْعُمْرَةِ آنِفًا ”. فَالْتُمِسَ الرَّجُلُ فَجِيءَ بِهِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ” أَمَّا الطِّيبُ الَّذِي بِكَ فَاغْسِلْهُ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ، وَأَمَّا الْجُبَّةُ فَانْزِعْهَا ثُمَّ اصْنَعْ فِي عُمْرَتِكَ كَمَا تَصْنَعُ فِي حَجِّكَ ”.
[2]وغسل رأسه ولحيته بخطمي لأنه طيب أو يقتل الهوام بخلاف صابون قال العلامة الشامي: قوله ( بخلاف صابون ) في جنايات الفتح لو غسل بالصابون والحرض لا رواية فيه وقالوا لا شيء فيه لأنه ليس بطيب ولا يقتل اه ومقتضى التعليل عدم وجوب الدم والصدقة اتفاقا ولذا قال في الظهيرية وأجمعوا أنه لا شيء عليه اه ومثله في البحر وكذا في القهستاني عن شرح الطحاوي فافهم
[3]حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَبَّادِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْمَخْزُومِيَّ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ ابَنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَامَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ مَنِ الْحَاجُّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” الشَّعِثُ التَّفِلُ ” . فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَقَالَ أَىُّ الْحَجِّ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ” الْعَجُّ وَالثَّجُّ ” . فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَقَالَ مَا السَّبِيلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” الزَّادُ وَالرَّاحِلَةُ ” . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْخُوزِيِّ الْمَكِّيِّ . وَقَدْ تَكَلَّمَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ مِنْ قِبَلِ حِفْظِهِ .
