 As we know, Hajj and Umra need huge efforts because of the tiredness and hardships not found in the other devotions except Jihad, particularly the women who are naturally feeble and weak. So, when A’asha asked whether the women were obligated by the duty of Jiahd, Allah’s Messenger replied saying,” Yes, they (the women) are obligated by Jihad free from fighting- Hajj and Umra.” Since a woman is distinct from a man, having special psychological and physical characteristics and conditions, the purified Shari`ah (Islamic Law) makes special regulations compatible with the different conditions and cases a woman may face for alleviating the hardships of Hajj and protecting her purity and chasteness.
I) The first characteristic of women’s Hajj is the Mihrem (a first-class relative man accompanying a woman in her abroad travels).
Traveling is always surrounded by dangers and surprises, and Hajj can not be performed without traveling for the people coming from the distant places. For protecting the women and considering her personal duties, the Shari`ah (Islamic Law) regulates the presence of Mihram for protecting a woman during the Hajj; it is a duty and condition which should be fulfilled if any woman wants to go for the pilgrimage. If a woman does not find a Mihrem, then it is forbidden to travel or go for Hajj by herself. In an agreed upon Hadith, it is proved that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said, ” No woman travels without a Mihrem. A man rose and said’ O, Allah’s Messenger, my wife is going for doing Hajj while I am here for fighting in the forays. Allah’s Messenger said: ‘Go and perform Hajj with her”. In Bukhary’s narration;”A man said ‘O, Allah’s Messenger, I want to go for fighting with the army, and my wife wants to go for Hajj’. Allah’s Messenger replied’ Go with her’”.
II) The possibility of performing Hajj if a woman
is in her period
öAs the menstruation is out of a woman’s control and considering that a woman may be menstruating on performing Hajj, Shari`ah (Islamic Law) gives a woman the permission to make the pilgrimage even though she is menstruating. It is narrated about A’asha that she was menstruating during she was on her way to Hajj; she said, “ The Prophet entered while I was weeping. He asked me, ’Why are you weeping? I replied,’ I hoped to perform Hajj’. He replied, ’You seem menstruating’.I said,‘ Yes’. He said, ’This is a matter fated by God upon the women. Do as any hajji does except Tawaf (walking around Aka’bh) till you are purified from the menstruation.”(Narrated by Al-Bukhary).
III) Safeguarding a woman’s veil and adorning
A woman is a spot of adoration and attraction. As Hajj is one of the devotions which attracts a great number of people, requiring devotion and attention to Allah, Shari`ah (Islamic Law) puts some special regulations suitable to a woman’s nature. Among these regulation is to free her from wearing the clothing of Hajj ( Ihram), giving her the permission to wear her usual dresses without putting a veil on her face or using the gloves as Allah’s Messenger said ,”A woman on Hajj may not wear a veil on her face or gloves”. But, a woman must cover her face with a scarf instead of a veil if a foreign man passes by her.
Additionally, a woman may not raise her voice on saying Talbiya whereas men can favorably do that. A woman, also, must not perform Ar-Ramil (walking in a relativey hurry movement) lest she may be adorned by others. Another regulation is related to cutting hair; a woman in Hajj is not required to have her hair cut completely as men. All what she must do is to have a hairbreadth cut to sustain her beauty and adorning.
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