Bismihi Ta`ala
*THE MASLAS AROUND THE DEPARTURES OF HAJEES.*
First of all know that any travelling does not allow us to postpone or to pray salaah in advance from its proper time. Take the salaah time schedule of your transit countries and as well as the salaah times in Jeddah. And know that it is summer in Makkah and salaah times differentiate completely from southern hemisphere. You may find salaah schedules on web easily. Remember that the change in your salaah will only be accounted when you left your home town.If urges arises, then after you left your home town, the only elasticity of salaahs for hanafis is that during travelling of 77kms or more, then one may pray 2 Zohr and 2 Assr together when Assr Shafi`ee started already. That is when the sun has made one shade length of everything. But wait a bit to allow the length that stays at Istiwa(Zawaal) to be included in that. Also hanafi travellers may read Maghrib and Esha together after the red of the sky disappears or when maghrib shafi`ee finished. This fatwa is famous in our era from Hazrat Mowlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri r.a. Note that standing is farz for salaahs even in flight. So ask for permission for individual salaah by the free area. Find out the qiblah direction as it would be as per the position of your plane to Saudi Arabia, Makkah. During the flight, be cautious with salaah times as your altitude would bring 15 mins approximately difference from the country you are crossing: Sehri 15 mins before. Maghrib, Esha: 15 mins afterwards. If you are ordered to sit, then sit and read on your seat, but reread when reach the next airport. Men should know that during Ihraam, they can`t wear any kind of sandals. Only those sandals that leave their metatarsal bones and ankles completely open that is allowed. The beloved prophet SAW said about cutting the leather socks from beneath the ankles(Bukhari):عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَعَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَهُ مَا يَلْبَسُ الْمُحْرِمُ فَقَالَ لَا يَلْبَسُ الْقَمِيصَ وَلَا الْعِمَامَةَ وَلَا السَّرَاوِيلَ وَلَا الْبُرْنُسَ وَلَا ثَوْبًا مَسَّهُ الْوَرْسُ أَوْ الزَّعْفَرَانُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ النَّعْلَيْنِ فَلْيَلْبَسْ الْخُفَّيْنِ وَلْيَقْطَعْهُمَا حَتَّى يَكُونَا تَحْتَ الْكَعْبَيْنِبخاري‘’…If you cannot find a shoe, then take a leather sock and cut it such that it becomes beneath the ankles.’’(Bukhari)So nothing is tolerated above the metatarsal bone or ankles. Hazrat Mowlana Zakaraya r.a. describes the issue in Awjazul masalik about exposing the place where you tie the lace(cuneiform bone) and also the ankles. The fact that the beloved prophet SAW explicitly said that to cut it beneath ankles also means it to be beneath the metatarsal bone that is almost adjacent to the metatarsal bone.(Same explanation in Umdatul Qari, Lisanul Arab and Qamousal Fiqh) I wish to attract your attention on the fact that those leather socks that existed that time and that was suitable for massah on it, was so strong for you to perform a Hajj walking with it! So it is not appropriate to use cotton or wool socks that we get nowadays and make massah on that, as we cannot walk ten of kilometres with these socks without it being torn. Important for everyone including imams to avoid making massah on normal socks except for mozahs or leather socks as the Qur-aan explicitly orders us to wash our feet.Women can wear socks and gloves during ihraam, but not recommended.Men would only wear the 2 sheets without vests or underwear. They would uncover their head especially and would not cover face also.Furthermore, know that since lots of ladies will be travelling, then know that if the lady is reading salaah(that is she is pure), then she should make qasr(read Zohr, Assr and Esha 2 rakaats) as from she leaves her home town. If the airport is in the home town, then no qasr at the Airport. The demarcation of areas depends on how ulamas treat these places as one or separate. She would be in travelling until she reaches that city where she would spend 15 days or more at that place. If no such stop, then she will be musafir and traveller from hometown until she reaches again her home town.Khair if she is not reading salaah, then she should know that her maslahs changes. She would account for her shortening or completing salaahs as when she bath for purity. When she bathed, then her meter of travelling starts. So if she bath in Makkah, then she would be completing her salaah all the way through Mina, Arafah and Muzdalifah as these are very close to Makkah. She would probably become a traveller only when she travels to Madinah. If she bath during her Dubai or Abu Dhabi transit, then she would complete salaah there and then when she leaves for Jeddah, she would do qasr as from the plane left Dubai or Abu Dhabi.It is farz on women also to do their salaahs standing even on the plane. If prevented by airhostesses, then read on seat and repeat salaah on the ground.You should be in Ihraam even in menses before miqaat. Better read 2 rakaats at your transits and then formulate your intention for UMRAH when your plane left the transit airport. When the plane flew from transit towards Jeddah, then at once make this intention:O Allah, I intend to do Umrah for you, please do accept it from me and facilitate my way. AmeenThen men say Labbaiks aloud 3 times. Women 3 times labbaiks softly.Women in menses would stay in Ihraam until they are pure to enter the masjid for tawaaf and complete their Umrahs. Until they don’t complete Umrahs and they finally cut their hair after Umrah, she would stay in Ihraam. During hajj they will do everything except entering masjid and tawaaf. During their stay in Makkah, during menses, they may go to SAFA MARWA side(not entering the masjid) and find a place in Safa Marwa(even in the new construction side) high enough to see the Ka`bah. Hence they would enjoy these 2 `ibaadahs peculiar to Haram: ZamZam available there and view over Ka`bah.Women in ihraam should wear a cap pardah that hide their face but does not touch the face. At the end of Umrahs and Hajj man or woman, do give 10 RIYALS as SADAQAHS to cover up for involuntary acts of touching veil to the face and for hairs that fell out not purposely. This sadaqah best given to the poor of Makkah. Else to any poor muslim elsewhere.
Mufti Mackoojee
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