Obligatory Matters to Commence al-’Ihram

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you arrive at al-‘Aqiq from the side of Iraq you should clean your underarms, cut your fingers nails, cleanse your pubic hairs with a certain paste and trim your mustache. It is not harmful whichever you do first. In addition, you should do so at any of designated Mawaqit (places for assuming the state of Ihram) when you are about to assume the state of Ihram by the will of Allah. Thereafter brush your teeth and put on your two pieces of cloths. You should complete it by the will of Allah near Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime). If it is not at this time it is not harmful; however, I like it to be at that time if there is not any emergency.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Of the Sunnah in Ihram is to trim finger nails, mustache and pubic hairs.’”

“Abu Basir once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was present, ‘How much time is required between two applications (of hair removers)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Two Fridays, after fifteen days you can apply again.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful to apply (hair remover) fifteen days before Ihram.’”

“Once al-Hassan ibn Sa‘id wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who assumes the state of Ihram without Ghusl (bath) or without Salat (prayer) knowingly, or is ignorant, and what he owes and what should he do? He (the Imam) wrote in answer, ‘He must assume the state of Ihram again.’”

“Once we were in al-Madinah. Zurarah insisted about plucking out or shaving the hairs of underarms. I said shaving is better and he said, plucking out is better. We asked permission to see abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). Permission was granted and he was in the shower applying the paste (to remove hairs). He (the Imam) had applied it to his underarms. I said to Zurarah that it is sufficient. He said, ‘Perhaps he (the Imam) did what was not permissible for me to do.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is the issue between you two people?’ I replied, ‘Zurarah insists about plucking out or shaving.’ I said to him that shaving is better and Zurarah says that plucking out is better. He (the Imam) said, ‘You have found the Sunnah and Zurarah has missed it. Shaving is better than plucking it out, and using paste is better than shaving.’ He (the Imam) then said apply paste. We said, ‘It is three days that we have applied it. He (the Imam) said, ‘Apply again; applying paste is cleansing.’”