Had a car accident after assuming Ihraam for ‘Umrah

16/11/2011| IslamWeb

Question

One wearing Ihraam in Jeddah and not performing Umrah due to car accident is there any rules imposed on the person...like sacrifice a goat...etc

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If this man had laid a condition when he assumed Ihraam, by saying for instance: “O Allah! I would be free from the state of Ihraam if you attain me (i.e. if I am prevented from continuing the rituals of Umrah)", then in this case he is permitted to take off his Ihraam and he is not required to do anything.

However, if he (the injured person) had not laid a condition, and he is able to persevere, with the hope of completing his ‘Umrah after he is cured, then he should be patient until he becomes cured and then perform ‘Umrah, because Allah ordered us to complete the ritual; Allah Says (what means): {And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.}[Quran 2:196]

In case he is unable to complete the ‘Umrah, then he takes the rule of someone who is prevented (from completing the rituals); Allah Says (what means): {But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter.}[Quran 2:196] So, he should offer a sacrifice and then shave or trim his head, and then take off his Ihraam (comes out of the state of Ihraam).

However, he should not wear form-fitted clothes before he shaves and offers a Hadyy. To offer a Hadyy means to offer a sacrifice in the place where he was prevented from completing the rituals, whether he is inside or outside the boundaries of the Haram [Makkah], and he should give it to the poor in the place where he is.

If he cannot find anyone to give the sacrifice to, then it should be transferred to those who live in the surroundings of Makkah, or to the poor of some villages (around Makkah), and then he should shave or trim his hair and come out of the state of Ihraam.

If he is unable to offer a sacrifice, then some scholars   stated that he should fast 10 days and then he should shave or trim his hair and come out of the state of Ihraam. Nevertheless, some other scholars stated that if he is unable to offer a sacrifice, he may come out of the state of Ihraam and he is not required to do anything. 

Allah Knows best.

Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb