Ihram
/ˈiː.hræm/noun
The sacred state of ritual purity entered before performing the Hajj or Umrah, and the clothing worn to signify it.
Did you know?The word comes from an Arabic root meaning “to forbid” or “make sacred,” because ihram marks the moment certain ordinary actions become ritually prohibited.
Etymological Timeline
Arabic root
Ar
ḥ-r-m
“A root carrying the sense of being forbidden, inviolable, or sacred”
Classical Arabic
Ar
iḥrām
“Entering a consecrated state in which specific actions become prohibited”
Islamic tradition
Ar
iḥrām
“The ritual state assumed before pilgrimage, along with the prescribed garments”
Modern English
English
ihram
“The pilgrimage state or garments associated with Hajj or Umrah”