Q. A woman who came from abroad to live in Makkah for several months performed the Umrah on arrival intending to do the pilgrimage as well. After her Umrah, she had intercourse with her husband. Does she need to perform the Umrah again before the pilgrimage? Does she have to offer the sacrifice, since residents in Makkah do not have to do it? Does she need to be with a mahram when she performs the pilgrimage?
(Name and address withheld)
A. Contrary to what many people think, Islam does not look at the sexual desire as unclean or impure. It is part of the constitution of man and serves the purpose of human survival. Islam only regulates the satisfaction of this desire so as to keep it within the healthy environment of marriage, which allows families to be built and children to grow up under the best possible care. Hence, there is no restriction on a married couple having intercourse at any time, except when restrictions apply. The restricted times are during the day of fasting, during a woman’s monthly period, and during the time when either husband or wife is in a state of consecration, or ihraam, for the Umrah or pilgrimage. Once both are released from consecration they may have intercourse as they please.
When the Prophet offered his pilgrimage, with more than one hundred thousand of his companions, he advised them to follow the tamattu’ method, which is to offer the Umrah first, and release oneself from ihraam, waiting until it is time for the pilgrimage and re-entering into the state of ihraam when the pilgrimage becomes due. This was very strange to them. They wondered about it and questioned him, asking: “What type of release?” He said that it should be the full release. This means that during the intervening period they have no ihraam restrictions of any sort. Again they wondered, asking: “Can we start our pilgrimage rituals when we have just had intercourse?” He assured them that this is the right way. We follow the Prophet, as he was the messenger God sent to teach us our faith. This means that it is perfectly permissible for a couple to have intercourse after they have finished their Umrah, waiting for pilgrimage. No need to repeat the Umrah.
As for the sacrifice, it is required of all those who choose the tamattu’ or the qiran method of pilgrimage. Both involve the performance of both the Umrah and the pilgrimage in the same season. The sacrifice is thus to express their gratitude to God for enabling them to do both duties in one trip.
The people of Makkah do not do either of these methods. They do the ifraad method, which means offering the pilgrimage only. As such, the sacrifice is not required of them as a duty. It is only recommended in his or her case, as it is recommended to anyone who chooses to offer the pilgrimage in the ifraad method.
In the case of this lady, she arrived in Makkah long before the pilgrimage season, which starts at the beginning of Shawwal. As such, she is a resident in Makkah and she should choose the ifraad method. Her Umrah does not count for tamattu’, because it was offered outside the pilgrimage season. However, if she left Makkah for some reason, such as visiting the Prophet’s mosque, and came back, she may do a new Umrah. If this happens to be in the pilgrimage season, and she offers the pilgrimage afterwards, she is offering it in the tamattu’ method which requires a sacrifice.
When she travels for the pilgrimage, she should be with a mahram, like all Muslim ladies, including those who live in Makkah. If her husband cannot accompany her, then she could go with a group of pilgrims, which includes some ladies. This is what is known as “safe companionship.”