Carrying bag on shoulder during Tawaf and Sa‘y

24-8-2016 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is the ruling on carrying a small bag on the shoulder or the back during Tawaaf (circumambulation) and Sa‘y (going back and forth between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah) to keep such belongings in it as sandals or a mat during the state of Ihram (ritual state of consecration) given that the bag’s hand is sewed with its body?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible for the one in the state of Ihram to carry a bag to keep his belongings in it. This bag is not included in the sewed items from which one in the state of Ihram is forbidden. The sewed item forbidden to one in the state of Ihram is that which is tailored to fit a part of the body. The scholars state that it is permissible for one in the state of Ihram to carry a sword, and it is similar to carrying a bag. According to An-Nawawi :

"Our fellow Shaafi‘i scholars say that he (the one who is in the state of Ihram) is allowed to carry the Mus-haf (copy of the Quran) and the sword hangings, tie a money parcel and a waistband around his waist, and wear a ring. There is no difference in opinion about the permissibility of all of this. What we have mentioned concerning the money parcel and waistband expresses our adopted opinion, which is also held by all scholars, except for Ibn ‘Umar according to the more authentic narration attributed to him as he disliked wearing these two items."

Allaah Knows best.