Why do Hajj pilgrims wear Ihram clothes, not just ordinary clothes? Here are three reasons

 

Why do Hajj pilgrims wear Ihram clothes, not just ordinary clothes? Here are three reasons

The white and unstitched ihram clothes are synonymous with pilgrims. Ihram clothing is wrapped around the body. It is used when going to ihram and is a sign of the beginning of the pilgrimage. Some may ask, why do you have to wear Ihram when you perform Hajj? Why can't you wear normal clothes, like people praying?

Almost every aspect of the pilgrimage has wisdom and benefits in it. All movements and activities that are commanded by Allah generally have wisdom and benefits. It's just that sometimes humans are not able to reveal every wisdom that is in it. Regarding the wisdom of using Ihram clothing, Ibn Abbas explained that there are three lessons:

First, usually, people when visiting other people's homes wear nice clothes. The existence of the necessity of ihram wearing a white cloth that is not sewn which is contrary to human habits, Allah seems to want to tell that the purpose of visiting Allah's place is different from visiting the place of creation.

If this is further elaborated, our awareness to come to Allah must be different from visiting humans and creatures in general. Allah is the  khaliq  (creator), while other than Him are creatures (creation).

The difference in the position of the two requires different behavior in front of them. Wearing nice clothes in front of other humans may be to maintain dignity or gain the comfort of the viewer. Because humans are creatures with the bonds of worldly objects to themselves.

God is different from humans. Allah is the creator who is certainly richer than his creation. The "advantage value" that Allah asks of humans is piety which is difficult to digest with the naked eye.

Second ; so that the servant realizes that by giving up everything during ihram, he is stripping himself of worldly possessions. Like a baby who comes out of his mother's womb without wearing any clothes.

This implies that wearing Ihram clothing is a form of the wearer's behavior in letting go of worldly things. On his body there is nothing but things that are used to cover the genitals.

Third ; The state of Ihram resembles the state of being present in a place where we will be judged by Allah in that place. Where Allah says in Surah an-Nisa' verse 40:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ

Meaning:   "Indeed, Allah does not persecute anyone even as big as an zarrah."

And in surah al-An'am verse 94 Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَادَى كَمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

Meaning:   "And verily you came to us individually as we created you in the beginning."

The three "reflections" of Ibn Abbas tell us that in ihram which is the beginning of the pilgrimage, there needs to be a separate awareness that the perpetrator is invited to go through times of breaking away from worldly things even though they are still living in the world. Although this is contrary to human nature, which cannot live without worldly possessions, it does not mean that we are willing to let our consciousness be taken by it.