RIYADH: During Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, Muslim men wear Ihram — simple attire representing purity and equality.
Ihram is made of two white unstitched pieces of fabric. One, the Izar, is wrapped around the waist while the other, the Rida’, covers the shoulders.
“Ihram is worn by men during Hajj and Umrah, and it is always unstitched and white,” Abdullah Al-Ahmad, who owns a menswear store in Riyadh, said.
“(It) usually consists of two pieces, a lower piece and an upper piece, and the most popular types of Ihram in the market are those made of elastic, and those tied around the belt. People usually prefer cotton, especially Egyptian cotton, for its high quality; also because cotton is softer on the skin and does not absorb heat.”
Hamad Al-Yami, a Saudi inventor in nanotechnology and member of the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations, talked to Arab News about his nano-silver technology Ihram.
“The idea originated while I was working at the Saudi Ministry of Health, where I noticed the need for antibacterial medical clothing,” he explained.
“The concept later evolved to include Ihram clothing after studying the challenges pilgrims face, such as the spread of infection in crowded conditions, wearing Ihram for a long period of time, sometimes for days at a time, and the limited effectiveness of traditional fabrics.”
He added he was inspired by the historical use of silver for sterilization and developed a technique using silver nanoparticles, each about one-millionth of a millimeter, to sterilize cotton fabric. The primary purpose of his invention was to reduce infection, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with his antibacterial clothing, he has future plans to work on recycled Ihrams and turn them into eco-friendly products like bags or pillows that could be used in mosques.
While men wear Ihram, women have more flexibility when it comes to clothing choices during Hajj, although modesty is still a requirement when choosing fabric and colors.
Due to the hot weather in the Makkah region, most women prefer lightweight, breathable materials such as cotton and linen.
“There are no specific clothes for women. Any texture, any color, as long as it is not decorated and is socially appropriate for Hajj. It should be modest and mostly white or beige,” said pilgrim Afnan Al-Harbi.
“I used to wear white because it was hot and sunny in Makkah and the color is cooler a little bit. We also don’t wear perfumes, we don’t cover our faces, and we don’t wear gloves. Still, a lot of pilgrims at the time were wearing black abayas.”
Wearing the Ihram is not a fashion choice. It indicates a state of spiritual readiness to submit to God and clear the mind and body of all negativity, so that Hajj can be begun with a positive mindset.
