Use of Shadow in the State of al-’Ihram

“Muhammad ibn ‘Isma‘il once said to me, ‘Would you like if I give you happy news, O ibn Muthanna?’ I replied, ‘Yes, please,’ and I stood up before him. He said, ‘This sinful person came to abu al-Hassan ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and he turned to him (the Imam) and asked, “O abu al-Hassan, can a man in the state of Ihram seek shadow in the carriage on the back of camels?” He (the Imam) said, “No, he cannot do so.” He then asked, “Can he seek shadow in the tent?” He (the Imam) said, “Yes, he can do so.” He repeated those words in a scolding manner, laughed and said, “O abu al-Hassan, what is the difference between this and that?” He (the Imam) then said, “O abu Yusuf, religion is not based on analogies like your analogies. You play with religion. We do only what the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, did and we say what the Messenger of Allah said. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, rode his stumper and did not prepare a shadow for himself. The sun rays hurt him and he covered only one part of his body with the other part, like covering his face with his hand, and when he disembarked he sought shadow in the tent, next to the House and walls.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about shadow for a man in the state of Ihram. He (the Imam) said, ‘Remain in the sun for the sake of the One by whose command you assume the state of Ihram.’ I then said, ‘My endurance in the sun is low and heat becomes unbearable to me.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Did you not know that the sun sits along with the sins of the people in the state of Ihram?”’

“I did not see anyone more strict about shadow in the state of Ihram than abu Ja‘far (a.s.), who would command to remove the dome (tent) and its poles when he assumed the state of Ihram.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a woman for whom a shadow is prepared while she is in the state of Ihram. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is permissible.’ I then asked the same about men. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, if he suffers from severe headache, but he must pay one mud (a certain measurement) of food as charity for every day.’”

“I wrote to al-Rida’ (a.s.), and asked if it is permissible to walk in the shadow of the carriage on camel back. He (the Imam) wrote back, ‘Yes, it is permissible.’ Another man had asked about preparing a shadow for one in the state of Ihram because of rain or sun and I was listening, he (the Imam) commanded him to pay a ransom of one sheep to be slaughtered in Mina.”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man in the state of Ihram and shadows. He (the Imam) said, ’He must not seek shadows unless he is ill.’”

“I once said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), that Ali ibn Shihab has a headache, and cold is severe and he wants to assume the state of Ihram. He (the Imam) said, ‘If that is the case he can use shadows, but you must stay out of the shadow for the sake of the One for whom you assume the state of Ihram.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if a man in the state of Ihram can cover himself from the sun. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot do so, unless he is an old man or one with illness.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram: if he can use shadow and pay ransom if the sun and rain are harmful for him. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’ I asked, ‘How much is the ransom?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is one sheep.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful for women and children to have a dome (umbrella) while they are in the state of Ihram.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A man in the state of Ihram must not cover himself from the sun with a cloth; but it is not harmful to cover one part by the other part of his body.’”

“I once wrote to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), that my aunt who is my travel-mate and the heat is severe for her while she is in the state of Ihram; if I can provide shadow for her and for myself. He (the Imam) wrote, ‘You can provide shadow just for her alone.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man in the state of Ihram if he can cover himself. He (the Imam) said, ‘As for from heat or cold, then no.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who seeks shadow in his al-‘Umrah. He (the Imam) said, ’Slaughtering (an animal) is necessary.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘If he goes out to Makkah and uses shadow, it is necessary to slaughter an animal; one for al-‘Umrah and one for al- Hajj.’”

“Once we were in the hall of Yahya ibn Khalid in Makkah. Abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.) and abu Yusuf were there. Abu Yusuf stood up to move closer and then sat down square in front of him (the Imam), and said, ‘O abu al-Hassan, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can a man in the state of Ihram seek shadow?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot do so.’ He (abu Yusuf) asked, ‘Can he seek shadow of a wall, carriage, or enter the house or tent?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’ He (abu Yusuf) laughed in a scolding manner. He (the Imam) then said, ‘O abu Yusuf, religion is not based on analogies like your analogies and the analogies of your companions. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has commanded in His book to apply divorce and has insisted to have two witnesses bear testimony to the pronouncement of divorce and has not agreed unless they are just people. He has commanded to get married and has ignored the presence of witnesses but you require witnesses where Allah has made it (presence of witnesses) invalid and you have ignored the need for witnesses where Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, requires. You have also made divorce by an insane and drunk person permissible. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, performed al-Hajj, assumed the state of Ihram and did not prepare a shadow for himself. He (the Messenger of Allah) entered the house, the tent, used the shadow of the carriage and the wall; and we do as the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, did. He (abu Yusuf) remained quiet.’”