alIfrad

Al-Ifrād (Arabic: الإفراد) refers to a method of performing Hajj in Islamic law in which the pilgrim enters ihram with the intention of performing Hajj only and does not perform Umrah during the same pilgrimage. It is one of the three classical modes of performing Hajj, the others being Tamattu’ and Qiran. The term derives from an Arabic root meaning singularity or exclusivity, signaling the intention to single out Hajj.

A pilgrim who adopts al-Ifrād enters ihram at the prescribed miqat for Hajj and undertakes the rites of Hajj without performing Umrah rites. The core rites include circumambulation of the Kaaba (tawaf) and sa’i between Safa and Marwah, standing at Arafat, and the rites performed in Muzdalifah and Mina, culminating in the stoning of the Jamrāt. Because Umrah is not included, there is no accompanying Umrah sequence within the same ihram.

In practice, al-Ifrād is widely practiced in various Muslim communities and can be chosen for reasons of tradition, convenience, or personal preference. Rites and timings can vary somewhat among legal schools, but the defining feature remains the single intention for Hajj with no Umrah in the same journey.

See also: Hajj, Tamattu’, Qiran, miqat, ihram.