Short answer
Two unstitched sheets: an izar wrapped around the waist and a rida over the shoulders, with sandals that leave the top of the foot bare. Men may not wear clothing cut to the body, such as shirts, trousers, underwear, socks or caps, or cover the head. A belt, watch, glasses and a money pouch are allowed.
A man in ihram must not wear clothing tailored to the body in its normal way, nor cover his head or face. The two sheets are sunnah; any unstitched cloth will do. Wearing forbidden clothing for a full day or night requires a dam; for less, sadaqah.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i and Hanbali
- A man may cover his face; only the head is forbidden. A fidyah is due for wearing forbidden clothing or covering the head even briefly, with no full-day threshold.
- Maliki
- Like the Hanafis, a man may not cover his face. A fidyah is due when the clothing was worn long enough to benefit from it, such as a day.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ was asked what a muhrim may wear. He listed what he may not: shirts, turbans, trousers, hooded cloaks and leather socks. He himself set out from Madinah in an izar (lower sheet) and rida (upper sheet). The four schools agree on this basic dress.
- Izar: wrap the larger sheet around your waist, right side under, left over, so it covers from the navel to below the knees. Tuck the top edge in or hold it with a belt.
- Rida: drape the second sheet over both shoulders. Uncover the right shoulder only during the tawaf that is followed by sa'i (see idtiba).
- Feet: sandals or slippers (see shoes in ihram).
- Allowed: a belt or money belt, watch, ring, glasses, hearing aids, a bag on the shoulder, an umbrella, and a blanket over your body (not your head) at night.
- Not allowed: underwear, a vest, a T-shirt under the sheets, socks, a cap, a hood, or a jacket worn with the arms in its sleeves. Draping a jacket over your shoulders without putting your arms in is allowed in the Hanafi school.
- Pins and knots: many Hanafi scholars dislike pinning or knotting the sheets; it brings no penalty.
Wearing the clothes is not ihram itself (see what is ihram). For colour, fabric and washing, see does ihram have to be white, and for women, ihram for women.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:197
ٱلْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌۭ مَّعْلُومَٰتٌۭ ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ ٱلْحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ يَعْلَمْهُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَتَزَوَّدُوا۟ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ ﴿١٩٧﴾
Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do - Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.
Once in ihram, its restrictions apply.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1542
Sahih... لا يلبس القمص ولا العمائم ولا السراويلات ولا البرانس ولا الخفاف ...
"He does not wear shirts, turbans, trousers, hooded cloaks or leather socks."
The clothing a man may not wear in ihram.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1545
Sahih... ولبس إزاره ورداءه هو وأصحابه ...
"He put on his lower and upper sheets, he and his companions."
The izar and rida are the Sunnah dress of ihram.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, chapter on ihram. The muhrim wears an izar and rida; draping a cloak without putting the arms in is allowed.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hajj, on what is disliked in ihram. Knotting or pinning the sheets is disliked; a belt is allowed.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, chapter on penalties. A full day in stitched clothing requires a dam, less requires sadaqah.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.