During consecration some Halal practices are prohibited, such as wearing perfumes, clipping hair or nails etc. If anything is done out of ignorance or forgetfulness it would be overlooked and one must revert.

Practices prohibited during consecration (i.e. ihram)

The following nine practices are prohibited for anyone who is in the state of consecration:

1- Men may not wear anything that is tailored to take the shape of the body or any part of it, whether it is a robe or trousers or anything similar. They wear two pieces of cloth, one is wrapped around the body, covering them from the waist to well below the knees, and the other thrown over their shoulders and covering the top part of the body. If one cannot find a garment to wrap himself with, i.e. izar, he may wear trousers. Women may wear whatever they wish except veils and gloves. They have to leave their faces and hands uncovered.

2- Wearing perfume after entering the state of Ihram, on body or clothes, and deliberately taking a smell of perfume. He may, however, smell plants and use kohl that has no smell.

3- Removing hair and clipping nails. This applies to both men and women. One may wash one’s head gently. If one’s nail is broken, one may get rid of it.

4- A man may not use a head cover, but he may be in the shade of something like a tree, a tent, etc., or he may use an umbrella when needed. Women may not cover their faces with something like a veil, whether showing their eyes or not.

If a person wears perfume, covers his head, or wears something tailored out of ignorance, forgetfulness, or because he is forced to do so, his mistake is overlooked. However, when the reason is removed, as when the person concerned learns of the prohibition or remembers or the compulsion is ended, he should stop this immediately.

5- Proposing or marrying for oneself or someone else.

6- Sexual intercourse with one’s wife. This renders the pilgrimage invalid if done before the initial release from consecration, even after the attendance at Arafat is over.

7- Sexual foreplay including kissing, touching and gazing with desire, but this does not invalidate the pilgrimage.

8- Hunting and killing game. He may kill the types of harmful animals that the Prophet (peace be upon him) allowed to kill in the Haram and elsewhere. These are ravens, rats, scorpions, kites, snakes and vicious dogs. He may not help in hunting or killing game, not even by pointing  at game. If someone hunts an animal while not in the state of Ihram and was not assisted by someone in Ihram, it is permissible to eat from it. Otherwise, this is prohibited.

9- No one, whether in consecration or not, may cut the trees of the Haram area, or its green plants that are not harmful. Branches that stretch into people’s way and cause inconvenience may be cut. Excepted is a type of shrub tree called al-idhkhar, and what people themselves grow.