• Talbiyah

    The Talbiyah (Arabic: تلبية) is a devotional prayer uttered by pilgrims during Hajj or Umrah after making the intention to enter into the state of Ihram. It is recited frequently throughout the pilgrimage.

    Method of Recital

    The Sunnah method of reciting the Talbiyah is to briefly pause at four places, indicated by the dashes. The words are as follows:

    لَبَّيْكَ اللهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ – لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ – إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ – لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ –

    Labbayka llāhumma labbayk(a), labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk(a), inna l-ḥamda wa n-ni’mata, laka wa l-mulk(a), lā sharīka lak.

    At Your service, Allah, at Your service. At Your service, You have no partner, at Your service. Truly all praise, favour and sovereignty is Yours. You have no partner.

    Men should raise their voices when reciting the Talbiyah while women should recite it softly.

    After reciting the Talbiyah for the first time, it is recommended to send Salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ and to make Dua for yourself and others.

    When to Recite

    Talbiyah should be recited as much as possible throughout Hajj and Umrah. It is recommended to read it in all conditions including while standing, sitting, walking, travelling in a vehicle,  laying down, in a state of minor or major impurity or during menstruation.

    It should also be recited when changing conditions, such as times or places like the coming of night or day, at dawn, when boarding or disembarking a vehicle, when encountering a group of pilgrims, after Salah and in any mosque.

    It is recommended to repeat the Talbiyah three or more times.

    It should not be read during Tawaf or Sa’i.

    Hajj pilgrims should continue to recite the Talbiyah until the stoning of Jamarah al-Aqaba takes place on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, or just before performing Tawaf al-Ziyarah if that is performed first.

    Umrah pilgrims should stop reciting it just before the commencement of the Tawaf of Umrah.

    Legal Status

    The recitation of the Talbiyah is considered to be Wajib by Hanafis and Malikis so neglecting it would render the Hajj or Umrah invalid according to these schools. From the Shafi’i and Hanbali perspectives, it is a Sunnah to recite the Talbiyah so if a person leaves it out, the pilgrimage would still remain valid.

    Hadith

    حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ غَزِيَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يُلَبِّي إِلاَّ لَبَّى مَنْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ أَوْ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ مِنْ حَجَرٍ أَوْ شَجَرٍ أَوْ مَدَرٍ حَتَّى تَنْقَطِعَ الأَرْضُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا ‏”‏ ‏.‏

    Sahl bin Sa’d narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no Muslim who says the Talbiyah except that – on his right and left, until the end of the land, from here to there – the rocks, or trees, or mud say the Talbiyah.
    [Narrated in Sunan al-Tirmidhi]

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