What is Talbiyah and when to recite it?
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The Talbiyah (Arabic: تلبية) is a religious 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.
Technique for Recital
The dashes denote four points where a momentary pause is required when reciting the Talbiyah according to the Sunnah. The following are the words:
لَبَّيْكَ اللهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ – لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ – إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ – لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ –
Transliteration: 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.
Translation: 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.
When reciting the Talbiyah, men should speak loudly while women should speak softly.
It is advised to send Salawat upon the Prophet and to make Dua for yourself and other people after reciting the Talbiyah for the first time.
Talbiyah should be repeated as frequently is feasible throughout Hajj and Umrah. It is advised to read it in all situations, including standing, sitting, walking, driving, lying down, being moderately or severely impure, or when menstruating.
It should also be repeated in any mosque and at other times or locations where the environment is changing, such as when night falls or day breaks, at dawn, when getting into or out of a car, when coming across a group of pilgrims.
It is advised to recite the Talbiyah three times or more.
You shouldn’t read it during Sa’i or Tawaf.
The Talbiyah should be recited by Hajj pilgrims up until stoning at Jamarah al-Aqaba on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, or right before Tawaf al-Ziyarah if that is performed first.
Those who are performing the Umrah should stop reciting it shortly before the Tawaf of the Umrah begins.
Legal Standing
Hanafis and Malikis see the recital of the Talbiyah as Wajib, hence failing to do so would render the Hajj or Umrah illegitimate in their eyes. According to the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools of thought, reciting the Talbiyah is Sunnah, thus even if someone skips it, the pilgrimage is still considered acceptable.
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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