Forms of Pilgrimage
There are three forms of Hajj:
1) Tamattu’
2) Ifraad
3) Qiraan

Tamattu’5
During the months of Hajj, a pilgrim wears the Ihraam6 making his intention for ‘Umrah7 only. He proceeds to Makkah and makes Tawaaf and Sa’yi for ‘Umrah. He then shaves or clips his hair. On the day of Tarwiyah, which is the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, he wears his Ihraam again but this time making the intention for Hajj only, and then he carries out all of its requirements.
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4 The Sunnah is the Prophet ‘way’ of doing things, his speech, actions, and
tacit approvals. These have been narrated to us through hadeeth, or narrations about the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
5 Tamattu’: This type of Hajj is one in which a person performs an ‘Umrah
and then a Hajj, both separately.
6 Ihraam: the state which pilgrims enter, upon which certain things become prohibited for them. Many times, as here, the word is used to denote the clothing worn when performing Hajj or ‘Umrah.
7 ‘Umrah: Minor Hajj: the combination of Tawaaf and Sa’yi.
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Ifraad8
A pilgrim wears the Ihraam, making his intention for Hajj only.
He proceeds to Makkah and performs Tawaaf for his arrival9 and Sa’yi for Hajj. He does not shave or clip his hair as he does not disengage from Ihraam.

Instead, he remains in his Ihraam till after he stones Jamrah al-‘Aqabah10 on the day of ‘Eid. It is permissible for him to postpone his Sa’yi of Hajj until after his Tawaaf of Hajj.11

Qiraan12
A pilgrim wears the Ihraam, making his intention for both ‘Umrah and Hajj, or he may make intention for ‘Umrah only, then makes the intention for Hajj only, and then adds the intention for Hajj before the Tawaaf of Hajj (Ifaadah). The obligations on one performing Ifraad are the same as those performing Qiraan, except that the latter must slaughter whereas the former is not obligated to do so. The best of the three forms is Tamattu’. It is the form that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) encouraged his followers to perform.
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8 Ifraad: This type of Hajj is one in which a person performs a Hajj only
without an ‘Umrah.
9 This tawaaf is called the ‘Tawaaf-ul-Qudoom’, the Tawaaf performed when one first reaches Makkah. It is not obligatory.
10 Jamrah: the structure at which one throws stones in Minaa.
11 The Tawaaf of Hajj is also called the ‘Tawaaf-ul-Ifaadah’.
12 Qiraan: This type of Hajj is one in which a person combines the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah, not performing each one separately.
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Even if a pilgrim makes intentions to perform Qiraan or Ifraad, he is allowed to change his intentions to Tamattu’; he can do this even after he has performed Tawaaf and Sa’yi.

When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) performed Tawaaf and Sa’yi during the year of the Farewell Hajj with his companions, he ordered all those who had not brought sacrificial animals to change their intentions for Hajj to intentions for ‘Umrah, cut their hair, and disengage from their Ihraam till Hajj.

He said:
“If I hadn’t brought the sacrificial animal, I’d have done what I’ve ordered you to do.”