Hajj & Umrah

Q: I have a few questions regarding Tawaaf:

1. When making استلام بالاشارة must one raise the hands upto the ears (as in Salaah) or in line with the shoulders? Also, does one stretch out the arms (as if touching the Hajar e Aswad) or must one keep the hands in line with the body?

2. Thereafter, when kissing the hands must one kiss the fingers or the palms?

3. When making استلام بالاشارة in which direction must the body face? In this regard is there a difference between the first Istilaam & the subsequent ones?

3. When making استلام بالاشارة during the course of Tawaaf does one stop at the Hajar e Aswad, make Istilaam & thereafter continue walking, or must one make Istilaam while walking?

Q: I have been told that when visiting the holy places of Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Tayyibah, then one should not bring home the sand or rocks. Is this correct?

Q: While performing tawaaf during Umrah, my chest faced the Kabah. I cannot recall whether it was due to crowds pushing or another reason. I did not repeat that particular round of tawaaf.

1. Is my Umrah valid?

2. Should I repeat the Umrah or give dam/sadaqah?

Q: I have a question that I'm having difficulty in finding an answer for. Would appreciate some help! I have read and heard that if a female gets her period during Umrah/Hajj, she can perform every ritual except Tawaf. Now some scholars say she can enter haram and others say she can't. I'm confused, because to do the Sai (in periods) one would have to enter the Haram. Can I sit in haram with my periods just to do tasbih?

Q: My father had made arrangements for umrah. The process went as far as getting to the airport. By the will of Allah, his passport and documents were mislaid at the airport. All efforts were made to find them but because of time constraints, the rest of the group had to continue with the blessed journey and my father could not go.

1. In terms of sawaab, will my father receive the full sawaab?

2. My siblings and relatives had initially all contributed towards the cost of the trip. Due to love and emotion, I wish to send him in a few months time. Is it permissible for me to take a loan to pay for his trip and then I will settle the loan as my own? Should I make it known to him if the loan option is allowed?

Q: One should drink water by sitting, but for drinking Zamzam water we should stand and drink? (As people says) if yes, then, what is the ruling on a person who lives in Makkah, where he has only Zamzam water, he should drink it in standing position still he is there?

Q: In the state of ihraam, can one use a belt to keep one’s money, etc.? 

Q: We drink water by sitting, then why do we have to drink zam zam water standing ? If we are in Makkah and the water available there is zam zam, then should we drink it by standing everytime?

Q: If you made tawaaf after asr, do you read wajibut tawaaf at that time or after maghrib?

Q: I would like to go for hajj and we have enough money for my husband and I to go but we have a house mortgage that we took 7 years ago ( I understand it is not allowed to take interest based mortgage but I was then advised by a local Mufti Saheb in England that as there are no other options and I had been paying rent for so many years it would be permissible as not for business purpose and purpose is to live in the house). I do not have enough money to pay it off but have enough for hajj. It will take me at least another 5 years to pay the mortgage off. Do we need to postpone hajj and pay off the mortgage first or can we go for hajj first?