How to Perform Umrah
Step By Step Guidence………
These are the essential steps of Umrah:
• Enter into Ihram (state of purity and devotion) by washing your body and donning Ihram garments.
• Recite the Talbiyah in the miqat station to declare intention to make the pilgrimage.
• Travel to Makkah.
• Enter Al Masjid Al Haram (Holy Mosque) and perform Tawaf – circling the Kaaba seven times in a counterclockwise direction.
• Perform Sa’ay – walking 7 times between the hills of Safa and Marwah beside the Kaaba.
• At the end of Umrah, men exit from Ihram by shaving their head (taqseer). Completing Umrah for women requires cutting off a short lock of hair.
Note that while you can perform this pilgrimage at any time of the year outside of Hajj, international pilgrims still need Umrah visas and must travel with authorized tour operators. Saudi and GCC citizens do not need special permits for Umrah.
1. Rites of Umrah
Umrah is a set of rituals of worshipping Allah by entering into the state of Ihram, Recite the Talbiyah in the miqat station to declare intention to make the pilgrimage. Travel to Makkah. Enter Al Masjid Al Haram (Holy Mosque) performing circumambulation of the Kaaba, performing Sa’i between Safa and Marwa, and having one’s hair shaven or trimmed.
2. Ihram
A pilgrim sets Niyyah (intention) of Hajj & Umrah and recites Talbiya before Meqat.
Procedures of Ihram
-
- Take a bath (Ghusal) with the intention of Ihram.
-
- Wear Ihram sheets.
-
- Offer two Rakat of Nafal by covering your head.
-
- With your head uncover declare your intention / Niyyah :
اَللَّهُمَّ اِنِّيْ اُرِيْدُ الْعُمْرَةَ فَيَسِّرْهَا لِيْ وَ تَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِّيْ
-
- “O ALLAH! I intend to perform Umrah, please make it easy for me and accept it from me”
-
- After leaving home start reciting below mention Dua’a and Talbiya continuously. It is compulsory to recite Talbiya loudly once.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ
-
- (In the name of ALLAH, I place my trust in ALLAH, and there is no might nor power except with ALLAH)
-
- Enter Masjid Al Haram: Recite Darud e Sharif and Supplicate to ALLAH and proceed towards Kabah.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وسلم, اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
-
- (In the name of ALLAH! O ALLAH! Exalt the mention of your Messenger. O ALLAH! Forgive my sins, and open the gates of Your mercy for me).
-
- Keep your eyes fixed at Baitullah and Say:
اللّهُ أكبر اللّهُ أكبر, لا إلَهَ الا اللّه, اللّهُ أكبر اللّهُ اكبر, و لِلّه الحمدَ
-
- (ALLAH is the Greatest, ALLAH is the Greatest, there is no God, but ALLAH, ALLAH is the Greatest, ALLAH is the Greatest, to Him belongs all Praise.)
-
- After this recite Talbiya and move forward to perform Tawaf.
Prohibitions of Ihram
-
- Cutting Nails
-
- Hair cutting Or removing extra hair from any part of the body.
-
- Use of any scents on the body or on the robes.
-
- Stitched Clothing.
-
- Sandals and flip flops must not be stitched either and should allow the ankle and back of foot to be exposed.
-
- Covering Face or Head.
-
- Hunting of animals even of lice.
-
- Sexual activity
3. Tawaf
This means moving around Kabah seven times with respect and devotion.The pilgrims must walk keeping Kabah on their left. Upon arriving at the Kaabah, stop reciting the Talbiyyah. You must be in Wudu (ablution). Men to leave their right shoulder bare ONLY during the entire Tawaf, this is called Idtiba’a, after the tawaf men need to cover both shoulders.
-
- Start at the Black Stone, either
-
- Kiss it if you can, if not.
-
- Touch it with your right hand, if not
-
- Face the Black Stone and point at it with your right hand
Say
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, اللّهُ أكبر
(just before kissing it/or just before or whilst touching/pointing) For men, to Raml (hasten/briskly walk) during the first 3 rounds of Tawaf and walk normally during the other 4 rounds. Once you reach the Yamani corner, either Touch it with your right hand (do not kiss it), and say بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, اللّهُ أكبر or if unable, then continue without gesturing or saying anything from the Yamani corner to the Black Stone, recite :
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَة ً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَة ً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّار
(Our Lord, grant us good in this life and good in the hereafter and save us from the punishment of the Hellfire.[Quran; 2:201])
When they will reach at Rukh Al Yamani (the fourth corner of Kabah) they should only touch Hijra e Aswa.
After Completing Tawaf, proceed to Maqaam‐e Ibraaheem ‐ (Prophet Ibraaheem’s station)
At the End of Seven circles they will do Istilam (touch or kiss the Black Stone) and say
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, اللّهُ أكبر
Recite this verse (which means):
وَاتَّخِذُوْا مِنْ مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ مُصَلًّى
(And take you (people) the Maqaam (place) of Ibraheem as a place of Prayer. [Quran; 2:125])
the pilgrims will offer 2 rakat of Nafal close to Maqam-e-Ibrahim without covering their heads.
Zamzam
The pilgrims will go to zamzam, which is situated in the basement of Haram to drink the water (Zamzam) while standing and saying “بِسْمِ اللَّهِ and (supplicate to Allah)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمَاً نَافِعَاًً وَرِزْقَاً وَاسِعَاًَ وَشِفَاءً مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ
O Allah! I implore for the beneficial knowledge, vast provisions and cure from every disease.”
2. Sa’yee
The meaning of Sa’ey is to run/ walk back and forth seven times between the hills of Safah & Marwa which are situated to the North and South of Kabah.
As you leave the boundary of the Masjid, you can say (as prescribed for all Masaajid):
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, وَ الصلاة والسلام عَلَى رسول الله, اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ,
(In the name of Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah. O Allaah, I ask You from Your favor. O Allaah, guard from the accursed devil.)
Upon approaching Mount Safaa, the following Ayaat (verse) is recited
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَآئِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا وَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْراً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيْم
(Verily, As‐Safaa and Al‐Marwah are from the symbols of Allaah. So it is not a sin on him who performs Hajj or ‘Umrah of the house (ka ‘bah) to perform the going (tawaaf) between them. And whoever does good voluntarily, then verily, Allaah is the All‐Recognizer, All‐Knower. [Quran; 2:158])
نَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِه
(I begin with what Allaah began with.)
Then ascend upon Mount Safaa, face the Qiblah, raise your hands and recite 3 times:
اللّهُ أكبر, اللّهُ أكبر, اللّهُ أكبر
(Allaah is the Greatest, Allaah is the Greatest, Allaah is the Greatest.)
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَه، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَ يُمِيْتُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْر؛ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَه، أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ وَ نَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَ هَزَمَ الأَحْزَابَ وَ حْدَه
(There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, Alone. He has no partner, To Him belongs the kingdom, & all praise belongs to Him, & He has power above all things, There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, He fulfilled His promise, Granted victory to His servant, And alone He defeated the allied army.)
The seventh trip will end at Marwa. After this the pilgrim will offer two (2) rakat nafal.
4. Qasar / Halaq
After Sa’yee male pilgrims will get their heads completely shaved, females will clip their hair equal to a length of a fingertip.
Now all Ihraam rules are lifted,and your Umrah is completed. May Allah accept your Umrah, Ameen!!