What is Umrah?
Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be performed at any time of year. The primary goal of Umrah is to purify the soul of past sins. Umrah can be performed more than once in a Muslim’s lifetime. This article gives you a step-by-step guide on how to perform Umrah.
Step By Step Guide on How to Perform Umrah
1. Ihram
Ihram is a type of cloth that the male Muslim wears, as well as the state that the pilgrim enters once they have taken the plan to make Hajj or Umrah. Once you pronounce your intention of performing Umrah and say the Talbiyah, you enter the state of Ihram.
Procedures of Ihram
- Take a bath (Ghusal) with the intention of Ihram.
- Wear Ihram sheets.
- Offer two rakats 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 the foot to be exposed.
- Covering Face or Head.
- Hunting of animals even of lice.
- Sexual activity
2. Tawaf
This means moving around Kabah seven times with respect and devotion. The pilgrims must walk while keeping Kabah on their left. Upon arriving at the Kaabah, stop reciting the Talbiyah. 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 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 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 Allah. 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 the length of a fingertip.
All Ihraam rules have now been lifted and your Umrah has been completed. May Allah accept your Umrah, Ameen!!
