How to Perform Umrah: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
You are aware that Umrah is a year-round sacred odyssey to Makkah. Its significant spiritual importance makes you seek closeness to Allah(SWT) and purify your souls. You should learn keenly how to perform Umrah step by step.
So, whether you are going to perform Umrah for the first time or seeking to refresh your knowledge on understanding how to perform Umrah correctly, this guide will help you to perform Umrah rituals step-by-step.
How to Perform Umrah Step-By-Step:
The Umrah ritual consists of four key acts: entering Ihram, performing Tawaf, completing Sa’i, and trimming or shaving hair. Let’s have a look at each step.
IHRAM:
Ihram, the first step in the Umrah journey, requires particular attire and some restrictions.
Before entering into Ihram: Things that should be done according to Sunnah are
Take a bath.
Shave your underarm and pubic hair if required.
Cut your nails.
Men should apply perfume to their body, but not to their Ihram garments.
Entering Into Ihram: Enter into Ihram by following these steps:
Putting on Ihram at home will be convenient, but as most of us travel to Makkah by airplane, it is recommended that we should put on Ihram after getting a boarding pass at the airport.
Men should wear two pieces of unstitched white garments to cover the upper and lower parts of the body. Whereas women have no restrictions; rather, any dress that is modest and covers the awrah, except the face and hands, is acceptable.
Before Meeqat makes the intention for Umrah by reciting
اَللّٰهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ عُمْرَةً
Allahumma labbaika umrat.
Here I am, O Allah, for Umrah.
From here on, recite the Talbiyah.Men have to recite Talbiyah in a high pitch, and women have to recite it in a soft tone.
TALBIYAH:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَك
Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, Labbayk La Sharika Laka Labbayk, Innal Hamda Wan-Ni‘mata Laka Wal-Mulk, La Sharika Lak
I respond to your call. O Allah, I respond to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders. You have no partner. I respond to your call. All the praises and blessings are for You. All the sovereignty is for You, and You have no partners with You.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari 1549)
After Entering Into Ihram: The following halal things become haram on entering the state of Ihram.
Cutting or trimming hairs.
Clipping nails.
Wearing sewn clothes for men.
Covering the head for men.
Hunting.
Sexual activity.
Engaging in a marriage contract.
Using scented products.
Wearing face veils and gloves by women.
On Reaching Makkah:
On reaching Makkah, pilgrims should stop reciting Talbiyah and rush to perform Umrah rituals. You can rest before going to Masjid al-Haram to get energized. To perform Umrah rituals step by step, make Wudu properly and move towards Haram Shareef. Upon entering Haram, put the right leg first and recite the following dua.
اللّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Allahummaftah li abwaba rahmatika.
Reference: Sahih al Muslim 713a
Lower your gaze until you reach close to the Kaaba and see it clearly, as this is the moment when our supplications are answered by Allah(SWT).
Send salawat upon our Prophet (PBUH), do dhikr, and make a lot of Duas.
Tawaf:
Tawaf is the second step in the journey of Umrah .It is an act of circumambulating the Kaaba seven times in an anticlockwise direction .To start Tawaf, set your intention for doing Tawaf only for the sake of Allah. Reach the corner of Black Stone (Hajar e Aswad), try to touch it and say Allahu Akber, and do Istelam (it is an act of touching and kissing the Black Stone). If touching is not feasible, face yourself towards the Black Stone, and by raising your hands, do the act of touching it and then kiss your hands and say Allahu Akbar. Then, with the Kaaba on your left shoulder, begin the Tawaf. You complete one circle of Tawaf when you cross the Black Stone. We recommend reciting no fixed dua during Tawaf, except for one between the Yemeni corner and Hajar e Aswad.
The recommended dua for Tawaf, to be recited between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone, is as follows:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا في الدُّنْيَا حسَنَةً وفي الآخِرَةِ حسَنةً وقِنَا عذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanā ātinā fid-dunyā ḥasanah wa fi ‘l-ākhirati ḥasanah wa qinā `adhāban-nār.
Our Lord, grant us the good things in this world and the good things in the next life, and save us from the punishment of the Fire.
Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 235
During Tawaf, men should practice two special acts: Idtiba and Ramal.
Idtiba: Men have to maintain their right shoulder unveiled during the Tawaf.
Ramal: Ramal is a brisk, lively walk that men have to perform in the first three rounds of Tawaf. It is almost like a march, with arms swinging and keeping your chest forward.
Prayer at Maqame Ibrahim:
After completion of Tawaf, you should pray two rak’ah behind Maqame Ibrahim or at any convenient place in Masjid al-Haram. In the first rak’ah, recite Surah al-Kafirun, and in the second, recite Surah al-Ikhlas, just after Surah al-Fatiha.
Drink Zamzam.
After completion of Tawaf, drink Zam Zam water and do supplications. From here, you may move to Multazam (the area between Hajar e Aswad and the Door of Kaaba), as it is also a place where your supplications are answered by Allah (SWT); make your duas.
Performing Sa’i:
The next step in the Umrah process is Sa’i.
What is Sa’i?
Walking seven times amidst the hills of Safa and Marwah is known as Sa’i.
After completing the Tawaf, when you reach the hills of al-Safa and al-Marwah, recite the following supplication.
Dua for Approaching Safa and Marwah:
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا ۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ
Inna assafa walmarwata min shaAAa-iri Allahi faman hajja albayta awe'-tamara fala junaha AAalayhi ay-yattawwafa bihima waman tatawwaAAa khayran fa-inna Allaha shakirun AAaleem.
Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs 'umrah—there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers, good—then indeed, Allah is appreciative and knowing.
Reference: Sahih Muslim 1218a
At Safa: On climbing Safa, face towards Kaaba and raise your hands in dua and recite the following three times.
Dua at Safa and Marwa:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيك لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كَلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ
وَهَزَمَ الأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَه
Laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul mulku walahul hamdu yuhyee wa yumeetu , wahuwa alaa kulli shaien qadeer, laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu, anjaza wa’dah, wa nasara abdah, wa hazamal ahzaaba wahdah.
There is no god but Allah, the One; there is no partner with Him. His is the sovereignty. To Him praise is due. And He is powerful over everything. There is no god but Allah alone, Who fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and routed the confederates alone.
Reference: Sahih Muslim 1218a
From Safa proceed towards Marwah; men are supposed to walk quickly or jog in between the green areas. You can recite or do any dua during Sa’i.
At Marwah: After reaching Marwah, again face towards the Kaaba, raise your hands in dua, and recite the same supplication as recited at Safa 3 times. From Safa to Marwah, it counts as one Sa’i. From Marwah again, walk towards Safa.
Repeat this act seven times, and your seventh round will end at Marwah.
Halaqa:
Halaqa is the last step in the journey of Umrah.
Men are required to shave or trim their hair from all over the head.
Women are supposed to cut from the edge of their hair equal to the length of their fingertips.
After performing the above rituals, you are free from all the rituals of Ihram, and your Umrah is complete now.
You might have noticed that there are some partial differences in the steps of performing Umrah for ladies. Let’s take a look at all those points.
Differences between how to perform Umrah for ladies and gents:
Ihram
Men: Wear two seamless white clothes .
Women: Wear modest clothing, no face cover (niqab), and headscarves allowed.
Tawaf:
Men: Do Ramal (quick steps) and Idtiba (exposed shoulder).
Women: Walk normally.
Sa'i:
At the green light area,
Men: walk fast or run.
Women: Walk normally.
Tahallul:
Men: Shave/trim hair
Women: Trim hair to the length of a fingertip.
Recitations:
Men: Recite Talbiyah loudly.
Women: Recite in a soft tone.
Conclusion:
Although Umrah is not one of the five pillars of Islam, it’s a highly recommended pilgrimage. Therefore, learning the rituals of Umrah step by step provides a sense of satisfaction in performing the pilgrimage seamlessly.
