How to Perform Umrah (Step by Step)

Table of Contents:

Step 1: Umrah Preparation	Step 7: Zamzam Well
Step 2: Check This Before Leaving Home	Step 8: Saee in Umrah
Step 3: Things to Ensure Before Entering Miqat	Step 9: Trimming Nails and Hair
Step 4: Entering Masjid Area	Duas for Tawaf
Step 5: Tawaf e Kaaba	Ihram Restrictions
Step 6: Maqam e Ibrahim	Talbiyah

Step by Step Guide to Perform Umrah

As Umrah is not practiced regularly by the Muslims, they are not actually sure about all the components and acts involved during Umrah. It is highly recommended for Umrah pilgrims to learn about and gain complete knowledge of performing Umrah before departing. This will help him with offering Umrah accurately with all its rituals. Training classes for are usually arranged by the agents and other religious institutions, therefore it is suggested to attend the training before leaving for Makkah.

RamadanTips.com is putting this Umrah guide here for better understanding of the things.

Steps in Umrah

Step 1: Preparations and Intention for Umrah

Intention:

In Islam other than anything, the intention of any act is considered as prior. No matter if you are going for any good deed or bad, your intention is the base of the act you are going to perform, and you will be judged by that. At first, make an intention (niyyat) for performing Umrah.

Preparation:

Secondly, the performer needs to get the visa for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Start up your preparations from getting your passport made (if not already), visa, and ticketing at the same time.

 

Step 2: Before Leaving Home

Before you leave home, you need to perform the following important tasks:

• Have Ghusal, also termed as ‘shower’.
• Get your nails trimmed and pubic hairs removed.
• Offer 2 rakats of Traveling Salah before setting off from home.
• Offer the Salah that is due at the time of travel before setting off for the destination

Starting the Journey:

Once you start your journey, you can perform salah short and combined as a concession granted by ALLAH SWT.

• Zohr (2 Rakah) & Asr (2 Rakah) together
• Maghrib (3 Rakah) & Ishaa (2 Rakah) together
• Offer as many sunnah or nawafil as you can as there is no restriction for it

 

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Step 3. Before Passing Through Meeqat Where Umrah Starts:

Most of the time, people use to get into Ihram from home as it is necessary to be in Ihram before reaching the Meeqat, the place from where Umrah practices start. So, wear Ihram before starting the travel.

Salaatul Ihram

As you wear ihram, you have to offer 2 rakat sunnatul ihram. In the first rakaat, you would recite Surah Kafiroon after Surah Fatiha and in the second rakaat, you have to recite Surah Ikhlaas after reciting Surah Fatiha.

Niyyat for Umrah (Make Umrah Intention)

Once you completed 2 rakaat salatul ihram, make niyyat for Umrah (intention for umrah).

Recite Talbiyah Thrice

Then recite talbiyah three times. (Male can say it loudly whereas females can say it in low voice).

“Labbaik allahumma labbaik. Labbaik la sharika laka labbaik. Innal hamda wanaimat laka wal mulk.La sharika lak”
(Here I am, O Allah here I am — here I am, you have no partner, here I am — Surely all praise, favor and authority belongs to you. You have no partner.)

 

Step 4: Entering the Masjid Area in Haram Shareef (Makkah)

Entrance in the Masjid premises for Umrah purpose is one of the important and delicate timings for Umrah performers.

• Enter with right foot
• Recite Bismillah
• Recite Darood Sharif.

The Intention for Itikaaf:
( O’ Allah I am making intention for I’tikaaf while I am in the Masjid)

After that the person will make Dua for anything, it can be a composite dua for everyone and a personal one there is not a restriction over it but it is necessary and effective to make Dua at this point.

Step 5: Tawaf e Kaaba (7 Rounds of Kaaba While Being in Ablution):

Note: If salah time is closer, do not start tawaf immediately but after offering salah. Males will offer salah with the bare head.

After entering into Masjid the next thing that comes on the way is to start up Tawaf of Umrah. Tawaf is about having seven rounds of Kaaba Sharif.

Change in Ihram Position:

At this point, there is a slight change in the Ihram position of male and females. Males have to cover their left shoulder with one end of the ihram and pass the other end from under the right arm. Finally, you would have to cover your left arm and uncovering the right arm and shoulder.

Whereas females have to remove the cloth from their face; showing up the face from the eyes to the chin line. After getting settled into these positions you will start the Tawaf with the intention.

Tawaf will be started from Black Stone Point (Hajr e Aswad)

There, a dark brown line is drawn from Hajre Aswad to the end of Mataf (open space for tawaf). Mataf can be recognized easily as it is made of white colored marble. Above the brown line, there is a wall at the edge of mataf which is built in alignment with black stone (hajr e aswad).

Starting Tawaf:

Before you start doing tawaf, face toward Kabah with the dark brown line on your right side, now stop saying Talbiyah and make intention:

“O’ Allah I intend to perform tawaf (7 rounds) of your sacred house, so make my tawaf easy for me and O’ Allah accept it from me.”

After making the intention, you have to stand on the dark brown line and face the Hajr e Aswad raise both hands like you do in Salah and recite:

“Bismillah Allahu Akbar, La Ilaha Illallah wa lillahil hamd”
“In the name of Allah – Allah is the greatest. There is none worthy of worship besides Allah and all praise belongs to Allah.”

Then you have to proceed towards the black stone (Hajr e Aswad) while reciting Talbiyah,  and kiss it without harming anyone around.

If the place is too crowded and you could not kiss Hajr e Aswad, then you can do the following:

1. Place either both your hands on the black stone and then kiss both palms of your hands or
2. Just place right hand on Hajr e Aswad and kiss the palm of your right hand.

Now you have to start moving to the right and this action starts your tawaf. For men, they need to have brisk pace in the first three rounds with chest out (known as ‘ramal’) and for the last four rounds, they have to keep their pace normal.

While doing tawaf, hold your attention in reciting the third kalmah and doing duas.

 

See also: How to Perform Hajj (Step by Step Guide in Engish)

 

Things to Remember During Tawaf:

• When you are performing tawaf, make sure you do not face Kaabah with your chest. Kaabah should be on your left in all 7 rounds of tawaf. You would only face kaaba only at the time when you stand on the brown line for touching or kissing the hajr e aswad (this is called istilam).
• Remember that you have to encompass Hatim in your tawaf as well. Do not cross through the hatim as it is against the Umrah rules. (Hatim is the space inside the semi-circle shaped marble wall near Kaabah.

Every time you circle around Kaabah, you will touch Rukn e Yamani (the yamani corner of Kabah) either with both hands or with the right hand (this is a mustahib act). If you could not touch it, no worries, keep moving. But do not raise your hands, kiss or place your forehead against it at any cost.

Also, each time when you reach the black stone (hajr e aswad) in your tawaf, first try to kiss it, if could not, then while standing on the brown line, raise the right hand, face the palm towards hajr e aswad.

Say:
“Bismillahe Allah o Akbar”

And then kiss the palm. Perform all the seven rounds similarly.

 

Go to top: How to Perform Umrah (step by step)

 

Duaas During Tawaf:

While you perform tawaf, you would recite several dua’s. Recite dua silently while reminding its meaning in your mind. Saying duaa loudly is a not liked act.

There is no particular dua for each round of tawaf. You can ask ALLAH SWT anything you want according to your life.

Some duas that our prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Sahaba e Karam used to ask are as follows:

“Subhanallahi wal hamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallah wallahu akbar wa la haula wa la quwwata illa billahil aliyyil azeem”
(Glory be to Allah. All praise be to Allah. Allah is the greatest. There is no power and might except from Allah, the most high, the great).

Dua recited by prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Sahaba (RA) between rukn-Yamni and Hajr e Aswad stone:

“Rabbana Aatina fiddunya Hasanataun wa fil akhirati hasana wa qina azaban naar”
(Our lord! Grant us good in the world and in the hereafter and save us from the fire of hell).

Once you complete seven rounds, your tawaf is completed. Remember, istilam will be performed 8 times.

Then move to Multazim and ask ALLAH (SWT) whatever you need or want. Do dua wholeheartedly asking ALLAH’s mercy and blessings.

Multazim is the area between the door of Kaaba and hajre aswad stone).

 

Step 6: Maqam e Ibrahim

Once, you are done with the Tawaf, walk to the spot behind Maqam e Ibrahim and offer 2 Rakat Namaz (if it is not makroo time for namaz). If you could not find a place to offer namaz, then choose any place in the haram shareef for offering this 2 rakah namaz.

Cover both your shoulders and perform namaz. This salah is wajib namaz known as wajib ut tawaf.

It is preferred that during the first Rakat after Surah Fatiha you recite Surah Kafiroon and in the Second Rakat recite Surah Ikhlaas as it is considered worthy. This 2 Rakat Prayer is considered as most important thing to perform at that place and it has its own perks and benefits for the person who is performing Umrah.

 

Step 7: Go to Zamzam Well

Going to Zamzam well is another practice that every Umrah performer has to perform. Zamzam is the well of sweet and pure water and the only well in the whole Makkah containing the consumable water. Its water is not just tasty but does have purity in it. It also helps heal the person from inside.

After offering the prayer at Maqam e Ibrahim, the Umrah performers will head towards the Zamzam well and make dua before drinking water.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say the following dua while drinking water at Zamzam:
“O’ Allah I am asking you for beneficial knowledge and extensive sustenance and a cure from all ills”.

Also recite before drinking: “Bismillah”
and after drinking: “Alhamdulillah”.

After Dua, drink water and also pour it over your head.

After that return to the Hajr e Aswad to touch it with the right hand and kiss it. If there is a huge crowd then the person can signal towards the stone and kiss it with the gesture. After that, you have to head towards the Sa’ee.

Recite the following dua when you leave Masjid premises:

 

Step 8: Saee in Umrah

Saee is the necessary part of performing Umrah; this is about having the seven rounds of Safa and Marwa, the two mountains, in the memory of the mother of Hazrat Ismail (AS). It is about her act when she looked for water in the desert of Makkah. She quested for water for her son and ran from one hill to the other. This is the last but the most important component of the whole Umrah procedure.

First, ascend onto the Mount Safa, stand, face toward Kaaba, make dua and recite:

“La ilaha illalah and Allahu akbar”

and then read durood sharif”.

Next, you have to proceed towards the Marwa; at a distance of around 70 meters from Mount Safa, there are two fluorescent lights, green in color.

For men, they need to keep soft jogging steps and pass through these lights. Jog or slow run in this space is a sunnah. Keep doing dua while you pass through this area.

Females will walk at a high speed to give it a look of a hurry for something.

Once you reach the Marwa hill, you have to repeat the process as you did on Safa, say the same dua:

“La ilaha illalah and Allahu akbar”

and then one round is completed. Now you will move to Safa again go for the second round.

Remember that you have to do slow jog when you reach the first green light and until you reach the second one.

When you reach Safa Mount, you will repeat the same procedure as you did in the first round and then second round has been completed.

Similarly, you would continue until seven rounds are completed (seventh round will complete at Marwah hill).

Once you have completed the seven rounds of Saee, you have to go back to haram shareef to Mataf area (open space around Kaaba). There you would offer two rakaat salah which is a mustahib act.

Step 9: Trimming Nails and Hair

After having done with all the acts and steps of Umrah, the ultimate step is to trim the hair and nails before getting back into the normal clothes. For men it is necessary to remove all the hairs from the head and for the females, it is around 1 inch. For females, the recommended way is to get her hair trimmed by her mehram (once he has shaven off his head). Her Mehram man has to wrap her hair ends once around the finger and cut it to one inch.

After that, the person can change into the normal clothes and as an option, wear the ihram again from the Meqaat to do another Umrah. A person can perform multiple Umrah on the same day according to his will.

Necessary Dua/Tasbeehat to recite during Umrah

During your Umrah practices there are some important duas and Tasbihat that you need to keep in your mind and practices:

Niyyat for Umrah:

Labbaika Allahumma Bi-umrati

 

Talbiyah Until Reaching the Masjid:

 

Dua for Entering Masjid al Haram:

 

Dua During Tawaf:

 

Dua for Maqam e Ibrahim:

 

Recite following verse when you reach Safa Mount:

 

Climb up on Mount Safa, Face Qiblah and Recite Thrice:

Important things to take to Umrah:

Following are the important things that you need to have with while going to perform Umrah. It is not just about performing Umrah but you are going to another country, so you must have all the necessary things with you in order to avoid any kind of problems.

Following is the list you need to keep with you:

• First aid box including your necessary medicines
• Casual wearing clothes
• Casual r that is comfortable
• Personal hygiene material
• A spare Ihram

Make sure to not to carry anything extra in your luggage that is not required and also avoid the fragrances during your Umrah practices especially on Ihram. When you are in Ihram do not use any kind of fragrances and keep your Ihram away from any kind of perfume or even Attar.

Check Your Bag

Before your departure, the most important thing is to keep a check on your bag that you are going to take with you. Check all the necessary and important things in your bag that will help you to spend time during your Umrah visit.

The most important things are:

• Dresses
• Medicines
• Ihram
• Passport
• Foreign currency
• and other necessary things that are of your common use.

Before locking up the bags it is necessary to cross check the things and get onto your route to the ultimate journey of Umrah and we pray that you receive the ultimate blessings in the home of ALLAH SWT.

 

Things to Avoid in Ihram:

For Men:

1. Stitched clothes (for men only)
2. Covering face or head with a cloth (for men Only)
3. Wearing shoes that hide the back of foot’s bone
4. Going for hair cut or plucking any hair from the body
5. Cutting nails
6. Applying fragrance, scent or attar
7. Acts that can enhance your hormonic activity and which may lead to sort of sexual satisfaction
8. Hunting the animals or killing of lice in hair
9. Sharing bed with your spouse
10. Quarrel with people

For Women:

The conditions of wearing ihraam for women are same as men but with following three exceptions.

1. Women in ihram can wear stitched clothes
2. Females have to cover their heads with scarves
3. They have to keep their faces exposed from eyes to chin line

 

What is Umrah (Minor Pilgrimage)?

Umrah is a practical prayer, though not a compulsory one for all Muslims but for those who can afford to visiting holy Makkah and Madina once in life. For any Muslim, it is one of the most blissful times in life when he visits the holy places, pray there, and gathers all the blessings of Allah Almighty. In order to perform Umrah ibadah, a Muslim has to dedicate some time from his or her busy routine and head towards the Holy Makkah and Madina to perform Umrah and gather all the blessings.

 

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