How to Muslim
Umrah is a shorter pilgrimage to Makkah you can perform any time of year, unlike Hajj. Enter Ihram at the Miqat with a clean intention, circle the Kaaba seven times, walk seven times between Safa and Marwa, then shave or trim your hair. That completes it.
Do Hajj and Umrah one after the other, for they eliminate poverty and sins as the bellows eliminates the dross of iron, gold and silver.
Umrah is worship of Allah by visiting the Sacred House in a set way. Unlike Hajj it has no fixed dates, so you can go at any time of year.
Scholars differ on whether it is obligatory once in a lifetime or strongly encouraged. Either way, it is something to do once you are able to make the journey.
وَأَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلْحَجَّ وَٱلْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ
“And complete the Hajj and ‘umrah for Allah.” Surah al-Baqarah 2:196 (Sahih International)The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Umrah is valid all year, but Ramadan carries the greatest reward. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told Umm Sinan, who had missed Hajj:
Four things, in order: enter Ihram at the boundary, walk seven circuits around the Kaaba, walk seven laps between Safa and Marwa, then shave or cut your hair. Three of those (the intention with Ihram, Tawaf, and Sa’i) are the pillars. Miss one and the Umrah is not done.
Take a shower (ghusl), put on your Ihram clothing, and then at the Miqat make the intention in your heart and say it aloud:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ عُمْرَةً
Labbayka Allahumma ‘Umratan “Here I am, O Allah, for Umrah.”Then keep repeating the Talbiyah out loud until you begin Tawaf:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ
Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, inna’l-hamda wa’n-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk, la sharika lak “Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. All praise and blessing belong to You, and the sovereignty. You have no partner.” Sahih al-Bukhari 1549You need wudu for Tawaf. Make it before you start.
Walk seven circuits with the Kaaba on your left. Start and finish each circuit at the Black Stone corner. If you can reach the Black Stone, touch or kiss it and say Allahu akbar. If you cannot, point to it from a distance and say the takbir. Do not push.
Seven laps, starting at Safa and finishing at Marwa. Safa to Marwa is one lap, Marwa back to Safa is the second, and so on. This retraces Hajar running to find water for her son.
Men: shaving the whole head is better. If you trim instead, take hair from all over the head, not a snip from one side.
Women: gather the hair and cut about a fingertip’s length off the end. Women do not shave.
A Miqat is a boundary you cannot cross without being in Ihram. Which one is yours depends on the direction you travel from.
Get ready before you board. Either put your Ihram on at home, or change into it on the plane as you approach the boundary. When you are level with your Miqat, say the Talbiyah for Umrah.
For Umrah you cannot enter Ihram where you are. Go out past the boundary of the Haram and enter Ihram from there. Most people go to at-Tan’im.
If you break one of the Ihram rules by mistake, or because you did not know, or because you were forced, you owe nothing at all. No compensation, no sin.
Umrah is several miles of walking, often in heat, often at a crawl in a crowd. Start walking daily a few weeks before you fly. Drink more water than you think you need. Write your duas down beforehand, because the moment you are standing there your mind goes blank.
You can still enter Ihram at the Miqat and say the Talbiyah. What you wait for is Tawaf, because that needs wudu, and Sa’i comes after Tawaf so that waits too. Nothing is lost. You stay in Ihram until you are pure, then complete it.
You will be pushed, delayed, and stuck behind someone stopping for a photo. Do not argue and do not shove, least of all near the Black Stone. The crowd is part of the worship, not an interruption of it.
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Where to take this further.
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islamic-library.org · FreeResearch-driven answers to the doubts and questions Muslims actually have.
yaqeeninstitute.org · Free