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Guide to the rites

Umrah guide

Umrah is a visit to the Sacred House with ihram, tawaf, sa‘i, and shaving or shortening the hair. Here you will find it step by step, with its rulings, its evidence and its common mistakes.

Umrah Hajj

The essentials: pillars and obligations of Umrah

  1. 1IhramIntention at the miqatPillar
  2. 2Tawaf7 circuitsPillar
  3. 3Sa‘i7 circuitsPillar
  4. 4Shavingor shorteningObligatory

Supporting sunnahs

Ranks follow the majority of jurists; for the Hanafis, sa‘i is an obligation, not a pillar. Entering ihram from the miqat is an obligation. Refer to your own school or scholar for your situation.

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In detail

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1 What is Umrah? Its pillars and obligations

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

Umrah is a visit to the Sacred House with ihram, tawaf, sa‘i, and shaving or shortening the hair. It is obligatory once in a lifetime according to the Shafi‘is and Hanbalis, and a confirmed sunnah according to the Hanafis and Malikis.

The steps

  1. The pillars according to the majority: ihram, tawaf and sa‘i.
  2. The obligations: entering ihram from the miqat, and shaving or shortening the hair.
  3. Everything else is sunnah and recommended, such as the ritual bath, the talbiyah, ramal and idtiba‘.

The evidence

“And complete the Hajj and the Umrah for Allah” (al-Baqarah 2:196). And the Prophet ﷺ said: “One Umrah to the next is an expiation for what is between them” (al-Bukhari 1773, Muslim 1349).

Scholars differ on how to classify sa‘i: a pillar according to the majority, and an obligation according to the Hanafis. Some details differ between the schools, so refer to your own school or scholar when needed.

2 The miqat Obligatory

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

Entering ihram from the miqat is obligatory for anyone who passes it intending Umrah. Whoever passes it without ihram must go back to it; if he does not, he owes a sacrifice (dam) according to the majority.

The steps

  1. If you are flying: put on your ihram clothes, or have them ready, before take-off.
  2. The aircraft usually announces when it is about to pass the miqat; make your intention then, and do not delay it to Jeddah airport if your route passes the miqat.
  3. If you are travelling by land: enter ihram at the first miqat on your route.
  4. It is permissible to enter ihram before the miqat as a precaution, and this is easier on a plane.
  5. Whoever lives inside the miqat boundaries enters ihram from where they are. The people of Makkah enter ihram for Umrah from outside the Haram, such as at al-Tan‘im.

The evidence

The Prophet ﷺ set the miqats and said: “They are for their people and for those who pass by them from elsewhere, intending Hajj or Umrah” (al-Bukhari 1524, Muslim 1181, narrated by Ibn Abbas). The miqats are: Dhul-Hulayfah for the people of Madinah, al-Juhfah for the people of Sham, Qarn al-Manazil for the people of Najd, Yalamlam for the people of Yemen, and Dhat ‘Irq for the people of Iraq.

Common mistakes

  • Delaying ihram to Jeddah when your flight passes over the miqat.
  • Sleeping on the plane without having arranged your ihram intention in advance.
3 Ihram: the bath, the clothing and the intention Pillar

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

Ihram is the intention to enter the rite, and it is a pillar. Bathing and applying perfume before it are sunnah.

The steps

  1. Ordinary grooming before ihram when needed, such as clipping nails and removing hair that is normally removed. This is not something specific to ihram; ask a scholar for the details.
  2. Take a bath, then apply perfume to the body, not to the ihram clothes (for men).
  3. Men: a waist wrap and an upper sheet, preferably white, and sandals. Women: any modest, covering clothes that are not showy, in no particular colour.
  4. The intention at the miqat, by saying: “Labbayka ‘umratan” (Here I am for Umrah).
  5. Whoever fears an obstacle such as illness may add a condition: “If something prevents me, then my place of leaving ihram is wherever I am prevented.”
  6. Then begin the talbiyah.

The evidence

The hadith of Duba‘ah bint al-Zubayr about adding a condition (al-Bukhari 5089, Muslim 1207), and the words of Aishah: “I used to perfume the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for his ihram before he entered ihram” (al-Bukhari 1539, Muslim 1189).

Common mistakes

  • Believing there is a special prayer for ihram. Most scholars hold that it is recommended to enter ihram after a prayer, obligatory or voluntary.
  • Keeping the right shoulder uncovered (idtiba‘) for the whole of ihram; it is a sunnah during tawaf only.
4 The talbiyah Sunnah

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

A confirmed sunnah according to the majority. Men raise their voices with it; women say it quietly, so that they and those beside them can hear.

The steps

  1. “Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa al-ni‘mata laka wa al-mulk, la sharika lak.” Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. All praise and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.
  2. Say it often from entering ihram until you begin tawaf.
  3. Its meaning: answering You again and again, and remaining in Your obedience.

The evidence

The talbiyah of the Prophet ﷺ as narrated by Ibn Umar (al-Bukhari 1549, Muslim 1184).

5 What is forbidden in ihram

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

Things forbidden to the person in ihram until they leave it.

The steps

  1. Removing hair and clipping nails.
  2. Perfume on the body or clothes after making the intention.
  3. For men: wearing stitched clothing cut to the shape of the body, such as a shirt or trousers, and covering the head with something that touches it.
  4. For women: the niqab and gloves. A woman may lower part of her covering over her face when men pass by.
  5. Hunting, contracting a marriage, and sexual intercourse and what leads to it, which is the most serious.

The evidence

“The woman in ihram should not wear a niqab or gloves” (al-Bukhari 1838, narrated by Ibn Umar).

Whoever does something forbidden, such as using perfume or wearing stitched clothing, out of forgetfulness or ignorance, owes nothing according to the stronger view of many scholars, and should remove it as soon as they remember.

6 The tawaf Pillar

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

A pillar of Umrah. According to the majority, it requires purity from both minor and major impurity and covering the ‘awrah, and it is seven circuits with the Kaaba on your left.

The steps

  1. Stop the talbiyah when you begin tawaf.
  2. Idtiba‘ for men in this tawaf: placing the middle of the upper sheet under the right armpit and its ends over the left shoulder.
  3. Begin at the Black Stone: touch and kiss it if that is easy; otherwise point to it with your hand and say “Allahu akbar”.
  4. Ramal for men in the first three circuits: walking briskly with short steps, without harming anyone.
  5. Touch the Yemeni Corner with your hand if that is easy, without kissing or pointing to it.
  6. Between the two corners: “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
  7. In the rest of the tawaf: make dua, remember Allah and recite whatever you wish.

The evidence

“And let them perform tawaf around the Ancient House” (al-Hajj 22:29). The Prophet ﷺ performed tawaf on a camel; every time he reached the corner he pointed to it and said takbir (al-Bukhari 1612, narrated by Ibn Abbas).

Common mistakes

  • Walking through the Hijr of Isma‘il during tawaf. It is part of the House, so tawaf goes around the outside of it.
  • Pushing and hurting people to kiss the Stone. Leaving it is better when it is crowded.
  • Carrying a booklet with a special dua for each circuit. No specific dua for each circuit has been established.
  • Kissing the Yemeni Corner, or rubbing the walls of the Kaaba or the Station for blessing.

If you are unsure of the number of circuits during tawaf, go with the lower number. If you lose your wudu during it, make wudu again; the more cautious view of the majority is to start the tawaf again.

7 The two rak‘ahs of tawaf, and Zamzam Sunnah

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

A confirmed sunnah after tawaf; some jurists consider it obligatory.

The steps

  1. Cover the right shoulder after tawaf.
  2. Pray two rak‘ahs behind the Station of Ibrahim if that is easy; otherwise anywhere in the mosque.
  3. It is recommended to recite in them “Say: O disbelievers” (al-Kafirun) and “Say: He is Allah, One” (al-Ikhlas).
  4. Drink Zamzam, then go back to the Black Stone to touch it if that is easy.

The evidence

“And take the Station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer” (al-Baqarah 2:125). How this is done is described in the long hadith of Jabir (Muslim 1218). And the Prophet ﷺ said about Zamzam: “It is blessed; it is food that nourishes” (Muslim 2473, narrated by Abu Dharr).

8 Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah Pillar

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

A pillar according to the majority, and an obligation according to the Hanafis. Purity is not a condition for it, but it is recommended.

The steps

  1. When approaching Safa in the first lap: recite “Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah” and say “I begin with what Allah began with.”
  2. Climb Safa until you can see the House if that is easy, then face the qiblah, declare Allah’s oneness and greatness with the narrated words, and make dua in between. Do this three times (Muslim 1218).
  3. Walk to Marwah; men walk quickly between the two green markers.
  4. On Marwah: do as you did on Safa.
  5. Safa to Marwah is one lap, and Marwah to Safa is another; so you begin at Safa and finish at Marwah on the seventh lap.

The evidence

“Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah” (al-Baqarah 2:158). The description of the Prophet’s sa‘i ﷺ is in the hadith of Jabir (Muslim 1218).

Common mistakes

  • Counting going and coming back as a single lap.
  • Women walking quickly between the green markers; this is a sunnah for men.
  • Assigning a specific dua to each lap.

The distance between Safa and Marwah is about 450 metres, around 3 km for the whole sa‘i. That is why we practise walking.

9 Shaving or shortening, and leaving ihram Obligatory

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

Obligatory according to the majority. With it the pilgrim leaves ihram and the Umrah is complete.

The steps

  1. Men: shaving is better, and shortening that covers the whole head is sufficient.
  2. Women: gather the hair and cut a fingertip’s length from the ends.
  3. After this, everything forbidden by ihram becomes permitted again.

The evidence

The Prophet ﷺ prayed: “O Allah, have mercy on those who shave their heads” three times, then said: “and those who shorten” (al-Bukhari 1727, Muslim 1301).

10 Rulings specific to women

Draft with its sources, awaiting scholarly reviewUpdated 24 October 2026Our sources

A woman performs Umrah as a man does, with a few small differences.

The steps

  1. No idtiba‘, no ramal, and no hurrying between the green markers.
  2. The talbiyah in a low voice.
  3. She avoids the niqab and gloves in ihram.
  4. If her period or postnatal bleeding comes before ihram, she still enters ihram at the miqat, and does not perform tawaf until she is pure and has bathed.
  5. Cutting a fingertip’s length from the ends of the hair.

The evidence

The Prophet ﷺ said to Aishah when her period came: “Do what the pilgrim does, except do not perform tawaf around the House until you are pure” (al-Bukhari 305, Muslim 1211).