FirstHajjالعربية

Umrah, step by step · 9 steps

How to perform Umrah, step by step

Umrah has four parts: ihram, Tawaf, Sa'i, then shaving or trimming the hair. It takes about 3 to 5 hours.

What to pack: the packing checklist

  1. Step 1 of 9

    Before the miqat

    Take a bath (ghusl), trim nails and hair if needed, and put perfume on your body, not on the ihram clothes. Men wear two plain white sheets and sandals. Women wear any modest everyday clothing, without a face veil (niqab) or gloves.

  2. Step 2 of 9

    Enter ihram at the miqat

    Make the intention for Umrah before you pass the miqat. On a plane, do it before the plane crosses it (the crew usually announces it). Say: "Labbayka Allahumma 'umrah", then keep saying the Talbiyah until you start Tawaf.

  3. Step 3 of 9

    While in ihram, avoid

    Cutting hair or nails, using perfume, marital relations, and hunting. Men must not cover the head or wear stitched clothes shaped to the body. Women must not wear a niqab or gloves.

  4. Step 4 of 9

    Enter Masjid al-Haram

    Enter with your right foot and say the dua for entering the mosque. Remember the number of the gate you used.

  5. Step 5 of 9

    Tawaf: 7 laps around the Kaaba

    Start at the line of the Black Stone, with the Kaaba on your left. Point to the Black Stone with your right hand and say "Allahu Akbar" at the start of each lap. Men uncover the right shoulder (idtiba') for this Tawaf and walk briskly in the first three laps if possible. Make any dua you like. Stay outside the Hijr (the low semicircular wall).

  6. Step 6 of 9

    Two rak'ah behind Maqam Ibrahim

    Cover your right shoulder again. Pray two rak'ah behind Maqam Ibrahim if you can, or anywhere in the mosque when crowded. The Prophet ﷺ recited Surah al-Kafirun and Surah al-Ikhlas in them.

  7. Step 7 of 9

    Drink Zamzam

    Drink Zamzam water and make dua. Water stations are all around the mosque.

  8. Step 8 of 9

    Sa'i: 7 laps between Safa and Marwah

    Go to Safa. Recite the verse, face the Kaaba, praise Allah and make dua. Walk to Marwah: that is lap 1. Marwah back to Safa is lap 2. Men walk quickly between the green lights. Repeat the dhikr and dua on Marwah. The 7th lap ends at Marwah.

  9. Step 9 of 9

    Shave or trim the hair

    Men shave the head (better) or trim hair from the whole head. Women cut about a fingertip's length from the end of their hair. Your Umrah is now complete and the ihram restrictions end.

Good to know

A woman on her period may do everything except Tawaf. She waits until she is pure, then does Tawaf and Sa'i. (Bukhari 305)

Duas for these steps

All duas

Talbiyah

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ

Entering the mosque

اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ

Leaving the mosque

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ

At the Black Stone

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

At Maqam Ibrahim

وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَـٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ

Approaching Safa

۞ إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ ٱلْبَيْتَ أَوِ ٱعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا ۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ

On Safa and Marwah

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ. لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ

Mistakes to avoid

Mistakes to avoid
Passing the miqat without entering ihram while intending Umrah or Hajj.Enter ihram at or before the miqat; on a plane, before it is crossed. If you passed it, go back to it; most scholars say otherwise a sacrifice (dam) is due.
Putting perfume on the ihram clothes.Perfume the body before ihram, not the ihram clothes. After entering ihram, no new perfume.
Keeping the right shoulder uncovered (idtiba') for the whole time in ihram.Uncover it only during the Tawaf of arrival or of Umrah. Cover it for prayer and the rest of the time.
A woman wearing a niqab or gloves in ihram.In ihram she does not wear them. Many scholars allow lowering a cloth over the face when men pass close by.
Starting Tawaf away from the line of the Black Stone.Start and end each lap level with the Black Stone, with the Kaaba on your left.
Walking inside the Hijr (the low semicircular wall) during Tawaf.Walk around the outside of the Hijr. It is part of the Kaaba, so a lap through it is not complete.
Thinking each lap has its own set dua, or reading a booklet aloud in a group.There is no set dua for each lap. Make any dua or dhikr in your own words, quietly, and say "Rabbana atina…" between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone.
Walking briskly (raml) in all seven laps.Raml is for men in the first three laps of the Tawaf of arrival or Umrah only; walk normally in the other four.
Pushing and hurting people to kiss the Black Stone or touch the Yemeni Corner.Pointing to the Black Stone and saying "Allahu Akbar" is enough. The Yemeni Corner is touched if easy, not kissed; if you cannot reach it, just pass.
Praying the two rak'ah right behind Maqam Ibrahim in heavy crowds, blocking people doing Tawaf.Pray them anywhere in the mosque when it is crowded.
Starting Sa'i at Marwah.Start at Safa. The Prophet ﷺ said: "I begin with what Allah began with."
Counting Safa to Marwah and back as one lap.Safa to Marwah is one lap, Marwah to Safa is the second. The seventh ends at Marwah.
Women running between the green lights.Only men walk quickly there; women walk normally. Scholars agree on this.