A Step-by-Step Guide to Performing Die

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A smaller, though holy, pilgrimage of Umrah is a dedicated act of worship, based on the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and his Sunnah. It is a visit to the House of Allah, and Muslims can visit it multiple times at any time of the year. Although considered secondary to the hajj, Umrah brings with it significant blessings and is of great value in the eyes of Allah.

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There are four rituals (or rituals) of Umrah that Muslims must perform in order for a pilgrimage to be successful. These are:

1. lhram said:

2. Tawaf said:

3. Sa'i

4. Taqseer or Halq

 

below is an overview of each Umrah ritual to help first-time pilgrims better understand the sacred journey and succeed in the pilgrimage.

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1. Lhram

Ihram is the act of making a formal "intention" to perform Umra. To do this, pilgrims must take a ghusl (bath to wash off impurities) and change into special clothing. Men must wear two pieces of unsewn cloth (also called Ihram), while women must wear modest attire that covers the body and head, leaving the face and hands exposed.

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After taking ghusl and dressing up in Ihram, pilgrims should perform the obligatory prayers, i.e. the two rakats of the Sunnah. Pilgrims must then turn towards Qibla and officially enter the spiritual state of Ihram before departing for Miqat in Mecca.

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In Miqat, pilgrims must declare their intention (Niyyah) to perform Umra. You can do this by announcing "Labbayk Allahumma Umratan", which means "O Allah! Here I am to celebrate I'm going to die."

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Next, pilgrims must recite the Talbiyya as it confirms their pure intentions to enter the sacred state of Ihram. Talbiyah's prayer to be recited is: "Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wa'l-ni'mata laka wa'l-mulk, laa shareeka lak." Translated, it means: "Here I am, O Allah, here I am. At your service you have no partner, here I am. Verily, all glory, sovereignty, and blessings are Thine. You don't have a partner.

When pilgrims enter the state of Ihram after reciting the Talbiyya, they become Muhrim.

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Prohibitions in Ihram:

• Perfumes, scented soaps and other scented products

• Cutting or removing extra hair from anywhere on the body

• Cutting or trimming nails

• Wearing sewn clothes

• Sandals and flip-flops with sewing

• Ankle and back footwear

• Covering the face or head

• Sexual activity

• Hunting animals, even on

• Damaging trees or plants in the Grand Mosque

 

2. Tawaf

Tawaf is another obligatory ritual of Umra, consisting of circumambulating the Sacred Kaaba in an anti-clockwise direction seven times. Each Tawaf circle begins and ends at the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad).

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To perform Tawaf, pilgrims must enter Masjid al-Haram with their right foot and be in the state of Wudhu - free of all pollution. If the Wudhu ends at any point during the Tawaf ritual, pilgrims must perform ablution again before resuming their Tawaf from where they left off.

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At the starting point, pilgrims must make a Niyyah (intention) to perform the Tawaf by reciting this intention: "Bimillahi Wallahu Akbar, Allahumma Imanan bika wa tasdiqan bika kitabika wa wafa'an bi ahdika wattaba'an li sunnati nabiyyika Muhammad." Translated, this means: "I begin in the name of Allah, Allah is the Most High. O Allah, out of faith in You, out of faith in Your Holy Book, in the fulfillment of Your covenant and in following the Sunnah Your Prophet.

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Pilgrims must then turn right to start Tawaf so that the holy Kaaba is on their left.

Men must have their right shoulder (Idtiba) exposed during all seven rounds. In addition, when performing the first three rounds of Tawaf, men must practice Raml, which means walking quickly with a target, taking strong steps, imitating a warrior. After three rounds, they can return to their normal gait.

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Kissing, touching or saluting the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) :

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Kissing Hajar al-Aswad is extremely virtuous, but it can be impossible for all pilgrims because of the crowds.

 

Pilgrims must not harm others in their efforts to reach the Black Stone. Here are the scenarios to follow:

• Kissing Hajar al-Aswad: If you can reach the Black Stone, gently place your hands on it and place your face between your hands. Then say "Bismillah Allahu Akbar" which means "In the name of Allah, Allah is the Most High" and kiss the Stone.

• Touching Hajar al-Aswad: Pilgrims who are within touching distance of the Black Stone but cannot kiss it can gently touch it with their right hand and then kiss the hand.

• Hajar al-Aswad salute: It may not be possible to reach Hajar al-Aswad to touch or kiss it. In this case, pilgrims can perform the symbolic Istilam from afar. This involves facing Hajar al-Aswad directly and raising your hands to your earlobes, making sure that your face and palms are also facing the Black Stone (as if they were touching it). You can then recite "Bismillah Allahu Akbar" and kiss each other's hands if you wish.

 

After completing Tawaf: Follow these steps after completing Tawaf.

• Salah Al-Tawaf : Perform two Salah rakats, preferably near Maqam-e-Ibrahim in Mataf. If you can't make it to this place because of the crowds, do Salah's rakats anywhere in Masjid al-Haram.

• Zamzam: After performing the Salah Al-Tawaf, pilgrims must go to any water dispensers and fountains in the Tawaf area to fill up with Zamzam water. Since duas are accepted at this station, it is recommended to make as many supplications as possible by drinking Zamzam water. When consuming water, you can make an intention that will be a means to fulfill your wishes, be it good health, protection from suffering, or success in the world. While drinking Zamzam water, face the Kaaba, say "Bismillah," and stop to take three strong breaths. Then say "Alhamdulillah" when you finish drinking the water. You can also rub or sprinkle some on your face and body.

• Multazam : This is the area between the Kaaba door and Hajar al-Aswad. If you manage to reach it despite the crowd, raise both arms above your head, press your chest and cheeks against the wall and do your duas. If you cannot reach Multazam, you can face it from afar and make your supplications.

 

3. Sa'i

Also spelled Sa'ee, Sa'i is the next mandatory step in Umrah that includes the sevenfold passage between the hills of Safa and Marwa. The ritual honors Lady Hajar, the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim, as she walked between the hills in search of water for her son, the Prophet Isma'il.

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To perform Sa'i, pilgrims must return to the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) after completing Tawaf to conduct Istilam again. They can then go to Safa Hill first to begin the Umrah Sa'i ritual.

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Approaching Safa Hill, pilgrims must recite the following words: "Inna s-safa wa l-marwata min sha'a'iri llah." That is, "Verily, Safa and Marwah are the signs of Allah." Then the pilgrims must recite this dua: "Abda'u bima bad'allahu bihi". That is: "I (the pilgrim) begin with what Allah began with."

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These duas can only be recited once at the beginning of Sa'i and do not need to be repeated at the beginning of all seven rounds of walking (or running). However, you can make additional requests and dua at the beginning of Sa'i.

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Performing Sa'i:

• Climb Safa Hill all the way to the point where the Kaaba is visible. If you don't see it, guess its direction and face it.

• Face the Kaaba and raise your hands to beg Allah. You can make any dua you want.

• Repeat it three times: to dhikr, beg to Allah, do dhikr, beg to Allah, and so on.

• Go to Marwa Hill. Along the way, you'll come across two sets of fluorescent green lights positioned about 50 meters apart. They indicate the distance that Lady Hajar traveled to get to the next level. These markers or lights are called Milayn al-Akhdharayn. For men, it is a Sunna to run at an average pace between these markers, while women can continue their normal walk.

• When you reach Marwa Hill, head towards the Kaaba, raise your hands and make supplication to Allah. You can repeat the same supplications and duas that you recited on the hill of Safa.

• This is the end of one lap/round of marching between the Safa and Marwa hills. The return to Safa from Marwa is considered the second lap.

• Repeat this process faithfully and without wandering seven times. The last one should be on Marwa Hill.

• It is recommended that pilgrims perform the last dua here and after completing Sa'i, perform two rakats nafl Salah at Masjid al-Haram.

 

After completing Sa'i, pilgrims should leave Haram by going outside with their left foot. On leaving the holy mosque, they must also recite this dua, as well as the Sunnah of the blessed Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam): "Bismi Llāhi wa ṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ʿalā rasūliLlāh. Allāhumma innī as'aluka min faḍlik." It is translated as follows: "In the name of Allah, peace and blessings be with the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, I ask you for your generosity."

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4. Halq or Taqsir

This is the last ritual of Umra. Pilgrims must perform Halq (complete shaving of the head) or Taqsir (trimming the hair on the head by at least an inch) to leave the state of Ihram. This is the end of Umra's pilgrimage.

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For men, it is more virtuous to shave their head completely. Women are required to trim their hair from the end, equal to the length of the fingertip. Even pilgrims who have little or no hair have to pass a razor over their heads to complete the final Umrah ritual.

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There are many barbershops in Mecca and near Haram that are only closed during the time of Salah, so pilgrims can do Halq or Taqsir without difficulty. Alternatively, they can shave or trim their own hair to get out of the Ihram state.

Congratulation! Your Umrah is now complete!

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Pilgrims can change into their usual clothes after leaving the state of Ihram.

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If you plan to perform another umrah, you must go to the Haram border to re-enter Ihram. Most Umrah pilgrims choose to enter Ihram State at Masjid Aisha because it is closest to Masjid al-Haram.