Common man's compilation of essentials of Umrah

1. Umrah
Saifudeen Noohukannu Labba
Compiled by
Professor and Head,
Dept. of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry,
Kerala Agricultural University,
College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram – 695522
nsaifudeen@gmail.com

2. Once you have decided to perform Umrah,
prepare for it;
physically, mentally, & spiritually.
You are going for a life-changing pilgrimage,
to the house of Allah,
as a sinful person for repentance ....
which would result in a spiritual uplifting
Insha‟ Allah.

3. How to prepare well?
And to perform well?
Follow the best pilgrim and the best worshipper of Allah:
Our beloved Prophet: Muhammad (S)
If you are in a group, your leader (Ameer) will explain
the rituals of Umrah as directed by Rasulullah (S).

4. The act of Umrah is known to cleanse one‟s soul from
past committed sins.
Performing Umrah protects one from poverty.
Umrah is an act in which Allah considers the pilgrim to be
answering His call and so, He loves you!
 In the blessed month of Ramadan, the reward of
performing Umrah is equal to that of performing Hajj with
the Prophet (S).
 Another absolutely breathtaking virtue of Umrah is that if
one passes away in their journey of Umrah, the reward
for them is Jannah.
Some Virtues of Umrah

5. A. Entering the state of Ihram
B. Tawaf around Ka‟bah
C. Sa‟ey between the hills of Safa and Marwah
D. Shaving or clipping of the hair (Tahal-Lul)
THE RITUALS OF UMRAH
The four rites of Umrah are:

6. A. IHRAM
 Ihram is a state of purity and holiness; a state of mind and
body, one is in, while performing Umrah.
 The two sheets that a pilgrim wears are also figuratively
known as Ihram but the real Ihram is its Niyyah & Talbiyah.
 Entering into the state of Ihram is the beginning of
complete transformation. We must enter into absolute
dedication to Allah, deciding that there is no reason we do
Umrah; except for the pure worship of our Creator.
 A man in Ihram is called Muhrim; a woman is called
Muhrima.

7. Procedure for Ihram:
1. Cleaning yourself:
Trim and comb your hair, shape the beard, trim your mustache, cut
your nails, and remove unwanted body hair.
2. Purification of body and mind:
Take a lavish bath with profuse use of scented soap, shampoo,
perfumes etc with the intention of Ihram otherwise do wudu.
For internal purification, do sincere repentance on your sins.
Say something like this: "O Allah, I sincerely repent on my sins and
seek your forgiveness."

8. 3. Wear Ihram dress:
Men garb themselves in a white, seamless, two-piece garment, one
around the waist (Izaar) and cover the upper body with the other
sheet (Ridaa').
Women's ordinary clothes are their Ihram.
Both should wear flip-flops (hawai chappal) so that the middle bones
of the upper part of the feet are not covered.
Procedure for Ihram:

9. Procedure for Ihram:
4. Nafl Salah:
Offer two rakahs of nafl for Ihram by covering your head.
In the niyyah (intention), say that you are offering two rakahs of nafls
for Ihram. Recite Qul ya ayya hal kafroon- "Al-Kafiroon" [109] - in the
first rakah and Qulhu wallah - “Al-lkhlaas” [112] - in the second rakah.
Note:
you are still not in the status of ihram because you haven't done the
main thing yet, i.e., intention and Talbiyah which is done at or before
the Miqat. Do items 1 to 4 above, at your convenience. These should
be done in sequence but not necessarily together, continuously.

10. THE MIQATS
There are five places some
distance from the Holy City of
Makkah which pilgrims must
not cross before they are in a
state of Ihram (unless they
live within the area between
Miqat and the Haram). These
points or stations are called
Miqats.
5. Intention and Talbiyah: If you are flying with a group, follow
instructions of the group leader. You may do Intention and Talbiyah
during your flight or even at an airport, before you reach the Miqat.

11. 5. Intention and Talbiyah:
Uncover your head and declare your intention:
"O Allah! I intend to perform Umrahand so, I am entering into Ihram.
Please make it easy for me and accept it from me. Amen."
Immediately after that,
utter the words of Talbiyah or its translation in any language,
three times,
in a loud voice by men and
in a subdued voice by women.

12. "Labbayk,
Allahumma Labbayk.
Labbayk.
La shareeka laka.
Labbayk.
Innal-hamda wan-n'imata
laka wal-mulk.
La shareeka lak."
( Here we come,
O Allah, here we come !
Here we come.
No partner have You.
Here we come!
Praise indeed, and blessings, are Yours,
the Kingdom too!
No partner have You!)
TALBIYAH
6. Du'a:
After this recite Salawat and supplicate to Allah Almighty any du'a in
Arabic or in your own language.

13. Prohibitions on conduct during Ihram:
The literal meaning of Ihram is to make haraam (forbidden).
When a pilgrim pronounces the Niyyah (intention) of Umrah
and utters Talbiyah, certain halaal (permissible) things
become haraam for him.
A Muhrim / Muhrima must not do these:
Covering head (men), covering face (women)
Covering the middle bone of the upper part of the feet
Shaving / cutting hair
Cutting nails or skin
Using or even touching perfume
Wearing stitched clothing (men) / (Women can wear their
ordinary clothes). Both, men and women are permitted to
wear watch and spectacles.

14. Hunting / killing or hurting animals / birds, except those can
harm people
Sex
Getting married or asking for someone's hand in marriage
Fighting or quarreling, arguing, slandering, acting without
humility and decency, and harming others with the hands
or tongue.
Washing hair with shampoo
Wearing gloves or socks (Men)
 Cutting/uprooting plants or trees
Those who do these knowingly or unknowingly have to pay
a penalty that varies according to the kind of violation.
Prohibitions on conduct during Ihram:

15. Early morning at Jeddah North Terminal…..
Long delay in emigration clearance…..
Journey towards Makkah:

16. To the Holy City of Makkah with lots of Talbiyah

17. Enter the city very
humbly,
ensuring Ihram and
with great fondness,
still reciting Talbiyah.

18. Proceeded to Haram
After arranging your residence
and getting fresh, proceed to
the Masjid al-Haram
The pilgrim is allowed to
bathe and use the washroom
as they require; so the Ihram
may be removed and put back
on for such circumstances.

19. No.1 Gate;
The King Abdul Azeez Gate!!
Entering Masjid al-Haram:
While reciting Talbiyah, enter
Masjid al-Haram

20. Haram…
…expressing humility and
gratitude to the blessings Allah
Almighty, conferred upon you.

21. Remove chappals and
enter with right foot

22. View; inside out

23. Inside….
Supplicate to Allah and proceed
towards Ka’bah

24. After walking for a few yards step down 10 steps
and walk along..
Further 7 steps down and walk for a few yards
inside the Masjid…….
You reach the spot under the ceiling, noted by
arrow!!

25. The first look at Kaabah….
Propitious time to offer prayers to the Almighty
"Allahu Akbar" three times "La ilaha illa'Llah" three times
Salawat on the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him)
Prayers to Allah: whatever you wish

26. Further 10 steps down and a few steps forward;
You reach Matawaf (The Thawaf Floor!!)
while uttering Talbiyah go to the green light in the direction of
Hajar al-Aswad!! to prepare for the Tawaf

27. HATEEM:
TAWAF OF UMRAH
Tawaf means circling (moving around) Ka‟bah seven times
with extreme love and devotion.
The circuits must begin from Hajar al-Aswad and end at it,
keeping the Ka‟bah on left, counter-clockwise, around the
Ka‟bah and Hateem, which was originally a part of Ka‟bah

28. Being in a state of serenity, concentration, and humbleness,
the pilgrim should avoid harming others and should also
refrain from talking to others unless it is necessary.
Ramal:
For the first three circuits of Tawaf, men are required to move
their shoulders and walk with quick, short steps. This is called
Ramal and is Sunnah. Do not try this if there is rush of people
around. Walk normally during the remaining four circuits.

29. TAWAF OF UMRAH
 Make intention for Tawaf
 Cleanliness with Wudu as for prayer
 Covering „Awrah‟ for both men and women
 Tawaaf should be inside al-Masjid al-Haraam
 The number of rounds should be exactly seven, beginning
from Hajar al-Aswad, and ending at it
 These rounds should be continued without interruption
except in the case of an extreme necessity
 If Tawaf is interrupted by obligatory, congregational
prayer, resume it afterwards from where you had stopped.
In order to have the Tawaf properly completed, one
must adhere to the following:

30. Preparation 1
Pass the upper garment of the ihram (the rida') under the
right arm and over the left shoulder, thus leaving the right
shoulder bare. This procedure is called Iztaba'

31. Preparation 2
When you reach the line of Hajar al-Aswad (Starting point for
Tawaf), you may stop reciting the Talbiyah

32. Niyyah:
Stand in front of Ka‟bah facing Hajar-al-Aswad in such a way
that the whole Hajar-al-Aswad is on your right side (Just
before the green light). Then without raising your hands make
Niyyah (intention) for Umrah:
"O Allah, I perform Tawaf of Umrah to please You.
Make it easy for me and accept it from me.”
You may not even see this!!

33. "Bismi'Llah Allahu akbar wa li'Lah al-hamad"
ISTILAM:
(while pointing by the palm of our hands towards al-Hajar al-Aswad)
Now, moving towards right, come in front of Hajar-al-Aswad
and raise your hands to your ears keeping your open palms
towards Hajar-al-Aswad
(Kissing, touching with right hand or touching with a stick are
preferred but may not be possible due to the crowd; don’t apply force;
you are in Ihram!!)
You may not even see this!!
Drop your hands down. Kiss your palms, since you could not
kiss Hajar-al-Aswad. The above said act is called Istilam.

34. The nine Istilams
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Istilam again, to mark the start of second round
Istilam again, to mark the start of third round
Istilam again, to mark the start of fourth round
Istilam again, to mark the start of fifth round
Istilam again, to mark the start of sixth round
Istilam again, to mark the start of seventh round
Istilam again, to mark the end of Tawaf
Istilam again, to mark the start of Sa‟ey
Istilam to mark the start of first round

35. TAWAF STARTS:
During Tawaf, it is not permissible to face or turn your back
towards Ka‟bah except when you are kissing or pointing
towards Hajar-al-Aswad.

36. Prayers During Tawaf:
Make prayers from your heart, because that will benefit you better!!
Recite whatever you wish, from Qur’an
Seek pardon, and ask Allah whatever you wish, in your own language.
Yes, of course, Follow your Ameer……..

37. Cleaning during Tawaf
This is one of the best supplications!!
"Subhan-Allah wal-hamdu-lillahi wa la ilaha ill-Allah
wa-Allahu Akbar wa la haula wa la quwwata illa-billah."

38. Rukn Yamani and its Supplications:
After passing the three corners of Ka‟bah you reach the
fourth corner known as Rukn Yamani. Touch it with both
hands or with right hand (do NOT kiss it).
If this is difficult for you, then go on performing Tawaf
without touching it,
pointing at it; saying "Allaahu Akbar".

39. The Yemeni Wall
There is a beautiful supplication to be used while walking
between Rukn Yamani and Hajar al-Aswad:
"Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati
hasanatan wa qina azabin-nar."
Our beloved Prophet (S) has repeatedly recited this supplication

40. The first circuit is complete when you reach
the line of Hajar-al-Aswad again.
At the line of Hajar al-Aswad, start the second circuit by
performing Istilam again. Continue in the same way, until you
have completed the seven circumambulations, including
Istilam at the end of each circuit.
Repeat the Circuits:

41. COMPLETION OF TAWAF:
At the end of seven circuits, do Istilam of Hajar-al- Aswad
(eighth time). Now, men should cover both shoulders, thus

42. MULTAZAM
Now, among a large crowd of people, if it is possible to reach
Multazam, cling to it, pressing your chest and cheeks, and
with all humility, seek Allah‟s mercy, His blessings and ask
Him whatever you wish. If you are unable to come close to
Multazam, just face towards it and supplicate from a distance.
Multazam:
If
possible
If
possible

43. MAQAM IBRAHIM
Next, offer two rakahs of nafl behind and close to Maqam
Ibrahim without covering your head.
If it is undesirable time, you have to wait till this undesirable time is
passed and then offer prayers.

44. If it is not possible to offer this obligatory prayer near Maqam
Ibrahim, it can be offered anywhere in Mataf (the area where
Tawaf is done), or in Hatim or anywhere in Masjid al-Haram or
even at any place in Haram area of Makkah.
In the niyyah, say that you are offering two rakahs of nafls
wajib al- tawaf. Recite Qul ya ayya hal kafiroon- "Al-Kafiroon"
[109] - in the first rakah and Qulhu wallah - “Al-lkhlaas” [112] -
in the second rakah.
After this, ask Allah whatever you wish and
invoke His blessings.

45. Zamzam:
Drink this water, saying Bismillah, to fill your stomach while
in standing position, facing Qiblah, in three sequences while
having the intention to be cured, with the blessing of Allah,
from any disease.
…and Drink lots of Zam Zam water!!

46. You are now ready to perform the Sa„ey,
the shuttling between the two hills of Safa and Marwah
The Sa‟ey
Now, proceed towards Safa
Before starting Sa‟ey, it is desirable to do Istilam of Hajar-al-Aswad again the ninth
time or point towards it, saying: "Bismillahi Allahu Akbar Wa Lillah Hil Hamd”
As you approach Safa, recite the Quranic verse:
"Verily, Safa and Marwah are among the signs of Allah"

47. 1. SAFA TO MARWAH
7. SAFA TO MARWAH
3. SAFA TO MARWAH
5. SAFA TO MARWAH
6. MARWAH TO SAFA
4. MARWAH TO SAFA
2. MARWAH TO SAFA
SAFA MARWAH
Being after Tawaf, not before, and make niyyah
Continue doing the Sa‟ey without interruption except
when it is extremely necessary.
Make du'a facing Qiblah at as-Safaa and al-Marwa
Going back and forth seven times- 4 stops at each hill.
In order to have the Sa‟ey properly completed one
must adhere to the following:

48. Some desirable sunnah while performing Sa‟ey are:
 Fast walking on the green light area as Hajira (R) did and
as it is recorded about the Prophet (S).
 Making dhikr and du'a or reading Qur'an during Sa‟ey.
 Having „Wudu‟ (Recommended but not compulsory).
 To walk unless the pilgrim is weak.
 To lower the gaze and abstain from talking to others,
harming others, and try to be humble and serene and to
remember the Day of Judgment.

49. Start of Sa‟ey at Safa:
As you approach Safa, make intention (niyyah) for Sa‟ey:
"O Allah! I perform Sa‟ey between Safa and Marwah
to please You.
Make it easy for me and accept it from me."
"Inn-as-Safa wal-Marwah min Sha‟a‟irillah”
(Al-Qur‟an 2 : 158)
(Indeed Safa and Marwah are among the Signs of Allah.)
Now, recite the Quranic verse:

50. You should now ascend Safa and, face Ka‟bah,
Propitious time to offer prayers to the Almighty
"Allahu Akbar" three times "La ilaha illa'Llah" three times
Salawat on the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him)
Prayers to Allah: whatever you wish

51. Proceeded towards Marwah, walking at a normal pace….
Ameer
"Subhan-Allah wal-hamdu-lillahi wa la ilaha ill-Allah wa-Allahu Akbar
wa la haula wa la quwwata illa-billa."
Do dhikr and du'a or
Read Qur'an during Sa‟ey.
Recite any supplications

52. ….until you reach the green marker
Men, if they are able,
should run until they
reach the end of green
marker, whereupon they
should revert to a normal
walking pace until you
reach Marwah.
The green light area is
where Hajira (R) heard
her baby Ismail (A) crying
out of thirst while she
was looking for help. She
ran whenever she heard
his cries.
Women should proceed throughout
at normal walking pace.

53. Men may „run‟…. until they reach the end of green marker

54. And then proceeded to Marwah in normal pace….

55. 1Ready for the second lap
Proceed to Safa for the next lap
At Marwah, face the Qibla, and repeat the prayers
and supplications you voiced at Safa.

56. "Subhan-Allah wal-hamdu-lillahi wa la ilaha ill-Allah wa-Allahu Akbar
wa la haula wa la quwwata illa-billa."
Do dhikr and du'a or
Read Qur'an in every lap.
Recite any supplications

57. Second trip will end on Safa and third trip will end on
Marwah. Fourth trip will end on Safa, fifth on Marwah and
sixth on Safa.

58. In all trips,
men will run
(walk fast)
on green light area
But
women will walk in a
normal way.

59. Drink
Zamzam
on the way,
if you feel
so

60. End of Sa‟ey:
The seventh trip will end at Marwah.

61. TAHAL-LUL:
(Shaving or clipping of hair)
Men are encouraged to have their hair shaven completely.
Trimming is also permitted but there is less reward in this.
(If the Umrah is a precursor to performing Hajj, men may not
want to shave their heads but merely clip their hair so that
there will be enough hair to shave when performing Hajj.)
Women, only trim their hair slightly (one or two centimeters).
They are forbidden to shave their heads.

62. Shave your hair from any nearby Barbar Shop
Women, get your hair cut
by your companion who is not in Ihram
Thus ending our well cherished holy Umrah

63. Umrah is complete:
The Umrah rituals are now concluded and the pilgrim may
change into normal clothes.
The prohibitions on conduct during Ihram are now ended.
Be thankful to Allah that
He provided the opportunity for performing Umrah
and lead rest of your life according to the
commands of your Creator.

64. You may perform Umrah as often as you want
according to the above procedure.
However, if you are staying in Makkah,
you may travel out of Haram area to
Aysha Masjid (Taneem Mosque), which is nearby
or Jaharana for entering into Ihram.
Additional Umrah:
Taneem Mosque Jaharana

65. If you want to perform just a nafl Tawaf,
follow the same procedure,
however,
in a nafl Tawaf there is no Ihram, no Ramal, no „iddtibaa'
and even no Sa‟ey.
Nafl Tawaf:
Tawaf of Umrah Nafl Tawaf