Umrah is a short pilgrimage to Makkah. You can do it any time of the year, except during the main days of Hajj. People perform Umrah to get closer to Allah.
Umrah has four main steps:
- First, the pilgrim wears the Ihram clothes before reaching the Miqat, prays two rak‘ahs, and makes the niyyah (intention). Then the Talbiyah is recited often.
- Second, Tawaf is performed around the Kaaba seven times, followed by two rak‘ahs near Maqam Ibrahim.
- Third, the pilgrim walks between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times.
- Last, the head is shaved (Halq) or a small part of the hair is cut (Taqsir). This ends the state of Ihram and completes the Umrah.
In this blog, I’ll explain each step in more detail so you can follow it easily. Before going for Umrah, book your Umrah package with us and start your spiritual journey.
Step 1: Ihram – The Beginning of Umrah
Umrah starts with the state of Ihram. This is a spiritual condition that makes a person ready for the sacred journey. It also includes wearing special clothes and following certain rules.
1. Prepare Yourself for Ihram
Before wearing the Ihram clothes, take care of cleanliness and personal grooming:
- Trim your nails.
- Remove underarm and pubic hair.
- Take a full bath (ghusl). If not possible, perform wudhu (ablution).
- Men can apply perfume to the body, but not to the Ihram clothes.
This preparation is a sunnah, not a must, but it is highly recommended.
2. Wearing the Ihram Clothes
After cleanliness, put on the Ihram clothing:
- For men: Two white, plain, and unstitched pieces of cloth. One is wrapped around the waist (izar), and the other is draped over the shoulder (rida).
- For women: Regular modest Islamic dress. Any color is allowed. Face and hands must be uncovered, but socks can be worn.
Men should wear sandals that do not cover the ankle or the top of the foot.
3. When and Where to Wear Ihram
You must wear the Ihram before crossing the Miqat. Miqat is the boundary point around Makkah where Ihram becomes necessary.
Depending on your route:
- By air: Change into Ihram at home, at the airport, or during the flight before the Miqat. If in flight, change at least an hour before the Miqat.
- From Madinah: Wear Ihram at your hotel or stop at Masjid Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali), the Miqat for Madinah.
- By train: Wear Ihram at the train station or your hotel before departure.
Tip: Changing into Ihram at home or the airport is easier than doing it mid-flight.
4. Salah al-Ihram (Two Rak’ahs of Prayer)
It is a sunnah to pray two rak’ahs before entering the Ihram. You can do this:
- At home
- At the airport
- In the mosque near Miqat
- On the plane (if a prayer area is available)
Recite Surah Al-Kafirun (Surah 109) in the first rak’ah and Surah Al-Ikhlas (Surah 112) in the second. After the prayer, make a heartfelt du’a.
5. Making Niyyah (Intention)
After praying, make the niyyah for Umrah as you approach the Miqat.
Say out loud and also intend it in your heart:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ عُمْرَةً
O Allah, I am here to perform Umrah
Labbayka Allahumma Umrah
You may also say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ الْعُمْرَةَ فَيَسِّرْهَا لِي وَتَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِّي
O Allah, I intend to perform Umrah, so make it easy for me and accept it from me
Allahumma inni urīdu al-ʿUmrah fa yassirhā lī wa taqabbalhā minnī
Only make the intention right before or at the Miqat so you don’t stay in Ihram longer than needed.
6. Talbiyah (Answering the Call)
Right after the niyyah, say the Talbiyah to enter Ihram:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ
Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, you have no partner, here I am. Surely all praise, blessings, and rule belong to You. You have no partner.
Labbayka Allahumma labbayk. Labbayka la sharika laka labbayk. Innal-hamda, wan-ni’mata, laka wal-mulk. La sharika lak.
Say it at least once. Without it, your Umrah is not valid!
7. While in the State of Ihram
After reciting the Talbiyah, you are now in the sacred state of Ihram and are called a Muhrim.
From now on, follow these rules:
Do not:
- Cut hair or nails
- Use scented products
- Engage in intimate relations
- Hunt or harm animals
- Argue or fight
- Wear stitched clothing (for men)
- Cover your head (men) or face (women)
If any of these are broken, a penalty (Damm or Sadaqah) is required.
8. Keep Saying Talbiyah
Continue saying the Talbiyah throughout your journey to Makkah until you reach the gates of Masjid al-Haram:
Labbayka Allahumma labbayk
Also, keep doing dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and send Salawat (blessings) on the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
9. Entering the Holy City
As you enter Makkah and the Haram area (sacred boundary), it’s good to say this du’a:
اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا حَرَمُكَ وَأَمْنُكَ، فَحَرِّمْنِي عَلَى النَّارِ، وَآمِنِّي مِنْ عَذَابِكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَوْلِيَائِكَ وَأَهْلِ طَاعَتِكَ
O Allah, this is Your sacred area and Your place of safety. Make me unlawful to the Hellfire, keep me safe from Your punishment on the Day You raise Your servants, and make me one of Your close friends and obedient worshipers.
Allahumma hādhā ḥaramuka wa amnuka, fa harrimnī ‘ala n-nār, wa aminni min ‘adhābika yawma tab’athu ‘ibādak, waj‘alnī min awliyā’ika wa ahli tā‘atik.
Step 2 :Tawaf al-Umrah
Tawaf is one of the most important acts of Umrah. It means walking around the Kaaba seven times in a special way. It must be done with care, respect, and in a pure state.
Below is a complete guide that explains how to do Tawaf properly, in simple words that anyone can understand.
1. Before You Start Tawaf
- Make Wudhu (Ablution): You must be clean and in a state of wudhu. If you lose your wudhu, renew it before continuing.
- Dress Modestly: Men and women must cover their awrah (private areas). Men should also uncover their right shoulder for Tawaf (called Idtiba).
- Be in Masjid al-Haram: Tawaf must be done inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
- Make Intention (Niyyah): In your heart or with words, say you are performing Tawaf for the sake of Allah alone.
Example:
O Allah, I intend to do Tawaf of the Kaaba for Umrah. Please accept it from me and make it easy.
Arabic:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ طَوَافَ بَيْتِكَ الْحَرَامِ فَيَسِّرْهُ لِي وَتَقَبَّلْهُ مِنِّي
2. Starting Tawaf
Find the Starting Point: Begin at the corner of the Kaaba where the black stone (Hajar al-Aswad) is located. There’s a green light on the wall of the mosque across from it to help you find the spot.
Face the Black Stone: Raise your hands like in salah, say:
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
Bismillah, Allahu Akbar
You can also say:
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، اَللَّهُمَّ إِيمَانًا بِكَ وَتَصْدِيقًا بِكِتَابِكَ، وَوَفَاءً بِعَهْدِكَ، وَاتِّبَاعًا لِسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ
“O Allah, out of faith in You, belief in Your Book, loyalty to Your promise, and following the way of Your Prophet ﷺ.”
This is called Istilam. You can do one of the following:
- Kiss the Black Stone if you are close.
- Touch it with your hand, then kiss your hand.
- Point towards it from far away if you cannot reach it.
Important: Do not push or hurt others. Safety comes first.
3. Begin Walking Around the Kaaba
- Walk in an anti-clockwise direction.
- Keep the Kaaba on your left side at all times.
- Do not enter the semicircle area (Hijr Ismail). That area is part of the Kaaba. Going through it makes your round invalid.
4. Tawaf
- You must walk seven complete circles around the Kaaba.
- Each full round starts and ends at the Black Stone.
- After each round, do Istilam again by saying “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar” and raising your hands.
- You will do this eight times total (once at the beginning and once after each of the seven rounds).
5. Special Sunnah for Men: Raml
- In the first three rounds, men should walk briskly with short steps and the chest slightly out (called Raml).
- If it’s too crowded, skip Raml to avoid hurting others.
6. What to Say During Tawaf
You can recite any du’a (supplication), dhikr (remembrance of Allah), or verses from the Quran.
Speak from your heart. Use your own words if you like.
Some popular dhikr include:
- SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah)
- Alhamdulillah (All praise is for Allah)
- Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)
- La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah)
Between the Yemeni Corner (Rukn al-Yamani) and the Black Stone, it is Sunnah to say:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Our Lord, give us good in this world, good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the fire.
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘adhaban-naar.
7. Finishing the Seven Circles
- After your 7th round, perform Istilam one last time at the Black Stone.
- Your Tawaf is now complete.
- Men should now cover their right shoulder if it was uncovered.
8. Pray Two Rak‘ahs After Tawaf
Pray two rak‘ahs anywhere in Masjid al-Haram, preferably behind Maqam Ibrahim, if space allows.
While walking to your prayer spot, you may say:
وَاتَّخِذُوا مِنْ مَقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى
And take the place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer. [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:125]
Wattakhidhu min Maqami Ibrahima musalla.
- In the first rak‘ah, recite Surah Al-Kafirun (109) after Al-Fatiha.
- In the second rak‘ah, recite Surah Al-Ikhlas (112).
- After salah, raise your hands and make any du’a you wish.
9. Drink Zamzam Water
Go to the Zamzam water stations and drink as much as you like.
Face the Kaaba, say Bismillah, and drink in three sips, saying Alhamdulillah after.
You may also pour some water on your face and body.
Du’a after drinking Zamzam:
اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا وَاسِعًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا، وَشِفَاءً مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ
O Allah, I ask You for useful knowledge, wide provision, accepted deeds, and healing from every disease.
Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman nafi’a, wa rizqan wasi’a, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbala, wa shifa’an min kulli da’
10. Optional: Visit the Multazam
- The Multazam is the space between the Black Stone and the door of the Kaaba.
- If you can reach it, place your chest and hands on it and make a heartfelt du’a.
- If you can’t reach it, raise your hands and pray from a distance.
Step 3: Sa’i
After finishing Tawaf and praying two rak’ahs near Maqam Ibrahim, the next part of Umrah is Sa’i. This means walking back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa.
It is a reminder of the strong faith and struggle of Hajar (the wife of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him), as she searched for water for her son Isma’il.
What is Sa’i?
Sa’i is walking seven times between Safa and Marwa, which are located inside Masjid al-Haram. The total distance you’ll walk is over 3 km, so make sure you’re not too tired before starting.
Important Rules of Sa’i
For your Sa’i to be valid, these things must be done:
- You must be in the state of Ihram.
- You must have completed a valid Tawaf before it.
- Start at Safa and end at Marwa.
- Complete seven full laps.
- Each lap must be done by walking the full length.
- You must do it yourself, not send someone to your place.
- You may rest in between, but do not delay it for too long.
- Men should walk quickly (jog) between the green lights.
Before Starting Sa’i
If you can, it is sunnah to perform Istilam of the Hajar al-Aswad one more time before leaving the Mataf area. This would be the ninth time, including the eight from Tawaf. If it’s too hard to reach, you may skip it or face it from a distance.
As you approach Safa, recite this verse from the Qur’an:
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعائِرِ اللهِ
Indeed, Safa and Marwa are among the symbols of Allah. (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:158)
Inna ṣ-Ṣafā wa l-Marwata min shaʿā’iri Llāh
Then say:
أَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللهُ بِهِ
“I begin with what Allah began with.”
Abda’u bimā badā’ Llāhu bih
These are only recited once at the start, not during every lap.
On the Hill of Safa
Climb the small hill area of Safa. Face the Kaaba, raise your hands, and make du’a. You can say any prayer, but it is sunnah to recite:
اللهُ أَكْبَرْ اللهُ أَكْبَرْ اللهُ أَكْبَرْ وَلِلهِ الْحَمْدُ
Allah is the Greatest (3x), and all praise belongs to Allah.
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa liLlāhi l-ḥamd
لَا إِلِهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
There is no god but Allah, alone with no partner. His is the kingdom, His is the praise. He gives life and causes death, and He is Able to do all things.
La ilāha illa Llāhu waḥdahu la sharīka lah, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-ḥamd, yuḥyī wa yumīt, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shay’in qadīr
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
There is no god but Allah alone. He kept His promise, helped His servant, and defeated the enemies by Himself.
La ilāha illa Llāhu waḥdahu, anjaza waʿdahu wa naṣara ʿabdahu wa hazama l-aḥzāba waḥdah
Say this three times, and in between, you can make any personal du’a.
Walk to Marwa
From Safa, walk toward Marwa. Along the way, you’ll see two green lights. These lights mark the area where Hajar ran.
- Men should jog between the green lights.
- Women walk normally.
You may recite any dhikr, du’a, or Salawat as you go.
When you reach Marwa, face the Kaaba again, raise your hands, and repeat the same du’a and dhikr as you did at Safa.
This completes one round.
- Going from Safa to Marwa = 1 lap
- Coming back from Marwa to Safa = 2 laps, and so on.
You must complete seven rounds.
Your Sa’i will end at Marwa after the seventh lap.
End of Sa’i
At Marwa, make a final du’a. Thank Allah and ask Him to accept your Sa’i. You may also pray two rak’ahs of nafl salah if you are not too tired.
Leaving Masjid al-Haram
As you leave the mosque, step out with your left foot and say:
بِسْمِ اللهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسّلَامُ عَلى رَسُولِ اللهِ. اللهُمَ إِنّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
In the name of Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty.
Bismi Llāhi waṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ʿalā rasūli Llāh. Allāhumma innī as’aluka min faḍlik.
Step 4: Halaq or Taqsir
Once Sa’i is finished, the final step to complete your Umrah is Halq (shaving the head) or Taqsir (shortening the hair). This act is a symbol of humility and submission to Allah.
For men, shaving the entire head (Halq) is the more rewarding option. The Prophet ﷺ made a special dua for those who shaved their heads:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُحَلِّقِينَ
“O Allah, forgive those who shave their heads.” (Sahih Bukhari)
This shows that both Halq and Taqsir are accepted, but Halq carries an extra reward.
For women, only Taqsir is allowed. A small portion of hair, roughly the length of a fingertip or about one inch, should be cut from the end of each lock. Women should perform this step in privacy and among other women, if possible.
Where to Perform Halq or Taqsir
In Makkah, there are many barbershops that are licensed to serve pilgrims. These shops are usually found near the Marwah exit of Masjid al-Haram. You’ll also find them in popular shopping centers such as:
- Zamzam Tower
- Hilton Complex
- Al-Safwa Tower
These barbershops stay open 24 hours and only close briefly during the five daily prayers. They are clean, professional, and well-equipped for serving Umrah pilgrims.
If you prefer, you may also shave or trim your hair, or ask someone to help you. Just make sure you do it after Sa’i is complete. Cutting hair before finishing Sa’i is not valid, and the Umrah will remain incomplete.
After this step, your state of Ihram ends. You can now remove the Ihram clothes and resume your normal activities. This also marks the completion of your Umrah.
Conclusion
Completing Umrah is a journey of peace, patience, and devotion. Each step of Umrah is done with love for Allah and follows His command.
From wearing the Ihram to Tawaf, Sa’i, and finally cutting or shaving the hair, every step brings deep meaning and spiritual reward.
This guide has covered each part of Umrah in simple steps, making it easy to follow and perform.
May Allah grant you a safe journey, accept your Umrah, and invite you again to His sacred house. (Ameen)