How to perform Umrah, step by step

Umrah steps

1. Before travel: book your Umrah permit in the Nusuk app and prepare your documents.
2. Ihram at the miqat: take a bath and apply perfume to your body before ihram. Men wear two white sheets (izar and rida). Then make the intention for Umrah and say: “Labbayk Allahumma ‘Umrah”.
3. Repeat the Talbiyah on the way: “Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak”.
4. Tawaf: start at the Black Stone with the Kaaba on your left and walk seven rounds. Stop the Talbiyah when Tawaf begins.
5. Pray two rak‘ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim if possible, or anywhere in the mosque.
6. Drink Zamzam water.
7. Sa‘i: start at Safa and finish at Marwah, seven laps. Going from Safa to Marwah counts as one lap.
8. Shave or trim: men shave or shorten their hair, and women cut a fingertip’s length from their hair. Your Umrah is then complete.

Tawaf in detail

Every round starts and ends at the Black Stone corner. At the start of each round, touch the Stone if you easily can, or point to it with your hand and say “Allahu Akbar” without pushing. Walk outside Hijr Isma‘il, because it is part of the Kaaba; a round does not count if you pass between it and the Kaaba. Most scholars require purity (wudu) for Tawaf, so make wudu before you start.

Sa‘i in detail

When you approach Safa at the start, recite: “Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.” Climb it, face the Kaaba, say takbir and make du‘a, then walk down toward Marwah and do the same there. Men are encouraged to walk briskly between the two green markers. If you are unsure how many laps you have done, count the lower number.

Miqat: where do I enter ihram?

The miqat is the point a pilgrim intending Umrah must not pass without ihram. Choose your miqat by the route you travel, not just by your country. Anyone living inside the miqat boundary enters ihram from home, and residents of Makkah go out to the hill area (al-Hill), such as Tan‘im, for Umrah.

Ihram restrictions

These restrictions start once you make the intention for ihram and end with shaving or trimming at the end of Umrah. Women may wear any modest clothing, without a face veil (niqab) or gloves.

Sunnahs of Tawaf

In the Umrah Tawaf, men are encouraged to do idtiba‘ (uncovering the right shoulder) and raml (walking briskly with short steps) in the first three rounds. There is no fixed du‘a for each round, so pray as you wish. Between the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone the Sunnah is: “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”

Umrah for women

A woman enters ihram in her usual modest clothes, with no required colour. She does not do raml or idtiba‘, and she trims rather than shaves. A woman on her period or in post-natal bleeding enters ihram at the miqat and does what other pilgrims do, but she does not perform Tawaf until she is pure and has bathed; then she completes her Umrah.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Passing the miqat without ihram when you intend Umrah.
2. Keeping the right shoulder uncovered for the whole ihram; the Sunnah is during Tawaf only.
3. Walking inside Hijr Isma‘il, which makes that round invalid.
4. Pushing hard at the Black Stone and hurting people; pointing to it is enough.
5. Following a booklet with a special du‘a for each round; this is not authentic.

How long does Umrah take?

Umrah usually takes two to four hours, depending on crowds and the time of your visit. Late night and early morning are usually less crowded.