Do you also want to know the details about the Umrah trip, step by step? Umrah is a blessed opportunity that Muslims get from Allah SWT. We begin this journey mentally from the moment we make bookings and reservations for it. And this is what satisfies us that our Umrah trip is now confirmed. The rest is up to God. Is that so?
Well, going on an Umrah trip is considered a big reward, but are you prepared for it in every aspect? In fact, these preparations will be useful for us when the time comes to perform Umrah. The main steps or rituals include Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’ee, and Qasr. Surely, when you prepare for them, your Umrah trip will be done.
Apart from this, some tips and prayers will also be mentioned here that will make your pilgrimage even easier. Let’s go deeper and look at the details!
First Step is Being in the State of Purity, the Ihram
Ihram is the first condition of an Umrah trip. There are some steps before that, too, but they do not come under the rituals. The major thing in that is physical purity, which includes bathing, being clean, making intention for Umrah, and taking some necessary steps such as cutting nails, etc. How will you make the intention for Umrah? Just say:
“I intend to perform Umrah (prayers) for the sake of Allah SWT.”
OR
“O Allah! Here I’m to perform Umrah.”
You can also pray two Rak’ahs of Nafl prayer before or after making the intention. This is Sunnah, and you can offer it at home, at the airport, or during your flight. It’s also recommended that you recite Surah Al-Kafiron and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the Nafl prayer.
Well, after making your intention, start reading Talbiyah. According to the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools of thought, it’s Sunnah to read Talbiyah before Umrah.
لَبَّيْكَ اَللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ – لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ – إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ – لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ
After doing all these things, you put on Ihram and enter the Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah. This is where you will perform Umrah rituals. Remember that some restrictions or guidelines apply to you when you are in the Ihram attire, such as not using perfume, fragrances, not killing insects, not harming any person, etc.
Male wears a white dress consisting of two sheets for the upper and lower parts of the body, while female pilgrims wear an Abaya. If due for any reason, you have committed a forbidden act, make sure to pay the penalty for accepting your Umrah in front of Allah SWT.
Tawaf – the Second Ritual of Umrah Trip
After coming inside to Grand Mosque of Makkah, now you will perform Tawaf. These are the seven circles that you have to do around the Kaaba as part of your Umrah trip. These are done in an anticlockwise direction. When you come for Tawaf, first find the Hajar-e-Aswad side of the Kaaba (eastern corner). Stand in front of this corner or Black Stone and make intention for Tawaf. If possible, kiss the Black Stone or touch it with your hand.
Then start the first round, keeping the Kaaba on your left-hand side. The corner that comes after the Hajar-e-Aswad is called the Yemeni corner. The following Dua is prescribed between the Yemeni corner and the Hajar-e-Aswad corner:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
You can also pray to Allah SWT in your heart during Tawaf. When your Tawaf is complete, turn yourself towards Maqam-e-Ibrahim (the station of Abraham). This is right next to the Holy Kaaba. Here you will pray two Rak’ahs of prayer again to fulfil the Sunnah act. See what the Holy Quran says about this place:
وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى
“And make the Maqam-e-Ibrahim your place of prayer.” (Surah Al-Baqrah – 2:125)
Drink the Holy Zamzam Water after Tawaf
It’s also recommended to drink Zamzam water during the Umrah trip, which is considered pure holy water by Muslims. You may know that its history matches the Hajirah (A.S), the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S). When she was searching for water for her son, she discovered this water and named it “Zamzam”.
You will get this water in Haram completely free and will not have to pay any cost for this. Yet, when you bring Zamzam on your return flight, you will have to follow some limited rules. However, after completing two Rak’ah Nafl prayers at Maqam-e-Ibrahim, drink the Zamzam water. You can also rub this water on your face. Drink according to Islamic teachings, like standing and saying Bismillah before. You can also recite this Dua:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا وَاسِعًا، وَشِفَاءً مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ
Now, it’s time to perform Sa’ee.
Sa’ee or Sa’i is an act of walking/running between the two hills named Safa and Marwah. Both hills are located inside the Masjid Al-Haram, Safa is closed to the Kaaba, while Marwah is far, but the gallery joins them. Here, pilgrims again have to perform seven rounds between both hills, starting from Safa. Then your Umrah trip will be completed by performing the next step as well (Qasr).
Stop on the Safa and Marwah, face towards the Kaaba, raise your hand and recite this Dua (Takbeer and Tahleel):
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
Sometimes, pilgrims forget the essential steps, so they choose Umrah 2026 packages as early as possible to make their journey easier. These packages offer proper guidance and assistance from experts for the Sa’ee and Tawaf rituals as well.
From Safa to Marwah, one round will be counted and then back will be the second round. Similarly, completing the seven circuits as well. Males have to walk normal and on the green lights, walking fast or running while raising their voices to offer Duas. On the other hand, females are advised to walk normally. Don’t run or walk fast and pray not out loud, but just to yourself.
The Last Ritual is Qasr – Shaving or Cutting the Head’s Hair
This last step of the Umrah trip is done outside the boundaries of the Grand Mosque of Makkah. When leaving the Mosque, you can recite:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
Qasr is also called Halq or Taqsir, which means shaving and cutting. It’s mandatory to perform this step for both male and female pilgrims to leave the state of Ihram. For men, shaving is compulsory, but if one doesn’t do the Halq, then it’s necessary at least to cut a part of the hair on the head.
For women, clip a small portion of your hair, usually 1 inch (2 cm) from fingertip to knuckle. Women should not do this in public, but in their hotel rooms or any curtained place, like a bus or a group area. In contrast, men do Halq in barber shops outside the Haram.
Now, you are free to exit the Ihram attire because your Umrah is done. You can go for Ziyarats and explore the cities to take your Umrah trip to an end within a particular days.
