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Key points
- Umrah has four main parts: ihram with the intention, tawaf, sa’i, and shaving or trimming the hair.
- On flights from Mumbai, pilgrims usually wear the ihram clothes before boarding and make the intention before the plane crosses the miqat.
- Tawaf is seven rounds around the Kaaba, starting from the Black Stone line, with the Kaaba on your left.
- Sa’i is seven trips between Safa and Marwah, starting at Safa and ending at Marwah.
- Rulings on details differ between schools of thought, so learn the rites from a qualified scholar before you travel.
Before you leave: ghusl and ihram
Ihram is the sacred state a pilgrim enters for Umrah. Prepare for it at home: trim your nails, remove unwanted hair, and take a full bath (ghusl) before you put on the ihram clothes.
For men, ihram means two plain, unstitched white sheets: one wrapped around the waist (izar) and one over the shoulders (rida), with simple sandals. The head stays uncovered.
For women, there is no special ihram dress. You wear your usual loose, modest clothing that covers the body, in any plain colour. Your scholar will explain the details that apply to women.
Once you have made the intention, you avoid certain things until your Umrah is complete:
- Perfume, and scented soap or cream
- Cutting hair or nails
- Marital relations
- Arguments, harsh words and anything that troubles others
- For men: covering the head and wearing stitched clothes
Pack a spare ihram set and unscented soap in your hand luggage. Your group leader will remind you when to change.
Miqat and niyyah (the intention)
The miqat is a boundary around Makkah that a pilgrim coming for Umrah should not cross without being in ihram. Flights from Mumbai to Jeddah cross the miqat in the air, before landing.
For this reason, most pilgrims put on the ihram clothes at home or at Mumbai airport, and make the intention for Umrah on the plane, when the crew or the group leader announces that the miqat is near.
The intention is made in the heart. Many pilgrims also say it aloud in simple words, such as “Labbayk Allahumma ‘Umrah” (Here I am, O Allah, for Umrah).
Ask your group leader or scholar exactly when to make the intention on your flight. Do not leave it until after landing in Jeddah.
Talbiyah
After the intention, pilgrims recite the talbiyah often: on the plane, in the bus and on the way to the Haram. Men say it aloud; women say it softly.
Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayk la sharika laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.
Its meaning: “Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. All praise, all blessings and all sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.”
Pilgrims usually stop the talbiyah when they begin the tawaf.
The rites of Umrah, step by step
- 1
Step 1
Enter Masjid al-Haram
After reaching your hotel and resting a little, go to the Haram with your group. Enter with your right foot and the du’a for entering a mosque. Agree on a meeting point in case anyone gets separated.
- 2
Step 2
Tawaf: seven rounds around the Kaaba
Start at the line of the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad), usually marked by a green light on the wall. Face it, raise your hand towards it and say “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar”, then walk with the Kaaba on your left. Each round ends back at the same line. Complete seven rounds, making du’a in any language. Men usually keep the right shoulder uncovered during this tawaf.
- 3
Step 3
Two rak’ah of prayer
After the seventh round, men cover the right shoulder again. Pray two rak’ah, behind Maqam Ibrahim if there is space, or anywhere in the mosque when it is crowded. Do not stop in the path of people doing tawaf.
- 4
Step 4
Drink Zamzam
Drink Zamzam water, which is available from coolers throughout the mosque, and make du’a as you drink.
- 5
Step 5
Sa’i between Safa and Marwah
Go to the hill of Safa, face the Kaaba, praise Allah and make du’a. Walk to Marwah: that is one trip. Marwah back to Safa is the second. Complete seven trips, finishing at Marwah. Men walk briskly between the green lights; women walk at a normal pace. Upper floors and wheelchairs help those who cannot walk far.
- 6
Step 6
Halq or taqsir (cutting the hair)
Men shave the head (halq), which is better, or trim the hair short (taqsir). Women gather their hair and cut about a fingertip’s length from the ends, in private. This completes your Umrah, and the ihram restrictions end.
Rulings on some details differ between the schools of thought. This guide is a simple outline. Please learn the rites from a qualified scholar before you travel.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Crossing the miqat on the flight without making the intention
- Starting tawaf from a different point instead of the Black Stone line
- Walking through the Hijr Ismail (the low, curved wall beside the Kaaba, also called the Hateem) during tawaf: tawaf goes around the outside of it
- Losing count of the rounds; a small counter or tasbeeh helps
- Pushing or hurting others to touch the Black Stone or the Kaaba
- Forgetting to cut the hair, or cutting it before sa’i is finished
- Leaving the group without a fixed meeting point or a charged phone
After your Umrah
Once your hair is cut, you can change into normal clothes. Rest, eat and drink water. The first Umrah often comes straight after a long journey.
For the rest of your stay, spend your time in prayer at the Haram, extra tawaf, Qur’an and du’a. Your group will also visit Madinah. It is not part of the Umrah itself, but it is a cherished part of the journey. As reported in recent seasons, visits to the Rawdah in Masjid an-Nabawi need a slot booked in the Nusuk app; ask our team for help.
If you wish to perform another Umrah during your stay, ask your scholar about it first.
Questions
Tawaf, prayer and sa’i together usually take about 2 to 4 hours, depending on crowds, the floor you use and your walking pace. Elderly pilgrims may take longer, and there is no rush.
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This guide is general travel information. For religious rulings, please ask a qualified scholar.
