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Key points
- Umrah comes from an Arabic word meaning “to visit”. In Islam it is the visit to the Kaaba in ihram, with tawaf, sa’i and cutting the hair.
- Unlike Hajj, Umrah can be done at any time of the year and takes only a few hours.
- The Prophet ﷺ said that one Umrah to the next is an expiation for what comes between them (Bukhari 1773).
- Knowing a few words before you go makes the briefings, signs and your guide much easier to follow.
What Umrah means
The Arabic word ‘umrah comes from a root meaning to visit a place that is lived in and full of life. In worship it means visiting the House of Allah in Makkah in a set way: entering ihram at the miqat, doing tawaf around the Kaaba, walking between Safa and Marwah, and then shaving or cutting the hair.
Allah says, “Complete the Hajj and the Umrah for Allah” (2:196). Umrah is sometimes called the “lesser pilgrimage”, because Hajj has more rites and fixed days.
Umrah and Hajj: the short difference
- When: Umrah any time of the year; Hajj only on 8 to 13 Dhul Hijjah
- How long: Umrah a few hours; Hajj about five to six days of rites
- Rites: Umrah is ihram, tawaf, sa’i and the haircut; Hajj adds Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah, the Jamarat and the sacrifice
- Ruling: Hajj is one of the five pillars, once in a life for those who are able. Scholars differ on Umrah: some say it is required once, others a strong sunnah
Words of ihram and the journey
- Ihram: the sacred state of the pilgrim, and also the two white sheets men wear
- Miqat: the boundary where you must be in ihram before going on to Makkah
- Niyyah: the intention in the heart to do Umrah
- Talbiyah: the call “Labbaik Allahumma labbaik”, said from the niyyah until tawaf
- Muhrim: a person in ihram
- Dam: a sacrifice due when certain ihram rules are broken
- Nusuk: the official Saudi app for Umrah permits and the Rawdah booking
Words of the rites
- Tawaf: seven rounds around the Kaaba, keeping it on your left
- Istilam: touching the Black Stone, or raising your hand towards it from a distance
- Idtiba: men leaving the right shoulder bare during the tawaf of Umrah
- Raml: men walking a little briskly in the first three rounds of that tawaf
- Sa’i: seven lengths between the hills of Safa and Marwah
- Halq: shaving the head (men)
- Taqsir: cutting the hair short; for women, about a fingertip’s length
- Nafl: a voluntary act, such as an extra tawaf
Places in Masjid al-Haram
- Kaaba (Baitullah): the House of Allah, the qiblah of every Muslim
- Hajar al-Aswad: the Black Stone, in the eastern corner, where tawaf starts
- Rukn al-Yamani: the Yemeni corner, the one before the Black Stone
- Multazam: the wall between the Kaaba door and the Black Stone
- Hateem (Hijr Ismail): the low curved wall beside the Kaaba; the area inside it is part of the Kaaba
- Maqam Ibrahim: the stone in a gold and glass case near the Kaaba; pilgrims pray two rak’ahs behind it
- Mataf: the open marble floor around the Kaaba where tawaf is done
- Mas’a: the long hall between Safa and Marwah
- Zamzam: the blessed well of Masjid al-Haram, served in coolers everywhere
Words you will hear around the trip
- Haram: the sacred area of Makkah (and of Madinah); also used for the main mosques
- Ziyarat: visits to the historic places of Makkah and Madinah
- Rawdah (Riyazul Jannah): the area in Masjid an-Nabawi between the Prophet’s ﷺ house and his minbar
- Mutawwif: a guide who helps pilgrims with the rites
- Umrah Mubarak: “a blessed Umrah”, the common congratulation to a pilgrim
Questions
Umrah comes from an Arabic word meaning “to visit”. In Islam it is the visit to the Kaaba in ihram, with tawaf, sa’i and cutting the hair.
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Official guidance
This guide is general travel information. For religious rulings, please ask a qualified scholar.
