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العمرة consists of four essential acts performed in order: (1) entering الإحرام at the الميقات with the intention and التلبية, (2) performing الطواف — 7 counterclockwise circuits around the الكعبة, (3) performing السعي — 7 laps between الصفا and المروة, and (4) shaving (الحلق) or trimming (التقصير) the hair to exit الإحرام. The entire process typically takes 2-4 hours.
Preparation for العمرة begins before the physical journey: (1) Repent sincerely from all sins — النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'An العمرة to the next العمرة is an expiation for what is between them' (صحيح البخاري, 1773; صحيح مسلم, 1349). (2) Ensure the money for العمرة is from halal sources. (3) Settle debts or arrange for their repayment. (4) Learn the rites of العمرة before departing — الشيخ ابن عثيمين considered this واجب. (5) At your accommodation or the airport before reaching the الميقات, perform الغسل (full ritual bath). This is سنة mu'akkadah for both men and women, including menstruating women, based on the hadith that النبي ordered Asma bint Umays to bathe for الإحرام while she was in post-natal bleeding (صحيح مسلم, 1209). (6) Men may apply perfume to their body — not الإحرام garments — before making the intention, based on the hadith of Aisha (صحيح البخاري, 1539). (7) Trim nails and remove unwanted hair before entering الإحرام, as these will be محرم during the sacred state.
At the الميقات, men put on the two white unstitched الإحرام garments: the izar (lower wrap around the waist) and the rida' (upper wrap over the shoulders). Wear sandals that expose the top of the feet and ankles. Women wear their normal modest clothing — any color is جائز. Pray two ركعة of سنة if it is not a مكروه time (مستحب, not واجب). Then make the intention in your heart for العمرة and say: 'Labbayk Allahumma Umratan' (Here I am, O Allah, for العمرة). If you fear being prevented from completing العمرة, add the stipulation: 'If I am prevented by any obstacle, my place of release is wherever You hold me' — based on the hadith of Duba'ah bint al-Zubayr (صحيح مسلم, 1207). Begin the التلبية immediately. The five الميقات points are: Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali, from المدينة), Al-Juhfah/Rabigh (from the west), Qarn al-Manazil/al-Sayl (from Najd/east), Yalamlam (from Yemen/south), and Dhat Irq (from Iraq/northeast). For residents of مكة performing العمرة, the الميقات is the nearest point outside the Haram boundary, typically al-Tan'eem or al-Ji'ranah.
These are the most frequent errors pilgrims make during this stage of Umrah.
Scholarly references supporting this guidance from established Islamic sources.
From the moment you enter الإحرام until you begin الطواف at the الكعبة, recite the التلبية frequently. Men recite it loudly; women recite it softly. The التلبية is: 'Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayk la sharika laka labbayk, innal hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.' This is the التلبية of النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) as narrated by Ibn Umar (صحيح البخاري, 1549; صحيح مسلم, 1184). Some companions added to it — Ibn Umar added 'Labbayka dha al-ma'arij' and Anas added 'Labbayka haqqan haqqan, ta'abbudan wa riqqa.' These additions are جائز عند the Hanbali school. Stop the التلبية when you begin الطواف — this is the position of the majority based on the practice of Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عن him). Between recitations of the التلبية, engage in dhikr, salawat upon النبي, and دعاء.
Enter المسجد الحرام with your right foot first, reciting the دعاء for entering the مسجد: 'Bismillah, was-salatu was-salamu ala Rasulillah. Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik' (صحيح مسلم, 713). Proceed to the الحجر الأسود (al-Hajar al-Aswad) to begin الطواف. Face the الحجر الأسود, say 'Bismillah, Allahu Akbar,' and if you can reach it without harming anyone, touch it with your right hand and kiss it. If too crowded, simply point toward it with your right hand and say 'Allahu Akbar.' Before starting, men perform الاضطباع: place the middle of the rida' under the right arm, exposing the right shoulder, and throw the ends over the left shoulder. This is maintained throughout all 7 circuits. Keep the الكعبة on your LEFT side and walk counterclockwise. Men perform الرَّمَل (brisk walking with chest out and small steps) in the first 3 circuits only, then walk normally for the remaining 4. Complete 7 full circuits. Between the Yemeni Corner and the الحجر الأسود in each circuit, recite: 'Rabbana atina fi al-dunya hasanah...' (Al-Baqarah 2:201). For the rest of the الطواف, you may make any دعاء or dhikr — there are no specific الأدعية for each circuit.
After completing 7 circuits, cover the right shoulder (end the الاضطباع) and proceed to مقام إبراهيم. Recite: 'And take from the station of Ibrahim a place of الصلاة' (Al-Baqarah 2:125). Pray 2 ركعة behind the Maqam: recite Surah al-Kafirun (109) in the first ركعة and Surah al-Ikhlas (112) in the second — following النبي's practice (صحيح مسلم, 1218, hadith of Jabir). If the area behind مقام إبراهيم is too crowded, pray anywhere in the مسجد — the 2 ركعة are the obligation, not the specific spot. After the الصلاة, proceed to the زمزم water stations. Face the القبلةh, say 'Bismillah,' and drink your fill. النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'The water of زمزم is for whatever it is drunk for' (Sunan Ibn Majah, 3062, authenticated by الألباني). Make دعاء while drinking — ask for beneficial knowledge, ample provision, and healing from every disease. Pour some over your head if you wish.
Proceed to the hill of الصفا to begin السعي. Upon reaching الصفا, face the الكعبة and recite: 'Indeed, الصفا and المروة are among the symbols of Allah' (Al-Baqarah 2:158), then say: 'Abda'u bima bada'Allahu bihi' (I begin with what Allah began with). Then make takbir and tahlil three times: 'La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir. La ilaha illallah wahdah, anjaza wa'dah, wa nasara abdah, wa hazamal ahzaba wahdah.' Make personal دعاء between each recitation. Then walk toward المروة — الصفا to المروة = lap 1. Men jog between the two green fluorescent markers. At المروة, face the الكعبة, repeat the same takbir, tahlil, and دعاء. Walk back toward الصفا — المروة to الصفا = lap 2. Continue until you complete 7 laps, ending at المروة. Throughout the walk between the hills, make any دعاء you wish. السعي commemorates Hagar's (Hajar) desperate search for water for her son Isma'il — a profound lesson in trust in Allah (tawakkul).
After completing السعي at المروة, the final act of العمرة is shaving or trimming the hair: (1) For men, shaving the entire head (الحلق) is more virtuous. النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) supplicated three times for those who shave and once for those who trim (صحيح البخاري, 1727; صحيح مسلم, 1301). Trimming (التقصير) is also valid — cut hair evenly from all parts of the head. (2) For women, ONLY trimming is prescribed — women must NEVER shave their heads for العمرة or الحج. A woman trims approximately a fingertip's length (about 1-2 cm) from the ends of her hair. (3) After cutting the hair, you have exited the state of الإحرام. ALL restrictions are now lifted — you may wear regular clothing, apply perfume, cut nails, and resume normal activities. (4) If you are performing الحج Tamattu' and plan to enter الإحرام again for الحج, trimming may be preferable so that you have hair to shave on the Day of Sacrifice (10th ذو الحجة).
With الحلق or التقصير complete, your العمرة is finished — all praise belongs to Allah. It is مستحب to: (1) Thank Allah for enabling you to complete العمرة. (2) Perform voluntary (nafl) الطواف — additional circuits around the الكعبة are a tremendous act of worship. Sheikh al-Nawawi stated that voluntary الطواف is better than voluntary الصلاة for non-residents of مكة. (3) Spend time in المسجد الحرام reading القرآن, making dhikr, and praying. (4) Pray in the Hateem (Hijr Isma'il) — this semi-circular area adjacent to the الكعبة is part of the الكعبة itself. Praying inside it is like praying inside the الكعبة, based on the hadith of Aisha in which النبي said: 'Your people shortened the الكعبة from the foundations of Ibrahim, so the Hateem is part of the الكعبة' (صحيح البخاري, 1583). (5) If time permits, you may perform additional العمرةs by going to al-Tan'eem (the nearest point outside the Haram boundary), entering الإحرام, and returning to the Haram. النبي permitted Aisha to do this after الحج (صحيح البخاري, 1785).