Umrah

What Does Umrah Mean in Detail?

Umrah is often called the 'lesser ibadah haji' or 'minor ibadah haji' to distinguish it from Haji, the 'greater ibadah haji.' Unlike Haji, which can only be performed during the specific days of Dzulhijjah, Umrah may be performed at any time of the year, making it far more accessible. Millions of Muslims perform Umrah annually, especially during the blessed month of Ramadhan — Nabi Muhammad (shallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, 'Umrah in Ramadhan is equivalent to Haji' (Bukhari and Muslim), meaning in reward, though it does not fulfill the Haji obligation. The rites of Umrah are simpler and shorter than Haji. The jamaah haji enters ihram at the designated miqat, makes the intention for Umrah, and begins reciting the Talbiyah. Upon reaching Masjidil Haram, they perform tawaf — seven counterclockwise circuits of the Kabah. After tawaf, they pray two rak'ah behind Maqam Ibrahim and drink Zamzam water. They then proceed to the Mas'a to perform sa'i — seven traversals between Safa and Marwa. Finally, men shave their heads completely (mencukur habis) or trim their hair short (memotong rambut), and women cut a fingertip's length from their hair. With this, the jamaah haji exits the state of ihram and the Umrah is complete. The entire process can be completed in two to four hours depending on crowd conditions. Regarding its legal status, the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools consider Umrah wajib (wajib) once in a lifetime, while the Hanafi and Maliki schools classify it as a highly emphasized Sunnah (Sunnah mu'akkadah). All schools agree on its immense spiritual merit. Nabi said, 'From one Umrah to the next is an expiation for whatever sins come in between' (Bukhari and Muslim). There is no limit to how many times a person may perform Umrah, and many residents of Arab Saudi perform it frequently.