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عمرہ consists of four essential acts performed in order: (1) entering احرام at the miqat with the intention and تلبیہ, (2) performing طواف — 7 counterclockwise circuits around the کعبۃ اللہ, (3) performing sa'i — 7 laps between Safa and Marwa, and (4) shaving (halq) or trimming (taqsir) the hair to exit احرام. The entire process typically takes 2-4 hours.
Preparation for عمرہ begins before the physical journey: (1) Repent sincerely from all sins — نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said: 'An عمرہ to the next عمرہ is an expiation for what is between them' (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1773; Sahih Muslim, 1349). (2) Ensure the money for عمرہ is from halal sources. (3) Settle debts or arrange for their repayment. (4) Learn the rites of عمرہ before departing — Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen considered this واجب. (5) At your accommodation or the airport before reaching the miqat, perform غسل (full ritual bath). This is sunnah mu'akkadah for both men and women, including menstruating women, based on the hadith that نبی کریم ordered Asma bint Umays to bathe for احرام while she was in post-natal bleeding (Sahih Muslim, 1209). (6) Men may apply perfume to their body — not احرام garments — before making the intention, based on the hadith of Aisha (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1539). (7) Trim nails and remove unwanted hair before entering احرام, as these will be حرام during the sacred state.
At the miqat, men put on the two white unstitched احرام 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 permissible. Pray two rak'at of sunnah if it is not a disliked time (مستحب, not واجب). Then make the intention in your heart for عمرہ and say: 'Labbayk Allahumma Umratan' (Here I am, O Allah, for عمرہ). If you fear being prevented from completing عمرہ, 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 (Sahih Muslim, 1207). Begin the تلبیہ immediately. The five miqat points are: Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali, from مدینہ منورہ), 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 مکہ مکرمہ performing عمرہ, the miqat 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 احرام until you begin طواف at the کعبۃ اللہ, recite the تلبیہ frequently. Men recite it loudly; women recite it softly. The تلبیہ is: 'Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayk la sharika laka labbayk, innal hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.' This is the تلبیہ of نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) as narrated by Ibn Umar (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1549; Sahih Muslim, 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 permissible according to the Hanbali school. Stop the تلبیہ when you begin طواف — this is the position of the majority based on the practice of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). Between recitations of the تلبیہ, engage in dhikr, salawat upon نبی کریم, and دعا.
Enter مسجد الحرام with your right foot first, reciting the دعا for entering the مسجد: 'Bismillah, was-salatu was-salamu ala Rasulillah. Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik' (Sahih Muslim, 713). Proceed to the حجر اسود (al-Hajar al-Aswad) to begin طواف. Face the حجر اسود, 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 Idtiba': 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 کعبۃ اللہ on your LEFT side and walk counterclockwise. Men perform Raml (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 حجر اسود in each circuit, recite: 'Rabbana atina fi al-dunya hasanah...' (Al-Baqarah 2:201). For the rest of the طواف, you may make any دعا or dhikr — there are no specific دعائیں for each circuit.
After completing 7 circuits, cover the right shoulder (end the Idtiba') and proceed to مقام ابراہیم. Recite: 'And take from the station of Ibrahim a place of نماز' (Al-Baqarah 2:125). Pray 2 rak'at behind the Maqam: recite Surah al-Kafirun (109) in the first rak'ah and Surah al-Ikhlas (112) in the second — following نبی کریم's practice (Sahih Muslim, 1218, hadith of Jabir). If the area behind مقام ابراہیم is too crowded, pray anywhere in the مسجد — the 2 rak'at are the obligation, not the specific spot. After the نماز, proceed to the زمزم water stations. Face the Qiblah, say 'Bismillah,' and drink your fill. نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said: 'The water of زمزم is for whatever it is drunk for' (Sunan Ibn Majah, 3062, authenticated by al-Albani). Make دعا 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 Safa to begin sa'i. Upon reaching Safa, face the کعبۃ اللہ and recite: 'Indeed, Safa and Marwa 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 دعا between each recitation. Then walk toward Marwa — Safa to Marwa = lap 1. Men jog between the two green fluorescent markers. At Marwa, face the کعبۃ اللہ, repeat the same takbir, tahlil, and دعا. Walk back toward Safa — Marwa to Safa = lap 2. Continue until you complete 7 laps, ending at Marwa. Throughout the walk between the hills, make any دعا you wish. سعی commemorates Hagar's (Hajar) desperate search for water for her son Isma'il — a profound lesson in trust in Allah (tawakkul).
After completing sa'i at Marwa, the final act of عمرہ is shaving or trimming the hair: (1) For men, shaving the entire head (halq) is more virtuous. نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) supplicated three times for those who shave and once for those who trim (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1727; Sahih Muslim, 1301). Trimming (taqsir) 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 عمرہ or حج. 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 احرام. ALL restrictions are now lifted — you may wear regular clothing, apply perfume, cut nails, and resume normal activities. (4) If you are performing حج Tamattu' and plan to enter احرام again for حج, trimming may be preferable so that you have hair to shave on the Day of Sacrifice (10th Dhul Hijjah).
With halq or taqsir complete, your عمرہ is finished — all praise belongs to Allah. It is مستحب to: (1) Thank Allah for enabling you to complete عمرہ. (2) Perform voluntary (nafl) طواف — additional circuits around the کعبۃ اللہ are a tremendous act of worship. Sheikh al-Nawawi stated that voluntary طواف is better than voluntary نماز for non-residents of مکہ مکرمہ. (3) Spend time in مسجد الحرام reading قرآن, making dhikr, and praying. (4) Pray in the Hateem (Hijr Isma'il) — this semi-circular area adjacent to the کعبۃ اللہ is part of the کعبۃ اللہ itself. Praying inside it is like praying inside the کعبۃ اللہ, based on the hadith of Aisha in which نبی کریم said: 'Your people shortened the کعبۃ اللہ from the foundations of Ibrahim, so the Hateem is part of the کعبۃ اللہ' (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1583). (5) If time permits, you may perform additional عمرہs by going to al-Tan'eem (the nearest point outside the Haram boundary), entering احرام, and returning to the Haram. نبی کریم permitted Aisha to do this after حج (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1785).