Guided Umrah
A calm, step-by-step companion for performing Umrah. Follow the steps in order, use the counters during Tawaf and Sa'i so you never lose count in the crowd, and read the notes on school differences where they are given. This is a practical guide, not a fatwa, bring your questions to a qualified scholar or your group leader before you travel.
1. Before you go
A short checklist to complete before you reach the miqat, so you arrive ready to enter ihram calmly rather than rushing.
- Trim your nails and remove underarm and pubic hair (recommended sunnah acts before ihram, not obligatory).
- Take a ghusl (full-body wash) shortly before ihram if possible, or wudu if not.
- Men: pack two plain, unstitched white cloths (izar and rida) and sandals that leave the ankles visible.
- Confirm your miqat point with your airline or group leader, since flying pilgrims often enter ihram in the air.
- Charge your phone, save your hotel name and address, and agree a meeting point with your group in case you are separated.
- Carry a copy of your passport, visa, and any Umrah permit.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until you are already near the miqat to prepare, causing a rushed change in a crowded airport.
- Forgetting to trim nails or hair before ihram, a missed sunnah, not an invalidating error, but best done beforehand.
- Not knowing your miqat point in advance and crossing it unintentionally.
For women
Women do not need any special garment for ihram; ordinary, modest, non-form-fitting clothing that covers everything except the face and hands is worn throughout.
2. Enter ihram at the miqat
Ihram is entered with ghusl, ihram clothing, two rak'ahs where possible, and the niyyah (intention) for Umrah made at or before the miqat.
- Perform ghusl, or wudu if ghusl is not possible.
- Men: put on the two white ihram cloths. Women: wear your usual modest clothing.
- Apply perfume to your body (not the ihram cloths) if you wish, before making the intention.
- Pray two rak'ah if it is a permissible time to pray.
- Make the niyyah in your heart for Umrah; you may also say it aloud.
- Begin reciting the Talbiyah as soon as your intention is made.
- From this point, observe the restrictions of ihram: no cutting hair or nails, no further perfume on the body, no hunting, no marital relations, no arguing or harsh speech; men do not cover the head.
Common mistakes
- Crossing the miqat without having made the intention.
- Men covering the head, even briefly with a hood, while in ihram.
- Applying perfume to the ihram cloths themselves rather than only the body beforehand.
- Assuming women must wear a specific color or style of clothing, there is no required design.
- Not knowing which miqat applies to a connecting flight route.
For women
Women wear ordinary, modest, loose clothing that covers the body except the face and hands; there is no fixed color or design. A menstruating or postpartum woman may still enter ihram and make the intention, this does not prevent ihram itself, only Tawaf until she is purified (see the Tawaf step).
Differences between schools
Scholars differ on exactly when a flying pilgrim should make the intention relative to the aircraft's position over the miqat; follow your group leader's timing. The schools also differ on some minor ihram details, such as covered footwear, ask your scholar if unsure.
3. Recite the Talbiyah
The Talbiyah is the pilgrim's response to Allah's call, repeated often on the way to Makkah.
- Recite the Talbiyah as soon as you make your intention.
- Men recite it aloud; women recite it softly, just loud enough to hear themselves.
- Repeat it often during the journey, after each prayer, when meeting other pilgrims, when the terrain changes, and whenever you remember.
- Continue reciting until you reach the Black Stone to begin Tawaf, then stop.
Common mistakes
- Reciting it once and then forgetting it for the rest of the journey.
- Stopping the Talbiyah well before reaching the Haram.
- Men reciting loudly enough to disturb others in shared transport.
For women
Women say the Talbiyah quietly, not raising the voice in public.
4. Enter Masjid al-Haram
Enter with the general mosque etiquette, then look upon the Kaaba and pause to supplicate before beginning Tawaf.
- Enter with your right foot, saying the dua for entering a mosque.
- Lower your gaze and your voice, this is a place of worship.
- When you catch your first sight of the Kaaba, pause; many pilgrims raise their hands and make sincere du'a in this moment.
- Move toward the Tawaf area, and stop reciting the Talbiyah once you reach the Black Stone corner to begin.
- Keep your ihram clothing settled, men should have both shoulders covered until Tawaf begins.
Common mistakes
- Rushing straight to Tawaf without a moment of calm reflection.
- Stopping in the walkway to take photos and blocking other pilgrims.
- Forgetting to keep both shoulders covered before starting Tawaf.
5. Perform Tawaf, seven circuits
Tawaf is circling the Kaaba seven times, beginning and ending level with the Black Stone, with the Kaaba kept on your left.
- Stand level with the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad), face or gesture toward it, and say 'Bismillah, Allahu Akbar' to begin.
- Keep the Kaaba on your left and move counter-clockwise.
- Complete seven full circuits, each starting and ending level with the Black Stone corner.
- Men performing this Tawaf before Sa'i may do raml (brisk, short steps) in the first three circuits, and idtiba (right shoulder uncovered) throughout.
- Between the Yemeni Corner (Rukn al-Yamani) and the Black Stone in each circuit, recite 'Rabbana atina...'.
- Make du'a and dhikr freely in your own words for the rest of each circuit, there is no fixed script required.
- After the seventh circuit, cover both shoulders again before leaving the Tawaf area.
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Common mistakes
- Losing count of circuits in the crowd, use this app's counter, or count on your fingers.
- Pushing or fighting to touch or kiss the Black Stone; a gesture from a distance fulfils the sunnah without harming anyone.
- Starting a circuit from the wrong point, it must begin level with the Black Stone, not the door of the Kaaba.
- Men forgetting to re-cover both shoulders after finishing Tawaf.
- Losing track of laps when walking on an upper floor, where the path is longer but still counts as one circuit per full loop.
For women
Women do not perform raml or idtiba, and dress modestly and normally throughout Tawaf. A woman who is menstruating or bleeding postpartum should not perform Tawaf until she is purified; she may complete every other Umrah step and wait, or discuss her itinerary with a scholar.
Differences between schools
Idtiba and raml are for men only, and are only prescribed in a Tawaf that will be followed by Sa'i (not the farewell Tawaf). If crowding makes raml impossible, the Tawaf remains fully valid.
6. Pray two rak'ahs near Maqam Ibrahim
After Tawaf, pray two short rak'ahs, ideally behind the Station of Ibrahim, or anywhere else in the mosque if it is too crowded.
- Move away from the Tawaf lanes so you do not block other pilgrims.
- Find space behind Maqam Ibrahim if possible; otherwise pray anywhere in the mosque.
- Pray two short rak'ahs.
- It is reported the Prophet recited Surah al-Kafirun in the first rak'ah and Surah al-Ikhlas in the second; recite whatever you know well if you do not have these memorized.
- Make a brief du'a afterward before moving on to Sa'i.
Common mistakes
- Trying to pray directly behind the crowded Maqam Ibrahim enclosure and blocking the Tawaf path.
- Skipping this prayer entirely when it is easy to pray it elsewhere in the mosque.
Differences between schools
This prayer is a strongly recommended sunnah, not an obligatory pillar; praying it anywhere else in the mosque still fulfils it if the area is too crowded.
7. Drink Zamzam water
Zamzam is freely available throughout the mosque; pilgrims traditionally drink it while facing the Qiblah and making sincere du'a.
- Find a Zamzam water station or cooler.
- Face the Qiblah if convenient.
- Make du'a for whatever you sincerely wish before or while drinking.
- Drink to your fill without wasting water.
- Say 'Alhamdulillah' afterward.
Common mistakes
- Wasting water or overfilling bottles when others are waiting.
- Forgetting to make sincere du'a in the moment.
8. Perform Sa'i, seven circuits between Safa and Marwah
Sa'i is walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, recalling Hajar's search for water for her son Ismail.
- Approach Safa and recite 'Inna as-Safa wal-Marwata...'.
- Ascend Safa, face the Kaaba, and recite the dhikr three times, making personal du'a between each repetition.
- Walk to Marwah, this is your first circuit.
- Men jog lightly between the two green markers only; women walk throughout at a normal pace.
- At Marwah, face the Kaaba if possible and repeat the same dhikr and du'a.
- Continue back and forth, completing seven circuits in total, ending at Marwah.
- Make sincere personal du'a throughout, there is no obligatory fixed script for the walk itself.
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Common mistakes
- Losing count, remember Sa'i ends at Marwah on the 7th (odd-numbered) circuit, not Safa.
- Men jogging outside the marked green-light section and disturbing others.
- Treating Sa'i as less important than Tawaf, it is a pillar of Umrah.
- Rushing through without any du'a, treating it only as a physical walk.
For women
Women walk at a normal pace the entire distance and do not jog between the markers. A woman who is menstruating may still perform Sa'i, since it does not require the same state of purity as Tawaf, though views differ slightly by school, so confirm with your scholar if this affects your itinerary.
Differences between schools
The light jog between the green markers is a sunnah for able-bodied men; the majority of scholars agree Sa'i remains valid without it.
9. Halq or taqsir, cut your hair
Cutting the hair is the final act of Umrah; men may shave completely or trim, women trim only a small amount.
- Men: choose either halq (shaving the head completely) or taqsir (trimming the hair evenly all over); halq carries greater reward.
- Women: gather your hair and trim about a fingertip's length from the ends; do not shave.
- Use a licensed barber near the Marwah exit for convenience, or one at your hotel.
- Trim evenly across the whole head, not just one lock, for taqsir to count properly.
- Dispose of the cut hair respectfully.
Common mistakes
- Men cutting only a small symbolic snip instead of trimming the whole head evenly.
- Women cutting more than a small trim, or shaving.
- Doing this before completing all seven Sa'i circuits.
For women
Women trim only a small amount, roughly a fingertip's length, from the ends of the hair, gathered together; women do not shave.
Differences between schools
Most scholars hold that men should trim evenly across the whole head for taqsir; a single snip is discouraged, though some permit it as a bare minimum. Ask your group's scholar if in doubt.
10. Umrah complete, ihram restrictions end
Once your hair is cut, every restriction of ihram is lifted and your Umrah is complete.
- Change back into your everyday clothes.
- Reapply perfume if you wish, this is now permitted again.
- Take a moment to make du'a of gratitude.
- Rest. You can perform Umrah again for a family member later in your trip by returning to a miqat point to re-enter ihram, if you wish.
Common mistakes
- Assuming ihram restrictions are still in effect after the hair-cutting.
- Forgetting to change out of the ihram cloths before eating in busy hotel areas.
11. After your Umrah
Use the remaining days for worship in the Haram, and treat any visit to Madinah as a cherished, separate act of devotion.
- Spend time praying in Masjid al-Haram, reading Qur'an, and making du'a.
- If travelling to Madinah, remember that visiting the Prophet's Mosque is not part of Umrah itself, but is highly recommended.
- In Madinah, send salutations upon the Prophet and pray in the mosque; book a Rawdah visit permit through the official Nusuk platform if you plan to enter it.
- Keep the same calm, respectful manners in Madinah that you practised during Umrah.
- Visit other historic sites in Madinah (such as Quba or Uhud) with your group if time allows, with sincere intentions rather than as sightseeing.
- Reflect on the journey, and try to sustain the good habits you built, regular prayer, patience, remembrance of God, after you return home.
Common mistakes
- Treating ziyarah sites in Madinah as tourist stops rather than places for quiet worship and reflection.
- Trying to touch or wipe the grille around the Prophet's chamber, which is discouraged.
- Not booking a Rawdah permit in advance if you specifically want to pray there.
Differences between schools
Scholars agree that visiting the Prophet's Mosque and Madinah is highly recommended (mustahabb), but it is not one of the obligatory rites of Hajj or Umrah.