Umrah

(Labbayka Allahumma Umrah)

A sentence that all Muslims from all over the world have always wished to say. About its virtues, the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, said:

The Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, performed Umrah four times in his life, and performed one Hajj. Umrah means to visit the Kaaba, perform tawaf, and perform Sa’y between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah. Umrah can be performed at any time of the year.

Pillars

Ihram

Tawaf

Sa’y [going back and forth between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah]

Ihram for Umrah or Hajj begins from one of the miqats or when aligning with them on the plane. Miqats are the places specified by the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, for those who want to assume Ihram to perform Umrah or Hajj.

Miqat

Dhul Hulayfah

It is the Miqat for the people of Medina and aliens who come to it. It is about 18 km away from Medina, and about 420 km from Makkah al-Mukarramah.

Al-Juhfah

It is the Miqat for the people of the Levant, Egypt, Sudan, and all countries of the Arab Maghreb. It is about 186 km away from Makkah al-Mukarramah.

Qarn al-Manazil

It is the Miqat for the people of Najd, the Arab Gulf states, and other countries beyond them. It is approximately 74 km away from Makkah Al-Mukarramah.

Yalamlam

It is the Miqat for the people of Yemen and everyone who passes by that road. It was given this name in reference to Yalamlam Mount. It is about 130 km away from Makkah al-Mukarramah.

Thatu Irq

It is the Miqat for the people of Iraq and other countries beyond it. It is about 110 km away from Makkah Al-Mukarramah

Miqat for the people of Makkah

The people of Makkah assume Ihram [ritual consecration] from their homes or the Holy Mosque of Makkah if they wish

  • Wash and put on perfumes.
  • A man wears Ihram clothes and a woman wears her normal clothes.
  • Enter into rituals and recite Talbiyah, saying: “اللهم لبيك عمرة” أو “لبيك عمرة”
  • Pilgrims begin Talbiyah as reported from the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him “Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, Labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, Innal hamda wan-ni‘amata laka wal mulk, laa shareeka laka” [In response to Your call, O Allah, here I come. In response to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders, You have no partner. In response to Your call. All the praises and blessings belong to You, all the sovereignty belongs to You, and You have no partners with You]. They continue Talbiyah until they reach the Kaaba.
  • It is recommended for men to observe Idhtibaa’ in all rounds of Tawaaf Al-Qudoom, which means: Uncovering the right shoulder to under the pit of the right arm, then placing the garment over the left shoulder.
  • A pilgrim performs tawaf by placing the Kaaba on his left and starting seven circumambulations of the Black Stone.
  • The Sunnah for men is to walk quickly in the first three rounds of tawaf.
  • It was reported that the Prophet, may peace and prayers be upon him, used to say between Yemani Corner and the Black Stone
  • Pray two rak‘ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim (the inscription of Ibrahim’s foot), if possible, or in any place inside the Holy Mosque of Makkah, and recite Surat Al-Kafiroon after Surah Al-Fatihah in the first rak‘ah and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second rak‘ah.
  • Sa’y between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, beginning from Safa, and recite the verse stating: (إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا ۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ) (158 سورة البقرة) Then, a pilgrim goes to Mount Marwah and does as he/she did at Mount Safa. The pilgrim repeats this seven times (going is deemed a round and coming back is deemed a round).
  • Jogging is Sunnah for men between the two green signs during Sa’y between Safa and Marwah.
  • Upon the completion of Umrah, men should cut or shorten hair, while women should shorten hair by a finger-tip’s length from the end
  • It is important to prepare and plan for Umrah.
  • In the event that a mu’tamir adheres to a treatment plan that requires certain medicines, please prepare and keep them in a way that does not affect their validity and quality
  • Prepare a kit of medical supplies that help you to be fully prepared in case of any emergency, such as a cold, diarrhea, and skin allergy. Please learn about the medicines authorized by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority Click here
  • The temperature in Makkah Al-Mukarramah varies, which may require the use of an umbrella for protection from the sun.
  • Bring copies of important documents that you may need during the journey, such as: Passport…etc.
  • You can learn about the baggage allowed to be brought from your country to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the following link: Click here
  • You can come to Makkah through an integrated transportation system, by land and air:
    • Land Transport: Al-Haramain Express Train and pilgrim transportation buses.
    • Air Transport: Through King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina, and Taif International Airport.
  • For your safety, you must wear a mask.
  • Avoid any rushing and any harm to mu’tamirs and abide by instructions inside the Holy Mosque of Makkah.
  • If you travel with a group, it is advisable to accompany this group from the beginning to the end of the journey