Umrah is a sacred pilgrimage to the city of Makkah in Saudia Arabia. Muslims from all around the world visit Makkah in order to perform Umrah as an act of worship. Umrah, unlike Hajj is a non-obligatory act of worship that the Muslims can perform throughout the year.
Umrah holds a great spiritual value when performed to please Allah Almighty. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss Urmah step-by-step, so that when you visit Makkah you are well aware of all the rituals and you can perform them accurately for a spiritually enriching experience.
How to perfrom Umrah?
Performing Umrah is not a very difficult task however; it requires your pure intention which is supposed to be specifically for Allah. Almighty.
Below are the steps that are followed in sequence to perform Umrah:
Ihram:
It is the intention or the Niyyah that you make for Umrah. Miqat is a boundary from where it is obligatory for you enter the state of Ihram. Ihram is a state when men wear two white pieces of unstitched clothing and there is no specific garment for women.
In short, it is a state of purity and devotion and you put aside your worldly distractions and focus on your connection with Allah (SWT).
In possible, you can pray two rakahs nafil on entering the state of Ihram.
Moreover, you must recite Talbiyah repeatedly during the journey.
Tawaf:
When discussing Umrah rituals guide, the next most important ritual is the Tawaf.
Tawaf is encircling Holy Kabah seven times anticlockwise starting from the Black stone. Men should walk fast in the first 3 rounds.
After Tawaf, it is recommended to pray two rakahs at Maqam e Ibrahim.
Sai:
The next important ritual is Sai. It is an act of worship that is reaancted Hajar’s (Prophet Ibrahim’s wife) search of water for her son, Ismail. So, after Tawaf you have to go to Mount Safa and while facing the Kaabah, you must make dua. After that, you walk between the Mounts Safa and Marwah seven times, starting from Safa. Sai procedure is not very difficult as it starts from Mount Safa and ends at Mount Marwah. Your walk between Safa to Marwah will be counted as one and from Marwah to Safa as two and in the same way you will continue until you complete seven walks.
Tahallul:
After Sai, it is obligatory that men shave their heads and women trim a short portion of their hair. This act marks the end of Umrah and you exit Ihram. Exiting Ihram is known as Tahallul. Therefore, Tahallul meaning in Arabic is coming out of the state of Ihram.
What are the Ihram rules?
When the pilgrim enters the state of Ihram, he must follow a few rules, which are as follows:
Rules for clothing
Men:
- Must wear two unstitched white piece of clothing
- No stitched clothing should be on the body like socks
- Men are not allowed to cover their heads
Women:
- Women must wear modest clothing, there are no hard and fast rules for this.
- The face and hands must be uncovered
- Women are allowed to wear socks during Ihram
- Prohibited acts during Ihram:
- In the state of Ihram, you are not allowed to do the following:
- Trimming nails or cutting hair
- Using any scented product or perfume
- Sexaul activities
- Hunting and killing of animals
- Fighting ans using nad language
- Covering face for women and covering head is not allowed for men.
Therefore, it is important to follow the Ihram rules and in case of violation of any of the Ihram rules it results in penalty known as the “kaffarah” in Arabic.
The penalty is determined according to the violation of the Ihram rules by Islamic scholars in the light of Quranic teachings and Hadith.
What are the Tawaf steps?
Tawaf is encircling Holy Kabah seven times anticlockwise. Below are the steps:
- Facing Hajare Aswad and saying Bismillah Allahu Akbar.
- Walking anticlockwise starting from the Black stone. Keep in mind that during Tawaf, Kabah will be on your left side.
- Say duas, dikhr during Tawaf and avoid worldly discussions.
- Your one round will be completed from where you have started, that is the Black stone. You can start your second round by saying the Takbeer again.
- After the completion of the 7 rounds, it is optional to pray 2 rakahs near Maqame Ibrahim.
- Drink Zamzam and make dua.
Umrah is a spiritual journey and you must perform it with great intent. It is a spiritual journey that will bring you closer to Allah so must stay calm and focused during the pilgrimage. From the moment you enter the state of Ihram until the final act of Tahallul, every step is filled with meaning and reward. Therefore, stay calm, focused and follow the Sunnah so that your sacred journey purifies your soul, helps you seek forgiveness, strengthens your bond with Allah Almighty and you return home spiritually uplifted. If you want guidance in every step of Umrah then it is recommended that you book a package like 28 days Umrah package with a reputable Umrah guided tour service provider.