If you are going for Umrah travel and want to perform its rituals correctly, then seek this practical guide. Here, we will look at every step of Umrah deeply and how to perform them correctly. Consider it a mistake-free Umrah guide where you will learn the complete procedure of Umrah’s four main rituals.
Every human makes mistakes, and that’s part of their nature. Similarly, many Umrah pilgrims make some common mistakes while performing its steps. These errors will not only weaken your worship and devotion but also make you mentally stressed. So, make sure no confusing or incorrect information affects your Umrah later on.
A correct Umrah guide is usually divided into three steps. Firstly, you should be given a step-by-step method of every action of Umrah in easy and simple ways. Secondly, you must be aware of common mistakes that pilgrims make, and you have to avoid them. Third, and most important, you must follow the best way of performing Umrah. The best way is according to the teachings of Islam and also the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the best and the accepted one.
This mistake-proof guide of “How to perform Umrah correctly” will prevent you from making further errors during worship. Let’s see in more detail!
Do Preparations before Travelling to Umrah
Undoubtedly, to start the Umrah travel, you must learn its rituals, but pre-travel arrangements are also important. What if you don’t book your flight to Saudi Arabia on time? How will you reach there? To tackle this early problem, recommended to book your all-inclusive Umrah package from a reliable travel agency. They will arrange all the required services for Umrah, such as flight tickets, accommodations in Makkah and Madinah, Ziyarats tours, and ground transport.
Apart from travel arrangements, making intention, physical cleanliness, preparing for Umrah, learning Duas & Talbiyah, and spiritual preparation are also musts to learn. Intention is the promise of your heart and mind that you are going to conduct the pilgrimage only for the sake of Allah SWT. Think from your mind: “I am coming to Your House for Umrah.”
Take your Ihram dress in your baggage and wear it before entering Makkah. Most men make mistakes here; they take stitched Ihram clothes, which is against Islamic law. Also, do not use perfume or any fragrance when in the Ihram state. Conversely, Ihram for women is an Abaya. You can buy Ihram in Madinah or Jeddah when you first land there, but don’t buy inside the premises of Makkah until you perform Umrah.
Before wearing the Ihram, do physical cleanliness. Islam also emphasises purity before any worship. You can take a full bath, clean your face & teeth, trim your nails, remove unwanted hair, and wear clean clothes. These cleanliness acts help in focusing on spirituality. Additionally, do mental and spiritual preparation as well. Plan to avoid distractions like a mobile phone or sightseeing. Prepare for crowds and waiting times. Carry lightweight baggage with yourself as it’s your spiritual or non-secular journey.
The proper guidance for performing Umrah also includes getting support from an experienced Umrah agent. This type of assistance helps first-time travellers understand the rules clearly and know exactly what to do and what to avoid before and after entering the state of Ihram.
Tawaf around the Holy Kaaba – The Second Step of Umrah
Pilgrimage actually starts from the Tawaf of the Holy Kaaba. Tawaf is the circumambulation of the Kaaba and a means of praising Allah SWT. Tawaf is also a Sunnah act and a mandatory ritual of both lesser and major pilgrimage. You must do circumambulation of the Kaaba during Umrah seven times, which means seven rounds. Tawaf starts and ends on the Hajar-e-Asward (Black Stone) corner of the Holy Kaaba.
When you enter Masjid al-Haram for performing Tawaf, try to join with your right foot and say Dua. Make an intention in your heart that you will do circumambulation for Umrah because there are also other types of Tawaf, such as farewell, al-Ifadah, al-Umrah, and voluntary Tawaf. However, during circumambulation, if you can touch or kiss the Black Stone, then do that because it’s again a Sunnah.
Tawaf is always performed in an anticlockwise direction while keeping the Kaaba on the pilgrim’s left. During the first three rounds of the Tawaf, following Ramal (fast walking) is Sunnah. Women should walk at a normal pace. After the seventh round, offer two Raka’at Nafal prayers at the Maqam-e-Ibrahim.
According to many Islamic sources, offering Duas and supplications is more recommended during Tawaf. You can also recite Quranic verses and Tasbeeh. Avoid these mistakes while doing Tawaf al-Umrah:
- Avoid talking unnecessarily with others
- Do not perform Tawaf in the wrong direction. This will make your Umrah invalid.
- Do circumambulation in the condition of ablution.
- Try to perform in non-peak hours when crowds are less
- Do not get into fights or arguments
- Try to avoid disturbing the Tawaf of yourself and others, for just taking pictures or capturing short clips
Sa’ee – The Third Step of Umrah
Sa’ee is the third step of the lesser pilgrimage. This is performed after the circumambulation of the Kaaba. You will perform Sa’ee between the two sacred hills, which are located inside the Grand Mosque of Makkah. These hills are Safa and Marwah. Sa’ee is an integral part of Umrah that you must have to perform.
Many pilgrims do not know where to start the Sa’ee. Keep in mind that Sa’ee only starts from Safa and ends on Marwah hill. At the starting point, stand on Safa and see the Kaaba while offering Duas. There will be symbols like green lights to follow where to walk. Men should walk fast on those symbols, and women should be at a normal speed.
Walking between Safa and Marwah is again the seven times. One walk will be considered from Safa to Marwah, and following that, complete the seven laps. Be patience because there may be more crowds. Pilgrims also encounter mistakes while in Sa’ee, such as walking for more than seven laps, ignoring gender-specific pace, forgetting Duas, and losing patience due to crowds.
The main purpose of Sa’ee is to remember the efforts of the wife (Hajirah AS) of Prophet Ibrahim (AS). Actually, Sa’ee is only a remembrance of her when she was running in search of water, and Allah SWT helped her with His blessings. So, while performing this ritual, believe in Allah SWT and show attention.
Halq or Taqsir – The Last Step of Umrah
The last ritual of Umrah is the Halq or Taqsir, also known as Qasr. This step includes shaving or cutting the hair on the head. Halq and Taqsir are mandatory for every pilgrim to complete Umrah and take off the Ihram attire. Halq is only for men, purely shaving the head to follow the Sunnah. All the head hair should be completely shaved, including the neck and both sides.
Taqsir is for women to shorten their hair by about a fingertip. Women can do so at a modest place, but not in public. Females should avoid cutting hair more than allowed. If a man doesn’t perform Halq, then Taqsir is also valid for him. Do not perform this ritual under stress or hurry. Men should do this at the barber shop, which is a safer option and available within the premises of the Grand Mosque. Halq and Taqsir will show your humility and submission to Allah SWT.
In conclusion, this mistake-proof guide of Umrah will help you a lot to do each step exactly and correctly. So by following it, you can perform a pilgrimage with almost zero mistakes. May Allah SWT accept your Umrah!
