Concise Description of
English
Umrah
and Its Rulings
The Scientific Committee under the
Presidency of Religious Affairs at the
Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque
Concise Description of
‘Umrah
and Its Rulings
The Scientific Committee under the
Presidency of Religious Affairs at the
Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's
Mosque
Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
Concise Description of ‘Umrah and Its
Rulings
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and
may Allah's peace and blessings upon our
Prophet Muhammad and all his family and
Companions.
To proceed:
This is a brief treatise on the description of
‘Umrah, its rulings, and etiquettes, in which we
have endeavored to clarify most of what the
performer of ‘Umrah needs.
We ask Allah to make it pure for His noble
Countenance and benefit all Muslims with it.
The
Scientific
Committee under the
Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Sacred
Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque.
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
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Introduction
First: Conditions for the acceptance of worship
Allah Almighty does not accept acts of
worship except with two conditions:
Sincerity, which means that it should be done
purely for the sake of Allah and the Hereafter, as
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ َو َم ا َأ َم َر َ او َإ َلّ َل َع َب َد َ او َللا َم َل َص َي َل َلا َني َح َن َف َءا ... ﴾ 1
{although they were commanded only to
worship Allah with sincere devotion to Him,
being inclined to the true faith.} [Surat al
Bayyinah: 5].
And the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Verily, the reward
of deeds depends upon the intentions, and
indeed each one will be rewarded according to
his intention." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (1) and
Muslim (1907)].
Following the Prophet (ﷺ) in words and
actions; the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever
introduces something into this matter of ours
1 i.e., turning towards Him and His worship, while turning away
from everything else. Tafsīr As-Sa'di (p. 538).
Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
(Islam) that is not part of it will have it rejected."
[Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (2697) and Muslim (1718)]
In a version by Muslim (1718): "Whoever does
something that is not in accordance with this
matter of ours (Islam), it will be rejected."
Second: The Ruling on Learning the Manner and
Rulings of ‘Umrah
Whoever wishes to worship Allah Almighty
must learn the guidance of the Prophet (ﷺ) in it,
so that his actions align with the Sunnah. The
Prophet (ﷺ) used to urge people to follow him and
be guided by his example. Mālik ibn al-Huwayrith
(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Pray as you have
seen me pray." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (6008)]
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I
saw the Prophet (ﷺ) throwing pebbles while
riding his mount on the Day of Nahr, and he was
saying: "Learn your rituals, for I do not know
whether I will be performing Hajj after this Hajj
of mine." [Narrated by Muslim (1297)].
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
Third: The Merit of ‘Umrah
There are two virtues of ‘Umrah: general and
specific.
The general virtue:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with
him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"‘Umrah expiates for the sins committed
between it and the next ‘Umrah, and the
accepted Hajj has no reward but Paradise."
[Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (1773) and Muslim (1349)].
‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased
with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
said: "Alternate between Hajj and ‘Umrah, for
they eliminate poverty and sins just as the
bellows1 remove impurities from iron, gold, and
silver. And there is no reward for an accepted
Hajj except Paradise." [Narrated by At-Tirmidhi
(810) and An-Nasā’i (2631)].
The specific virtue during Ramadan: Ibn
‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "‘Umrah in Ramadan is
equivalent to Hajj with me2." [Narrated by Al
Bukhāri (1863) and Muslim (1256)].
1The Place of the Blacksmith's and Goldsmith's Fire. At
Tamhīd by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (15/102).
2i.e., it is equivalent to performing Hajj with me, as mentioned
in another version.
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
How to Make ‘Umrah
First: The Rulings of the Miqāts
The Miqāts are the places designated by the
Prophet (ﷺ) for assuming Ihrām (ritual state of
consecration) by those intending to perform Hajj
or ‘Umrah.
Whoever passes by any of them intending to
perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, it is incumbent upon him
to assume Ihrām therefrom, and it is not
permissible for him to cross it without assuming
Ihrām.
People who are closer to Makkah than these
Miqāts, their Miqāt is their location; they should
assume Ihrām from there for Hajj and ‘Umrah.
As for the people of Makkah and those who
intend to assume Ihrām from there: they assume
Ihrām for Hajj from Makkah. As for ‘Umrah, they
go outside the Sacred Precincts and assume
Ihrām from there, such as At-Tan‘īm and similar
places.
If one is traveling by air, he should assume
Ihrām when he comes in alignment with the
Miqāt. He should get prepared and put on the
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
clothing of Ihrām before coming in alignment
with it. Upon reaching the Miqāt, he should
immediately intend Ihrām. It is not permissible to
delay it until landing at the airport. He may take
precautions by making Talbiyah before reaching
the Miqāt, fearing the swift passage of the plane.
Second: Manner and Rulings of Ihrām
It is prescribed for one intending to assume
Ihrām to do the following:
Taking a bath, which is a confirmed Sunnah
for both men and women, even those in
menstruation or postpartum period.
Applying the best perfume one can find, such
as ‘Oud perfume or others, to his hair and beard. It
does not harm if that remains after assuming
Ihrām. As for a woman, it is not permissible for her
to apply perfume that has fragrance so that non
Mahram (foreign) men do not smell it.
Wearing the Ihrām clothing, which is an
upper and lower sheet. It is Sunnah that they are
white and clean or new. A woman assumes Ihrām
in whatever clothing she wishes, provided she
does not display adornment. However, she must
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
avoid wearing the Niqāb (face veil) and gloves,
and she may cover her face and hands with other
than these.
Assuming Ihrām following a prescribed
prayer, whether obligatory or supererogatory, is
not mandatory.
He says: "Labbayka Allahumma ‘Umrah" (I
respond to Your call, O Allah, performing ‘Umrah).
If he is performing ‘Umrah on behalf of another,
he says: "Labbayka Allahumma ‘Umrah on
behalf of so-and-so".
If one who intends to assume Ihrām fears that
something may hinder him from completing the
rituals, it is recommended for him to make a
condition upon Ihrām, saying: "Labbayka
Allahumma ‘Umrah, and if something prevents
me, then my place of release is where You have
detained me." If he makes this condition and
something occurs that prevents him from
completing his rituals, he may exit Ihrām without
anything due to him.
Then, one should frequently recite the
Talbiyah:
"Labbayka Allahumma labbayk;
labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk; inna al-hamda
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
wa an-ni‘mata laka wa al-mulk, lā sharīka lak"1
(I respond to Your call, O Allah, I do respond; I
respond to Your call, and You have no partner.
Verily, the praise, blessing, and sovereignty belong
to You; You have no partner). A man should raise
his voice with it, and likewise a woman, as long as
she is not in the presence of non-Mahram men. A
Muhrim (a person in a state of Ihrām) should
recite Talbiyah often, especially when he changes
from one state to another, and from a time to
another, such as when ascending a high place or
1The meaning of a person's saying "Labbayk": i.e., A response to
You, O Lord, time and again, signifying the person's response to
his Lord and his steadfastness in obedience to Him. "Verily,
praise, blessing, and sovereignty belong to You." Praise is the
description of the praised one with perfection, accompanied by
love
and
veneration;
when repeated, it becomes
commendation. Blessing is what Allah bestows upon His
servants, granting them what is desired and averting what is
disliked. His saying "and sovereignty" means: sovereignty
belongs to You, for Allah Almighty is the Sole Owner. His saying
"You have no partner" means: No one shares with You what is
exclusive to Allah Almighty, of His perfect attributes, including
His uniqueness in sovereignty, creation, management, and
divinity. Summarized from Majmū‘ Fatāwa Wa Rasā’il Al
‘Uthaymīn (22/96).
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
descending to a low place, or when night or day
comes.
Talbiyah is prescribed in ‘Umrah, starting from
Ihrām
until
the
beginning of Tawāf
(circumambulation).
A Muhrim must be cautious of falling into any
of the prohibitions of Ihrām until he ends his
Ihrām.
Third: The Manner of Tawāf
When a Muhrim enters the Sacred Mosque, it
is a sunnah for him to enter with his right foot first
and say the supplication for entering the mosque.
Among the most authentic supplications
reported for this is to say: "Allahumma iftah li
abwāba rahmatik" (O Allah, open for me the
gates of Your mercy). This supplication is to be
said upon entering any mosque and is not specific
to the Sacred Mosque.
When he intends to commence Tawāf, he
ceases the Talbiyah and performs Idtibā‘. The
manner of Idtibā‘ is to place the middle of his robe
under his right armpit and its ends on his left
shoulder. Once Tawāf is completed, he restores
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
his garment to its former state before Tawāf, as
Idtibā‘ is only to be observed during Tawāf.
Then, he should proceed to the Black Stone,
touching it with his right hand and kissing it. If he
cannot kiss it, he should touch it with his hand and
kiss his hand. If he cannot touch it with his hand,
he should touch it with something he has, like a
stick, and kiss that touched the Stone. If this is not
possible, he may face the Stone and point to it
with his hand without kissing his hand. It is better
not to crowd with the people so as not to harm
them or be harmed by them.
He should say upon touching the Stone or
pointing at it: "Allāhu Akbar" (Allah is the
Greatest).
Then, he should turn rightwards, with the
Ka‘bah to his left, and when reaching the Yemeni
Corner, he should touch it, without kissing it. If this
is not easy, he should not push against the people,
nor should he point to it.
Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black
Stone, he says: "rabbanā ātinā fi ad-dunya
hasanatan wafi al-ākhirati hasanatan waqinā
adhāb an-nnār" {Our Lord, give us good in this
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us
from the punishment of the Fire.}
Each time he passes by the Black Stone, he
may point at it with his hand and say: "Allāhu
Akbar" (Allah is the Greatest).
During the rest of his Tawāf, he can say what
he wishes of Dhikr, supplication, or recitation of
the Qur’an.
The Sunnah is to perform Ramal only in the
first three rounds. Ramal is to walk briskly with
short steps. In the remaining four rounds, there is
no Ramal; one walks at a normal pace.
When he completes Tawāf, he proceeds
towards Maqām Ibrāhīm (the Station of Abraham)
and recites:
﴾
...
َلّصم
َميهاربإ
َماقم
َنم
َ
اوذتَّاو
...
﴿
{Take the Station of Abraham as a place for
prayer.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 125].
Then, he offers two Rak‘ahs behind it, if
possible; otherwise, he performs them anywhere
in the mosque, reciting in the first Rak‘ah after
Surat al-Fātihah:
﴾
َنورفكَلا
اهيأ
َ
اي
َلق
﴿
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
{Say: "O disbelievers."} [Surat al-Kāfirūn]
And in the second Rak‘ah, after Surat al
Fātihah, he recites:
﴾
َدحأ
َللّا
َوه
َلق
﴿
{Say: "He is Allah, the One."} [Surat al-Ikhlās]
Fourth: The Manner of Sa‘i
When he finishes Tawāf and its two Rak‘ahs,
he goes out to the place of Sa‘i. When he
approaches Safa, he recites:
﴾
...
َللا
َرئاعش
َنم
َةورملاو
افصلا
َنإ
﴿
{Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the
symbols of Allah.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 158]
Then, he says: "I begin with what Allah has
begun with."
Then, he ascends the Safa until he can see the
Ka‘bah or its direction; he faces it, proclaims the
oneness of Allah, and declares His greatness,
saying: "Lā ilāha illa Allah wahdahu lā sharīka
lahu, lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa
‘ala kulli shay’in qadīr. Lā ilāha illa Allah
wahdahu, anjaza wa‘dah, wa nasara ‘abdah, wa
hazama al-ahzāba wahdah" (There is no god but
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
Allah, alone, Who has no partner. To Him belongs
the dominion, to Him belongs all praise, and He
has power over all things. He fulfilled His promise,
gave victory to His servant, and defeated the
Confederates alone). He repeats this three times
and supplicates in between.
Then, he descends from Safa to Marwah,
walking. When he reaches the green sign, he jogs
vigorously. Upon reaching the second green sign,
he walks normally. Intense jogging is not
prescribed for women.
When he reaches Marwah, it is prescribed for
him to do what he did on Safa (see paragraph 2).
Then, he descends from Marwah to Safa,
walking. When he reaches the green sign, he runs
at a faster pace. Upon reaching the second green
sign, he walks normally.
Thus, he continues until he completes seven
rounds, counting his onward going from Safa to
Marwah as one round, and his return from
Marwah to Safa as another.
During Sa‘i, he can say what he wishes of
Dhikr, supplication, or recitation of the Qur’an.
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
Fifth: Manner of shaving or shortening the hair
When the ‘Umrah performer completes his
Tawāf and Sa‘i, he must shave or shorten his hair,
if he is a man, and the Sunnah is that the shaving
or shortening should encompass the entire head.
Shaving is better than shortening, except
when Hajj is so imminent that there is no time for
the hair to grow again; in such a case, it is better
to suffice with shortening.
Whereas a woman shortens the ends of her
hair by a fingertip length.
Prohibited Acts During Ihrām
Prohibited acts during Ihrām are:
Shaving the hair, cutting it, or plucking it from
any part of the body.
Clipping all or some of the nails from the feet
or hands.
Covering the head with something attached
to it, such as a cap, Ghutrah, and turban, or placing
a cloak on one's head, or using a handkerchief,
blanket, cardboard, or anything else intended for
covering. This is specific to men, and not women.
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
Wearing the usual form-fitting clothing in its
customary manner, such as tailored garments,
trousers, shirts, socks, and gloves. This is specific to
males and not females. Women are only
prohibited from:
Wearing the Niqāb, Burqu‘, or a face cover
similar to the Niqāb. However, she must cover her
face in the presence of non-Mahram men with the
customary face cover, even if the cover touches
her face. It is not prescribed for her to place a band
or a similar item on her head to prevent the cover
from touching her face, as there is no evidence
indicating the legitimacy of such an action.
Wearing gloves on her hands. Yet, she must
cover her hands in the presence of non-Mahram
men by placing them inside her cloak.
Applying perfume to the body or the Ihrām
clothing.
Killing or hunting game (wild animals), even if
not killed.
Proposing marriage, for oneself or for
someone else.
Contracting marriage.
Physical contact outside the vagina, such as
kissing and touching with desire.
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Concise Description of ‘Umrah .
Sexual intercourse, which is the penetration in
the vagina.
And Allah knows best, and may Allah’s peace
and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad.
Summary of the Acts of ‘Umrah
Taking a bath.
Applying perfume.
Wearing the Ihrām clothing.
Ihrām, which is the intention to start the
ritual.
Talbiyah.
Tawāf around the Ka‘bah.
Praying two Rak‘ahs behind the Station of
Abraham.
Performing Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah.
Shaving or shortening the hair.
Index
Introduction ........................................... ................ ........... . ...... . ...... 3
First: Conditions for the acceptance of worship .................... 3
Second: The Ruling on Learning the Manner and Rulings
of ‘Umrah ......................................................................................................... 4
Third: The Merit of ‘Umrah .................................................................... 5
How to Make ‘Umrah .............................................................................. 6
First: The Rulings of the Miqāts ........................................................ 6
Second: Manner and Rulings of Ihrām: ...................................... 7
Third: The Manner of Tawāf .............................................................. 10
Fourth: The Manner of Sa‘i .................................................................. 13
Fifth: Manner of shaving or shortening the hair: ................. 15
Prohibited Acts During Ihrām......................................................... 15
Summary of the Acts of ‘Umrah .................................................... 17
