Umrah is a sunnah which is extremely rewarding and close to Muslims’ hearts. This is the cause that attracts Muslims from all over the world towards the holy city of Makkah. In today’s world, the Economy Umrah Packages have made the pilgrimage affordable and easy for Muslims. If you are also planning to embark on this revered pilgrimage, keep reading till the end to know about performing Umrah according to Sunnah.
Entering the State of Ihram
Achieving purity means completing half of one’s faith. Entering the state of Ihram ensures that the pilgrim has entered the state of purity and is dedicated to performing Umrah. It starts with doing ghusl and trimming one’s nails. Also, you need to get rid of any extra hair on your body, which is a hurdle to purifying your body.
There are different rules for men and women to achieve the state of Ihram. For example, men need to wear two white unstitched pieces of clothing. On the other hand, women can wear any modest clothing that covers their bodies properly, along with their heads. However, they are not bound to cover their face and hands.
Another thing to remember is that you must wear ihram before crossing the Miqaat point. For this purpose, you need to be all ears to the flight announcements to avoid missing any update.
Salah al-Ihram and Intention Prayer
Our Prophet SAW used to pray two rak’ahs nafal before achieving the state of Ihram. So, you should do wudu (ablution) and pray these two rakahs either at the airport before flying or on the plane before you wear your Ihram. It is recommended to pray Surah al-Kafirun in the first rakah and Surah al-Ikhlas in the second one. However, you can also pray other surahs as well.
Now let’s move towards the Umrah intention. Niyyah or intention is of utmost importance and must be done at the point of Miqaat. Remember the following dua and recite it by making a pure Umrah intention:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ عُمْرَةً
Labbayk Allahumma bi-Umrah
Here I am, O Allah, making Umrah
Reciting Talbiyah
The next point is Talbiyah that you should recite after accomplishing the state of Ihram. Try to recite the following continuously till you finally start the ritual of Tawaaf:
لَبَّيْكَ اللهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ – لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ – إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ – لَا شَرِيْكَ لَكَ
Labbayka llāhumma labbayk(a), labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk(a), inna l-ḥamda wa n-ni’mata, laka wa l-mulk(a), lā sharīka lak.
At Your service, Allah, at Your service. At Your service, You have no partner, at Your service. Truly, all praise, favour and sovereignty are Yours. You have no partner.
Duas to Recite While Entering Masjid al-Haram
Before starting tawaf and at the point of entering the holy mosque, you should recite the following dua:
اَللَّهُمَّ هَذَا حَرَمُكَ وَأَمْنُكَ فَحَرِّمْنِي عَلَى النَّارِ، وَأَمِنِّي مِنْ عَذَابِكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَوْلِيَائِكَ وَأَهْلِ طَاعَتِكَ
Allāhumma hādhā ḥaramuka wa amnuka fa ḥarrimnī ‘ala-n-Nār, wa amminnī min ‘adhābika yawma tab’athu ‘ibādak, wa j‘alnī min awliyā’ika wa ahli ṭā’atik
O Allah, this is Your sanctuary and security, so make me unlawful to Hell-Fire, make me safe from Your punishment on the day You resurrect Your servants, and make me one of Your friends and one of the people who obey You.
Also, prefer to enter Masjid al-Haram through the gate named “Baab Bani Shaibah”. It is also recommended to step inside with your right foot. Do not forget to make a wish when you witness the holy Kaaba for the first time, as this is a peak time for dua acceptance.
Tawaaf
Tawaaf is one of the most prominent rituals of Umrah and involves circumambulating the holy Kaaba seven times. Before starting the first round, make sure that you are in a state of wudu. Start the process after making an intention with a true heart. If you can touch and kiss the black stone or Hajr al-Aswad, it is strongly preferred to do so before starting each round of the tawaf while reciting Allahu Akbar. This step is known as Istilam and can also be done when you cannot physically touch the black stone.
An important thing here is to remember that men should preferably perform Raml in the first three rounds of Tawaf. However, this has nothing to do with female pilgrims. When you pass the Yemeni corner during tawaaf, recite the following dua before reaching the corner of the Hajr al-Aswad:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanā ātinā fi d-dunyā ḥasanatan wafi l-ākhirati ḥasanatan wa qinā ‘adhāba n-nār
O our Lord, grant us the good of this world, the good of the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the fire.
Sa’i
Sa’i is another important ritual that requires you to walk seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa. Representatives of many economy Umrah packages provide a detailed step-by-step guide on performing Umrah rituals. Thus, you can always ask them for guidance at any point in your pilgrimage.
It is sunnah to recite the following dua after reaching the point of Safa:
ِإِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ
Inna ṣ-ṣafā wa l-marwata min sha’ā’iri llāh(i).
Indeed, Safa and Marwa are from the Signs of Allah.
Men should walk briskly between the green-lighted points, while women pilgrims should walk at a normal pace. This step commemorates Hajar’s struggle to search for water for her son Ismail AS. Remember to finish the seventh step at the site of Marwa.
Cutting of Hair
Pilgrims must perform halq or taqsir to get out of the state of Ihram. Halq refers to shaving the entire head, while taqsir means trimming one’s hair to the length of a fingertip. Men are allowed to choose any of these two steps (halq is preferred as a sunnah). On the other hand, women are bound to trim their hair by an inch to complete the step of taqsir.
Final Note
Umrah is a highly rewarding sunnah that Muslims can perform any time of the year. One must carefully prepare to fulfil all the Umrah rituals, regardless of whether they are choosing the economy Umrah packages or any other travel deal. Choose Muslims Holy Travel to experience a hassle-free and well-guided Umrah itinerary.
