Umrah — The Lesser Pilgrimage

Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca. Unlike Hajj, Umrah can be performed at any time of the year and does not include the rites of Arafat, Muzdalifah, or Mina. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Umrah to Umrah is an expiation for the sins between them" (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim). Whether Umrah is obligatory (like Hajj) or a recommended sunnah is debated: the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools consider it obligatory once in a lifetime, while the Hanafi and Maliki schools consider it a strongly recommended sunnah.

Entering Ihram

The pilgrim enters the state of ihram at the designated miqat (boundary point) for their direction of travel. Men wear two unstitched white garments (izar and rida), and women wear their normal modest clothing. Both make the intention for Umrah and begin reciting the Talbiyah: "Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa al-ni'mata laka wa al-mulk, la sharika lak" (Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Indeed all praise, grace, and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner). The restrictions of ihram then apply: no cutting hair or nails, no perfume, no hunting, no marital relations, and no marriage contracts.

Tawaf (Circumambulation)

Upon arriving at the Sacred Mosque, the pilgrim performs Tawaf by circling the Kaaba seven times in a counterclockwise direction, starting from the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad). It is sunnah to kiss or touch the Black Stone if possible without harming others; otherwise, one points to it and says "Allahu Akbar." During Tawaf, the pilgrim makes dua and dhikr. For men performing Tawaf upon arrival, two sunnahs apply: idtiba (exposing the right shoulder) and raml (walking briskly) during the first three circuits. After completing seven circuits, the pilgrim prays two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim if possible.

Sa'i (Walking Between Safa and Marwah)

After Tawaf, the pilgrim walks between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, beginning at Safa and ending at Marwah. This rite commemorates Hajar's desperate search for water for her infant son Ismail, when she ran between the two hills until Allah caused the well of Zamzam to spring forth. At Safa, the pilgrim faces the Kaaba and makes dua. Between the two green markers, men jog lightly. The Quran says: "Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah" (Quran 2:158).

Completion

After Sa'i, the pilgrim exits the state of ihram by shaving the head (halq, preferred for men) or trimming the hair (taqsir). Women trim a small portion of their hair (roughly a fingertip's length). With this, the Umrah is complete and all restrictions of ihram are lifted. The entire process can be completed in a few hours, though taking one's time to make dua and worship at each stage is recommended. The Prophet (peace be upon him) performed Umrah four times in his lifetime and encouraged his ummah to do so regularly as a means of purifying the soul and earning Allah's forgiveness.