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How to perform Umrah, step by step

A practical guide based on the Quran, the Sunnah and the rulings of recognised scholars, with a source for each ruling. Some details differ between the schools of Islamic law, so ask a trusted scholar when you need to.

Pillars of Umrah

  • Ihram (entering the sacred state with intention)
  • Tawaf
  • Sa‘i

Source: fatwas of Sheikh Ibn Baz

Obligations of Umrah

  • Entering ihram from the miqat
  • Shaving or shortening the hair

Prohibited in ihram

  • Removing hair, clipping nails, using perfume
  • Fitted (stitched) clothing and covering the head (men)
  • Hunting game, concluding a marriage, intercourse and foreplay

Source: Sheikh Ibn Baz, “The muhrim avoids nine prohibitions”

  1. Ihram at the miqatPreparation and intention

    It is recommended to bathe and clean yourself at the miqat. A man puts perfume on his body, not on the ihram garments. A man wears two sheets, a lower wrap (izar) and an upper sheet (rida), preferably white. A woman enters ihram in her ordinary clothes, without adornment.

    Then make the intention in your heart and say:

    لبيك عمرةLabbayka ‘umrah: “Here I am, O Allah, for Umrah.”

    If you fear something may prevent you (illness or otherwise), add the condition:

    فإن حبسني حابس فمحلي حيث حبستنيFa in habasani habis, fa mahilli haythu habastani: “If anything prevents me, my place of release is wherever You prevent me.”

    Source: Sheikh Ibn Baz, “The acts of Umrah”.

  2. TalbiyahUntil you reach the tawaf

    Recite the talbiyah and remember Allah often until you reach the Kaaba. Its words are:

    لبيك اللهم لبيك، لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك، إن الحمد والنعمة لك والملك، لا شريك لكLabbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa an-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. All praise, blessings and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.”

    Stop the talbiyah when you reach the Kaaba and begin the tawaf. Enter the mosque with your right foot, saying: “Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik” (O Allah, open the gates of Your mercy for me).

    Wording of the talbiyah: Sahih al-Bukhari (1549), Sahih Muslim (1184).

  3. TawafSeven circuits around the Kaaba
    • Start at the Black Stone. Touch and kiss it if you can without pushing; otherwise point to it and say “Allahu akbar”.
    • Keep the Kaaba on your left and walk seven circuits, in a state of ritual purity (wudu).
    • Men are recommended to uncover the right shoulder (idtiba‘) for the whole tawaf, and to walk briskly with short steps (raml) in the first three circuits.
    • Touch the Yemeni Corner if you can, without kissing it or pointing to it.
    • There is no set supplication for each circuit. Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone, say:
    ربنا آتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الآخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النارRabbana atina fi ad-dunya hasanah wa fi al-akhirati hasanah wa qina ‘adhab an-nar: “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”

    Source: Sheikh Ibn Baz; the verse is al-Baqarah 2:201.

  4. Two rak‘ahs after tawafBehind Maqam Ibrahim if possible

    Pray two rak‘ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim if possible, otherwise anywhere in the mosque. After al-Fatihah, recite Surah al-Kafirun in the first rak‘ah and Surah al-Ikhlas in the second. Then drink Zamzam water.

    Source: the hadith of Jabir on the Prophet's ﷺ Hajj, Sahih Muslim (1218).

  5. Sa‘i between Safa and MarwahSeven laps, starting at Safa

    Climb Safa or stand near it and recite:

    ﴿إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ﴾Inna as-Safa wa al-Marwata min sha‘a’iri Allah: “Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.”
    • Face the qiblah, praise Allah, say “Allahu akbar”, and supplicate with raised hands, three times.
    • Walk to Marwah. Men hasten between the two green markers; women do not.
    • Going is one lap and returning is another, so you finish at Marwah. Ritual purity is recommended but not required.

    Al-Baqarah 2:158; Sheikh Ibn Baz, “The acts of Umrah”.

  6. Shaving or shortening the hairThis completes the Umrah
    • A man shaves his head or shortens his hair. Shaving is better, unless Hajj is close, in which case shortening is better so he can shave during Hajj.
    • A woman gathers her hair and trims a fingertip's length or less.

    With this the Umrah is complete, and everything that ihram made forbidden becomes permissible again.

    Source: Sheikh Ibn Baz, “The acts of Umrah”.

For women

  • She enters ihram in her ordinary modest clothes, without adornment. She does not wear a niqab or gloves, and covers her face from non-mahram men by other means.
  • A woman who is menstruating or has postnatal bleeding enters ihram and does everything except tawaf until she is pure and has bathed.
  • She does not hasten between the two green markers during sa‘i.
  • She trims a fingertip's length or less from her hair.

The miqat stations

MiqatKnown today asFor people from
Dhul-HulayfahAbyar AliMadinah
Al-JuhfahRabighEgypt, the Levant, North Africa
Qarn al-ManazilAs-Sayl al-KabirNajd and Taif
YalamlamAs-Sa‘diyyahYemen
Dhat ‘IrqAd-DaribaIraq

Hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas on the miqat stations: Sahih al-Bukhari (1524), Sahih Muslim (1181). Air travellers enter ihram when the plane passes level with the miqat.

Pilgrim's packing checklist

  • Ihram garments (izar and rida)
  • Passport and visa
  • Umrah permit in the Nusuk app
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Umbrella and water bottle
  • Personal medicines
  • Power bank for your phone
  • Hotel booking, printed or on your phone

Before you travel

Book your Umrah permit and your Rawdah visit through the official Nusuk app.

Where to stay?

Hotels a few minutes from the Haram, so you can perform Umrah in comfort.

Hotels near the Haram

Sources

  1. The Holy Quran: al-Baqarah (158, 196, 197, 201, 203), Al ‘Imran (97)
  2. Sahih Muslim (1218): the hadith of Jabir on the Prophet's ﷺ Hajj
  3. Sahih al-Bukhari (1773) and Sahih Muslim (1349): the virtue of Umrah and an accepted Hajj
  4. Sheikh Abdulaziz Ibn Baz: The acts of Umrah (Arabic)
  5. Sheikh Ibn Baz: The pillars of Hajj and Umrah (Arabic)
  6. Sheikh Ibn Baz: The muhrim avoids nine prohibitions (Arabic)
  7. Sahih al-Bukhari (1549) and Sahih Muslim (1184): wording of the talbiyah
  8. Sahih al-Bukhari (1524) and Sahih Muslim (1181): the miqat stations

Last updated: 2026-10-21