It’s Sunnah to perform two Rakahs of Salah before entering into the state of Ihram. This can be performed after getting changed at the airport or in flight before crossing the A Miqat providing there are prayer facilities on-board. Observe the prayer with the intention of performing two Rakahs Nafl for Ihram. Since you’re not yet in the spiritual state of Ihram, the prayer may be observed with the head covered. It is recommended to recite Surah al-Kafirun (Surah 109) in the first Rakah and Surah al-Ikhlas (Surah 112) in the second, although other Surahs may be read. Don’t forget to make Dua after this Salah.
The Niyyah for Umrah should be made at the Miqat or close to it as you move in its
direction. Ideally, you should delay making the intention until the last moment so you
aren’t restricted by its prohibitions for longer than need be. It is recommended
(Mustahabb) that you make the intention verbally, as well as reiterating it internally.
Following are three examples of intentions that may be uttered in Arabic:
Labbayka llāhumma ‘umratan.
O Allah, here I am to perform Umrah.
Allāhumma innī urīdu l-‘umrata.
O Allah, I intend to perform Umrah.
llāhumma innī urīdu l-‘umrata fa yassirhā lī wa taqabbalhā minnī.
O Allah, I intend to perform Umrah, so accept it from me and make it
easy for me.
After making your Niyyah, you must recite the Talbiyah to validate your intention and enter into the state of Ihram. The
utterance of the Talbiyah is Wajib according to the Hanafi and Maliki schools of thought. The Shafi’i and Hanbali schools
consider it a Sunnah.
You must recite the Talbiyah at least once after making your intention for Umrah. Failure to do so will result in an invalid
Umrah!
The Sunnah method of reciting the Talbiyah is to briefly pause at four places, indicated by the dashes. The prayer is as
follows:
LABBAYKA L LĀ H UM M A LABBAYK(A) , LABBAYKA LĀ
S H ARĪKA LAKA LABBAYK(A) , INNA L - ḤAMD A WA N-
.N I ’ M ATA, LAKA WA L - M U LK(A) , LĀ S H ARĪKA LAK
AT YOU R S ERV ICE , AL LA H , AT YOU R S ERV ICE . AT YOU R
S ERV ICE , YOU H AV E NO PARTN ER, AT YOU R S ERV ICE .
TR U L Y AL L PRAI S E , FAVOU R A N D SOV ERE I GN T Y I S
. YOU RS . YOU H AV E NO PARTN ER
IT IS RECOMMENDED TO SEND SALAWAT ON THE PROPHET صلى الله عليه وسلم AFTER RECITING THE TALBIYAH
AND TO MAKE DUA FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS. CONTINUE RECITING THE TALBIYAH FOR THE
REST OF YOUR JOURNEY UNTIL YOU REACH ONE OF THE DOORS OF MASJID AL-HARAM PRIOR
TO PERFORMING TAWAF.
AS YOU REACH THE LIMITS OF THE HARAM, CONSTANTLYRECITETHETALBIYAH ,
DO DHIKR AND SEND SALAWAT UPON THE PROPHET صلى الله عليه وسلم. RECITAL OF THE
FOLLOWING DUA IS RECOMMENDED UPON ENTERING THE HARAM:
AL LĀHUMMA HĀ DHĀ ḤARAMU KA WA AMNU KA
FA ḤARRIMNĪ ‘ALA-N-NĀR, WA AMMINNĪ MIN
‘A DHĀBIKA YAWMA TAB’ATHU ‘ IBĀ D AK, WA
. J ‘ALNĪ MIN AWL I YĀ’ IKA WA AHL I ṬĀ’AT IK
AL LA H , T H I S I S YOU R SA N CT U ARY A N D
S EC U RI T Y , SO M AKE M E UN LAWF U L TO H E L L -
F IRE , M AKE M E SAF E FRO M YOU R
P UN I S H M EN T ON T H E D AY YOU RE S U RRECT
YOU R S ERVA N T S ; A N D M AKE M E ON E OF YOU R
FRI EN D S A N D
.ON E OF T H E PEOPL E WHO OBE Y YOU
IT IS SUNNAH TO ENTER MASJIDAL-HARAM VIA BABAL-SALAM ( THE GATE OF
PEACE ) . IF YOU CAN’T DO THIS , YOU MAY PROCEED THROUGH ANY OTHER
DOOR . STEP THROUGH WITH YOUR RIGHT FOOT FIRST AND RECITE THE
SUPPLICATION FOR ENTERING A MOSQUE . EITHER OR BOTH OF THESE
SUPPLICATIONS MAY BERECITED :
BISMI-LLĀH, ALLĀHUMMA ṢALLIALĀ MUHAMMA D .
AL LĀHUMMA- GHFIRLĪ WA-FTAḤ LĪ ABWĀBA
RAḤMATIK.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH , SEND BLESSINGS UPON
MUHAMMAD صلى الله عليه وسلم. O ALLAH , OPEN FOR METHE
DOORS OF YOUR BOUNTY .
A‘ŪDHUBI-LLĀHI-L-AẒĪM, WABI-WAJH IHI-L-KARĪM,
WASUL ṬĀNIHI-L-QADĪM, MINA-SH-SHAY ṬĀNI-R-
.RAJĪM
I SEEK PROTECTION IN ALLAH THE TREMENDOUS ,
HIS NOBLE COUNTENANCE , AND HIS PRE-ETERNAL
. SOVEREIGN MIGHT FROM SHAYTAN THE REJECTED
DON’T PERFORM TAHIYATUL MASJID ( PRAYER FOR GREETING THE MOSQUE ) IF YOU INTEND TO ; YOUR TAWAF WILL
SUFFICE AS THE “ GREETING ” FOR MASJID AL-HARAM.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE INTENTION OF PERFORMING TAWAF IMMEDIATELY,YOU MAY PERFORM TAHIYATUL MASJID.
INMASJIDAL-HARAM,IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR ANYONE TOWALK ACROSS THOSE PERFORMING SALAH.HOWEVER,
THEIR PLACE OF PROSTRATION SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
UPON SEEING THE KAABA FOR THE FIRST TIME,RAISE YOUR
HANDS AND MAKE DUA WITH THE UTMOST CONCENTRATION
AND SINCERITY AS THIS IS AMONG THOSE PLACES WHERE
PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED.REMEMBER TO RECITE SALAWAT UPON THE
PROPHET صلى الله عليه وسلم WHEN MAKING DUA. UMAR IBNAL-KHATTAB I
NARRATED : Recite the following three times:
Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. There is no God except
Allah.
It’s a Sunnah to recite the following Duas:
ًّا
Allah, increase this House in honour, esteem, respect and reverence.
And increase those who honour and respect it—of those who
perform Hajj or ‘Umrah—in honour, respect, esteem and piety.
O Allah, You are Peace and from You is peace. Make us live, Lord, in
peace.
Do Dhikr, make Dua and send Salawat upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in
abundance here. Make the most of this opportunity before you begin
your Tawaf, especially if it’s the first time you’ve set eyes on the
Kaaba.
For the Tawaf to be considered valid, the following is necessary:
ENSURE YOU’RE IN A STATE OF WUDHU AND IF YOU’RE A MALE,UN COVER YOUR
RIGHT SHOULDER BY PASSING THE TOP SHEET OF YOUR IHRAM UNDER YOUR
RIGHT ARMPIT,ALLOWING THE GARMENT TO HANG OVER YOUR LEFT SHOULDER
(IDTIBA).
STARTING POINT
POSITION YOURSELF INLINE WITH THE CORNER OF THE KAABA WHERE THE HAJAR AL-ASWAD IS SITUATED.THIS CORNER IS THE ONE THAT FACES A SINGLE MINARET (THE OTHER THREE CORNERS FACE TWO MINARETS).THERE IS A GREEN LIGHT ON THE WALL OF THE MASJID OPPOSITE THE KAABA WHICH INDICATES WHERE THE TAWAF STARTS FROM.THIS IS THE STARTING POINT OF EACH SHAWT(CIRCUIT). STAND JUST BEFORE THIS STARTINGPOINT FACING THE KAABA ENSURING THE HAJARAL-ASWAD IS ON YOUR RIGHT SIDETURN TO YOUR RIGHT AND START THE FIRST CIRCUIT OF YOUR TAWAF, ENSURING THE KAABA IS ON YOUR LEFT.PROCEED IN AN ANTI-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AND AVOID WALKING THROUGH THE HIJR ISMAIL.IF YOU HAPPEN TO WALK THROUGH IT,THE CIRCUIT WON’T COUNT AND IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPEATED.
IN THE FIRST THREE CIRCUITS,MEN SHOULD PERFORM RAML,WHICH IS THE PRACTICE OF WALKING BRISKLY , LIFTING THE LEGS FORCEFULLY AND STICKING OUT THE CHEST.HOWEVER,IF THERE IS CONGESTION,WHICH IS LIKELY TO BE THE CASE IF YOU’RE CLOSER TO THE KAABA,ONLY PERFORM THIS SUNNAH IF YOU’RE SURE YOU WON’T HARM OR INCONVENIENCE OTHERS.
PROCEED IN THE SAME MANNER UNTIL HAVE YOU COMPLETED SEVEN CIRCUITS. PERFORMING ISTILAM AT THE START OF TAWAF AND AT THE END IS A HIGHLY EMPHASISED SUNNAH AND PERFORMING ISTILAM ON THE OTHER SIX OCCASIONS IS DESIRABLE. IF YOU ARE IN A STATE IDTIBA, COVER YOUR SHOULDER WITH YOUR IHRAM.
UPON FINISHING THE TAWAF, PERFORM TWO RAKAHS OF SALAH, PREFERABLY IN A POSITION WHERE MAQAM IBRAHIM IS BETWEEN YOU AND THE KAABA
WHILE MOVING TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU INTEND TO PERFORM THE TWO RAKAHS, IT IS RECOMMENDED TO AUDIBLY RECITE THE FOLLOWING:
WATTAKHIDHU MIN MAQĀMI IBRĀHĪMA
MUṢALLA
AND TAKE THE MAQAM IBRAHIM AS A
PLACE OF SALAH
UPON REACHING THE RUKNAL-YAMANI(THE YEMENI CORNER),THE CORNER PRECEDING THE
HAJARAL-ASWAD,TOUCH IT WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND OR BOTH HANDS AND SAY “ALLĀHُّٰ“IF YOU MANAGE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH.IF THERE’S TOO MUCH CONGESTION,AS IS LIKELY TO BE THE CASE,PROCEED WITHOUT SAYING TAKBIR OR
GESTURING TOWARDS IT.IT IS A SUNNAH TO RECITE THE FOLLOWING DUA BETWEEN THE RUKNAL-YAMANI AND THE
HAJARAL-ASWA
O OUR LORD,GRANT US THE GOOD OF THIS WORLD,THE GOOD
OF THE HEREAFTER,AND SAVE US FROM THE PUNISHMENT OF THE FIRE
RETURNING TO HAJAR AL-ASWAD MARKS THE COMPLETION OF ONE CIRCUIT.BEGIN THE SECOND BY DOING ISTILAM OF HAJAR AL-ASWAD AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED AND SAYING ALLĀHU AKBAR.YOU SHOULD SAY ALLĀHU AKBAR WHILE DOING ISTILAM IN ALL SUBSEQUENT CIRCUITS.YOU WILL BE PERFORMING ISTILAM EIGHT TIMES IN TOTAL DURING THE TAWAF;ONE BEFORE THE START OF THE TAWAF AND ONE AT THE END OF EACH OF THE SEVEN CIRCUITS.
AFTER COMPLETING SALAH AND MAKING DUA, DRINK YOU FILL OF ZAMZAM WATER WHICH IS AVAILABLE AROUND THE TAWAF AREA
is a Sunnah to perform Sa’i immediately after Tawaf, although you may take a break if you need to. If you feel tired after Tawaf or your feet are aching, you may take a rest in the pavilion until you feel you’re ready. Remember, you will be covering over three kilometers during Sa’i, so make sure you have sufficient energy to complete the rite before starting.For the Sa’i to be considered valid, the following is necessary:
PROCEED TO THE HILL OF SAFA, WHICH IS LOCATED IN LINE WITH THE HAJAR AL-ASWAD.
THERE IS A WHITE SIGN WHICH INDICATES WHERE IT IS. AS YOU’RE APPROACHING SAFA, IT IS SUNNAH TO RECITE THE FOLLOWING:
.(INNA Ṣ̣ -Ṣ̣ AFĀ WA L-MARWATA MIN SHA’Ā’IRI LLĀH(I
INDEED, SAFA AND MARWA ARE FROM THE SIGNS OF ALLAH
[SURAH AL-BAQARAH, 2:158]
THEN SAY:
ABDA’U BIMĀBAD’ALLAHU BIHI
. I BEGIN WITH THAT WHICH ALLAH HAS BEGUN WITH
MAKE DUA AT SAFA
UPON REACHING THE HILL OF SAFA, FACE THE DIRECTION OF THE KAABA AND RAISE YOUR HANDS IN SUPPLICATION.
IT IS SUNNAH TO RECITE THE FOLLOWING DUA
ALLAH IS THE GREATEST; ALLAH IS THE GREATEST; ALLAH IS THE .GREATEST, AND TO ALLAH BELONGS ALL PRAISEFROM SAFA, MAKE YOUR WAY TOWARDS MARWA. BETWEEN SAFA AND MARWA, YOU WILL ENCOUNTER TWO SETS OF GREEN FLUORESCENT LIGHTS APPROXIMATELY 50 METRES APART, WHICH INDICATE THE DISTANCE THAT HAJAR RAN IN ORDER TO GET TO HIGHER GROUND.
DHIKR & DUA
THERE IS NO FIXED DHIKR OR DUA THAT HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED TO BE READ DURING SA’I, SO YOU MAY RECITE ANY PRAYERS OR SUPPLICATIONS OF YOUR CHOICE AND SEND SALAWAT UPON THE PROPHET ﷺ.MAKE DUA AT MARWA
UPON REACHING THE HILL OF MARWA, FACE THE DIRECTION OF THE KAABA, RAISE YOUR HANDS IN SUPPLICATION AND REPEAT THE SAME SUPPLICATIONS YOU RECITED AT SAFA.THIS COMPLETES ONE LAP OF SA’I. RETURNING BACK TO SAFA IS CONSIDERED A SECOND LAP.END OF SA’I
REPEAT THIS PROCEDURE UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED SEVEN LAPS, AT WHICH POINT YOU SHOULD BE AT THE HILL OF MARWA.
IT IS RECOMMENDED TO MAKE A FINAL DUA HERE AND ALSO TO PERFORM TWO RAKAHS OF NAFL SALAH IN MASJID AL-HARAM FOLLOWING SA’I.
AFTER SA’I, YOU MUST HAVE YOUR HAIR SHAVED (HALQ) OR TRIMMED BY AT LEAST AN INCH (TAQSIR) IN ORDER TO LEAVE THE STATE OF IHRAM AND COMPLETE YOUR UMRAH.
IT IS MORE VIRTUOUS FOR A MAN TO HAVE THE HEAD SHAVED COMPLETELY.
MAKE SURE YOU USE A LICENSED BARBER RATHER THAN AN UNLICENSED STREET BARBER.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LICENSED BARBER SHOPS IN MAKKAH, WHICH ARE OPEN 24
HOURS A DAY AND GENERALLY ONLY CLOSE DURING SALAH TIMES. THERE ARE MANY
BARBER SHOPS IN THE ZAMZAM TOWERS, HILTON SHOPPING COMPLEX AND AL-SAFWA
TOWERS. YOU WILL ALSO SEE MANY BARBERS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE MARWAH DOOR
AFTER YOU FINISH SA’I. THEY ARE LOCATED DIRECTLY TO YOUR LEFT ON THE GROUND FLOOR, OR TO YOUR RIGHT IF YOU EXIT FROM THE MIDDLE FLOOR.
ALTERNATIVELY, YOU MAY SHAVE OR TRIM YOUR OWN HAIR IN ORDER TO COME OUT OF THE STATE OF IHRAM.
YOUR ARE NOW FREE FROM THE RESTRICTIONS OF IHRAM AND YOU MAY CHANGE INTO REGULAR CLOTHING. IF YOU PLAN ON PERFORMING ANOTHER UMRAH, YOU MUST TRAVEL TO THE BOUNDARY OF THE HARAM IN ORDER TO ONCE AGAIN ENTER INTO IHRAM. MOST PILGRIMS CHOOSE TO ENTER INTO IHRAM AT MASJID AISHA WHICH IS THE NEAREST AND MOST CONVENIENT LOCATION FROM MASJID AL-HARAM. TRANSPORTATION TO GET THERE IS AVAILABLE NEAR THE MOSQUE.
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