Umrah guide
What to know before you travel: the four rites of Umrah in order, and the miqat where pilgrims from each direction enter ihram.
وَأَتِمّوا الْحَجّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلّهِ
Ihram
You must form the intention to enter the rites of Umrah and occupy yourself with its acts, together with the talbiyah. You must also leave ordinary dress and adornment and wear the ihram garments.
Tawaf
Tawaf is an act of worship in which the Muslim circumambulates the Sacred House (the Kaaba), worshipping the Lord of the House as He has legislated.
- Enter the mataf, stand in line with the Black Stone, and keep it on your left
- Raise your hand and say takbir when aligned with it
- Begin tawaf counterclockwise
- Make du'a during tawaf
- When you return to the same point, aligned with the Black Stone, you have completed one circuit. Repeat the alignment, raising the hand, and takbir to start a new circuit.
- Continue until you complete seven circuits in the same manner.
Sa'i between Safa and Marwah
After tawaf you will find signs inside the Grand Mosque directing you to the mas'a, pointing to Safa where sa'i begins.
- Start from Mount Safa: the mount is no longer there, but remnants of rock remain on the ground floor. Upper floors have signs marking Safa.
- Walk toward Mount Marwah.
- Before Marwah, when you reach the two green markers on the mas'a ceiling, men should hasten (a light run) until the markers end.
- On reaching Marwah you have completed one circuit, then turn back toward Safa where you began.
- Continue until you complete three and a half round trips ending at Marwah — seven circuits in total. Men hasten each time they pass the green markers.
Shaving or shortening the hair
After tawaf and sa'i, the muetamir shaves or shortens the hair of the head, completing Umrah, and what was forbidden during it becomes lawful again.
- Men may shave the entire head or shorten the hair.
- Women cut about 1–2 cm from the ends of the hair.
The muetamir may delay cutting the hair until returning to lodging, and may cut it themselves or with help. The prohibitions of ihram remain until the hair is cut.
Ihram
You must form the intention to enter the rites of Umrah and occupy yourself with its acts, together with the talbiyah. You must also leave ordinary dress and adornment and wear the ihram garments.
Tawaf
Tawaf is an act of worship in which the Muslim circumambulates the Sacred House (the Kaaba), worshipping the Lord of the House as He has legislated.
- Enter the mataf, stand in line with the Black Stone, and keep it on your left
- Raise your hand and say takbir when aligned with it
- Begin tawaf counterclockwise
- Make du'a during tawaf
- When you return to the same point, aligned with the Black Stone, you have completed one circuit. Repeat the alignment, raising the hand, and takbir to start a new circuit.
- Continue until you complete seven circuits in the same manner.
Sa'i between Safa and Marwah
After tawaf you will find signs inside the Grand Mosque directing you to the mas'a, pointing to Safa where sa'i begins.
- Start from Mount Safa: the mount is no longer there, but remnants of rock remain on the ground floor. Upper floors have signs marking Safa.
- Walk toward Mount Marwah.
- Before Marwah, when you reach the two green markers on the mas'a ceiling, men should hasten (a light run) until the markers end.
- On reaching Marwah you have completed one circuit, then turn back toward Safa where you began.
- Continue until you complete three and a half round trips ending at Marwah — seven circuits in total. Men hasten each time they pass the green markers.
Shaving or shortening the hair
After tawaf and sa'i, the muetamir shaves or shortens the hair of the head, completing Umrah, and what was forbidden during it becomes lawful again.
- Men may shave the entire head or shorten the hair.
- Women cut about 1–2 cm from the ends of the hair.
The muetamir may delay cutting the hair until returning to lodging, and may cut it themselves or with help. The prohibitions of ihram remain until the hair is cut.
The spatial miqats
وقَّتَ النبي ﷺ لِأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ ذَا الْحُلَيْفَةِ، وَلِأَهْلِ الشّامِ الْجُحْفَةَ، وَلِأَهْلِ نَجْدٍ قَرْنَ الْمَنَازِلِ، وَلِأَهْلِ الْيَمَنِ يَلَمْلَمَ — متفق عليه
The Prophet ﷺ appointed Dhul-Hulayfah for the people of Madinah, al-Juhfah for the people of Sham, Qarn al-Manazil for the people of Najd, and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen — agreed upon.
Tap a miqat on the map
Dhul-Hulayfah
People of Madinah
Known today as Masjid al-Shajarah, it is the farthest miqat from Makkah and the most well-known.
Your Umrah is easier than you think
Start by finding a hamlah from your city. Have questions? The FAQ has the answers.