Umrah Guide:
Ihram: Ghusl, wear sheets, make niyyah & Talbiyah at Meeqat.
Tawaf: 7 rounds with Wudu keeping Kaaba on left.
Sa'ee: 7 laps from Safa to Marwah.
Halq/Taqsir: Shave or cut at least 3 hairs.
Tartib: Keep this exact order. Restrictions now lift!
Follow these steps
Entering Ihram at the Meeqat
Ihram is the sacred state and the formal intention (niyyah) to enter the rituals of Umrah.
Preparation (Sunnah): Clip your nails, trim your mustache, remove pubic hair, take a purification bath (ghusl), and apply perfume to your body (not the clothes) before making the intention.
The Clothing: Men change into two unstitched white sheets (the Izar and Rida). Women wear their normal, modest Islamic clothing. Faces and hands of women must remain uncovered.
Prayer: Pray two rak'ahs of Sunnat al-Ihram.
The Intention (The Pillar): Once at or just before the Meeqat, make the formal intention in your heart. You can verbalize it by saying:
"Labbayk-Allahumma Umrah" (O Allah, here I am for Umrah).
The Talbiyah: Constantly recite the Talbiyah until you reach the Kaaba:
"Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, Labbayka la sharika laka labbayk. Innal-hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak."
Tawaf (Circumambulation)
Upon entering Masjid al-Haram, enter with your right foot and make du'a. Stop reciting the Talbiyah and prepare for Tawaf.
Shafi'i Conditions for Tawaf:
You must be in a state of Wudu (ritual purity). If your Wudu breaks during Tawaf, you must stop, renew it, and resume from where you left off (though restarting is better if a long gap occurs).
Your Awrah (modesty covering) must be strictly covered.
The Kaaba must remain on your left side at all times. If you turn to face the Kaaba completely during a turn, that step doesn't count.
You must be outside the actual structure of the Kaaba, which includes walking outside the Hateem (the semi-circular wall).
How to Perform Tawaf:
Idtiba' (Men only): Uncover your right shoulder by passing the upper sheet under your right armpit and over your left shoulder.
Start: Align yourself with the Hajar al-Aswad (Black Stone). Raise your hands, face it, and say "Bismillah, Allahu Akbar" and kiss it if possible, or signal towards it with your palms from afar (Istilam) and kiss your palms.
The 7 Rounds: Walk around the Kaaba 7 times.
Raml (Men only): It is Sunnah to pace quickly with short steps in the first 3 rounds, and walk normally for the remaining 4.
The Yemeni Corner: Every time you pass the Yemeni Corner (the corner before the Black Stone), touch it if possible (do not kiss it). Recite:
"Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan waqina 'adhaban-nar."
Completion: After 7 rounds, cover your right shoulder again. Pray two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim (or anywhere in the Haram) and drink Zamzam water.
Sa'ee (Between Safa and Marwah)
Sa'ee consists of 7 trips between the hills of Safa and Marwah.
Condition: Sa'ee must be performed after a valid Tawaf. (While Wudu is highly recommended and Sunnah for Sa'ee in the Shafi'i school, it is not strictly mandatory).
Start at Safa: Climb up Safa, face the Kaaba, raise your hands in du'a, and praise Allah.
The Journey: Walk towards Marwah.
Men only: When you reach the green fluorescent lights, jog/run at a medium pace until you pass the second set of green lights.
Arrive at Marwah: This completes one lap. Face the Kaaba, make du'a.
Return to Safa: Walk back to Safa. This completes your second lap.
Repeat until you finish your 7th lap at Marwah.
Halq or Taqsir (Shaving or Cutting Hair)
In the Shafi'i Madhhab, exiting the state of Ihram through cutting or shaving the hair is a Pillar (Rukn) of Umrah, not just an obligatory act.
Men: Shaving the entire head (Halq) is highly preferred, but cutting it equally all over (Taqsir) is acceptable.
Minimum Requirement: To technically fulfill the pillar in the Shafi'i school, you must cut or shave at least three individual hairs from the boundaries of the head.
Women: Gather your hair and cut the length of a fingertip (about an inch) from the ends of the hair.
Tartib (Sequence)
You must perform the above steps in the exact order detailed: Ihram → Tawaf → Sa'ee → Halq/Taqsir. Altering this order invalidates the Umrah until it is corrected.
Once your hair is cut, your Umrah is officially complete, and all Ihram restrictions are lifted!
Key Ihram Restrictions to Remember
While in the state of Ihram, ensure you avoid the following to prevent needing a penalty (Dam):
Using perfumed soap, lotions, or wearing perfume.
Cutting nails or removing hair from any part of the body.
Covering the head for men (with hats, hoodies, etc.) or wearing stitched clothing that conforms to the body.
Covering the face or wearing gloves for women.
Engaging in marital intimacy or proposing marriage.
Hunting or cutting trees within the Haram boundaries.
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