What are the Rituals Performed During Umrah?
Umrah is a spiritual act of worship performed by Muslims. It involves travelling to the holy city of Makkah and performing the designated Umrah rituals according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Do you want to know what the rituals performed during Umrah? Once you get the chance to set on this spiritual journey, you must ensure you are doing everything right. You should know the Umrah rituals and their rules and regulations. It is vital for the accomplishment of the purpose of this pilgrimage.
Make sure you choose suitable Umrah deals from the UK so you don’t have to worry about anything other than your Umrah rituals and Ibadah. If you are wondering what the rituals performed during Umrah, here is a comprehensive guide.
Umrah Rituals
Here are the Umrah rituals you must perform perfectly during your Umrah.
1. Ihram
The first and foremost thing you must do to perform Umrah is to enter the state of Ihram. A pilgrim must enter the state of Ihram at Miqat before they enter the holy city of Makkah. Once the pilgrims reach Miqat, they clean themselves properly and change their regular clothing into the specific Ihram clothing.
Ihram for men is two unstitched pieces of clothing that they have to wrap around themselves in a certain way. Women can wear simple clothing that covers them from head to toe. After wearing Ihram, pilgrims must intend to perform Umrah and recite Talbiya on their way to the Holy Kaabah.
2. Istilam
Istilam involves kissing or touching the sacred Black Stone; if that is not possible, you must point your palm towards it and say a specific prayer. If you have the space, you must try to kiss the Black Stone, and if you can’t be that close to it, you must touch it with your hand.
In case neither of these is possible, you must point your palm towards the sacred stone and say the prayer designated for it. Pushing or shoving others to reach the Black Stone while performing Istilam is not permissible. So, be patient and accept that you might not be able to touch the stone in the crowd.
3. Tawaf
If you think about the rituals performed during Umrah, Tawaf might be the first to come to mind. This is because most people are aware of this ritual. It includes performing seven circumambulations around the Holy Kaabah. You must complete it on the right side so that the Holy Kaabah is at your left and move in an anti-clockwise direction.
Moreover, you must keep small steps and a low pace during your first three circumambulations, while the next four must be performed at the average walking speed. Men need to keep their right shoulders uncovered while performing Tawaf.
4. Hateem
Hateem was the first part of the Holy Kaabah but was not included when the Kaabah was rebuilt. It is a semi-circular section. Make sure to include Hateem in your Tawaf. Once you reach Rukn Yamani, you must touch it with your right hand or with both of your hands.
You must recite a specific prayer while walking between Rukn Yamani and the sacred Black Stone. After reaching the Black Stone, you must perform Istilam again and start your second circumambulations.
5. Multazam
Multazam is a highly holy place between the sacred Black Stone and the door of the Holy Kaabah. It is around two metres long and is a sacred place for praying. If you can easily reach this place, you must pray here and ask for Allah Almighty’s blessings and forgiveness.
In case you can’t reach Multazam because of the crowd, you must face this area and pray.
6. Maqam-e-Ibrahim
After you have performed your seven circumambulations, you must reach Maqam-e-Ibrahim and offer a short prayer consisting of two rakaats only.
You must then return to touch the sacred Black Stone if there is space, which is easily possible without harming yourself or others.
7. Safa and Marwah
The following central Umrah ritual is to shuttle between the Safa and Marwah hills. You must perform seven rounds between these two hills. Recite a specific Quranic verse when you reach Safa. Then you must ascend Safa while facing Kaabah and making whatever Dua you want.
You must then proceed to Marwah at an average pace until you reach the green marker, and capable men must complete the rest of the journey.
8. Cutting Your Hair
This is the final ritual of Umrah. After pilgrims are done with the seven rounds between Safa and Marwah, men must shave their heads or cut them short equally.
Women must also trim their hair one or two centimetres. Men have to cut their hair at the moment, while women can wait till they go in private and trim their hair to complete Umrah.
Conclusion
If you have availed of Umrah 2025 packages, you might wonder what are the rituals performed during Umrah. The guide mentioned above can be beneficial for you during your Umrah. Moreover, you can also do more research on your behalf to ensure that you perform every rite according to the rules and regulations of Umrah.