How to Perform Umrah and Hajj — Step by Step

Umrah in six steps

1. 1

   Ihram at the miqat

   Take a bath (ghusl), men put on the two white ihram garments, make the intention for Umrah, and begin the Talbiyah. In ihram avoid perfume, cutting hair or nails, and marital relations; men do not cover the head or wear stitched clothing.

   لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ

   Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-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 dominion belong to You. You have no partner.

   Talbiyah — Sahih al-Bukhari 1549

2. 2

   Tawaf — seven circuits

   Start at the Black Stone with the Kaaba on your left and walk seven circuits. Say “Allahu Akbar” when you reach the Black Stone.

   Takbir at the Black Stone — Sahih al-Bukhari 1613

   رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

   Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil-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. (Quran 2:201)

   Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone — Sunan Abi Dawud 1892

3. 3

   Two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim

   Recite “Wattakhidhu min maqami Ibrahima musalla” (2:125) and pray two rak'ahs, reciting Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas.

   Sahih Muslim 1218

4. 4

   Drink Zamzam

   Drink Zamzam water and make dua.

5. 5

   Sa'i between Safa and Marwah

   Go up Safa, recite the verse below, face the Kaaba and make dhikr and dua. Walk to Marwah (one lap) and back — seven laps, ending at Marwah.

   إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ — أَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِهِ

   Inna as-Safa wal-Marwata min sha'a'irillah — Abda'u bima bada'a Allahu bih.

   Indeed Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah (2:158) — I begin with what Allah began with.

   Sahih Muslim 1218

   لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ

   La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir. La ilaha illallahu wahdah, anjaza wa'dah, wa nasara 'abdah, wa hazamal-ahzaba wahdah.

   None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, without partner; His is the dominion and the praise, and He is over all things capable. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone; He fulfilled His promise, aided His servant and defeated the confederates alone. (Said three times on Safa and Marwah, with dua in between.)

   Sahih Muslim 1218

6. 6

   Shave or shorten the hair

   Men shave the head or shorten the hair; women cut a fingertip's length. Your Umrah is complete.

The days of Hajj

There are three ways to perform Hajj: Tamattu' (Umrah first, then Hajj, with a sacrifice), Qiran (Umrah and Hajj together, with a sacrifice) and Ifrad (Hajj only).

1. 8

   8 Dhul Hijjah — Day of Tarwiyah

   Enter ihram for Hajj (if not already in it), go to Mina and pray Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr there, shortening the four-rak'ah prayers.

2. 9

   9 Dhul Hijjah — Day of Arafah

   Stand at Arafah from after midday until sunset in dhikr and dua — the heart of Hajj. After sunset go to Muzdalifah, pray Maghrib and Isha combined, and spend the night there.

   لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

   La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.

   “The best dua is the dua of the Day of Arafah, and the best that I and the prophets before me have said is: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone…”

   Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3585

3. 10

   10 Dhul Hijjah — Day of Sacrifice (Eid)

   Throw seven pebbles at Jamrat al-Aqabah, saying “Allahu Akbar” with each; offer the sacrifice (Tamattu' and Qiran); shave or shorten the hair; then perform Tawaf al-Ifadah and the Sa'i of Hajj.

   Takbir with each pebble — Sahih Muslim 1218

4. 11–13

   Days of Tashriq

   Spend the nights in Mina and, after midday each day, throw seven pebbles at each of the three jamarat: the small, the middle, then the large. You may leave on the 12th before sunset or stay for the 13th.

5. Last

   Farewell Tawaf

   Before leaving Makkah, perform the Farewell Tawaf (not required for women in menses).