Ihrām
Physical purity
Before ihrām garments: clip nails, remove underarm and navel hair. Ghusl is strongly emphasised; if not possible, wuḍūʾ suffices. Men may apply perfume to head/beard only (not on ihrām cloth). Do this at your residence before travel.
Ihrām garments & mīqāt
Men: two clean white seamless cloths — izār (waist/lower) and ridā' (upper shawl). Sandals must not cover heel and ankle; Ḥanafīs also require the top of the foot to stay exposed. Women: modest Islamic dress and head covering of any colour; face and hands visible; socks allowed. Wear ihrām before crossing your mīqāt. Via Jeddah by air: change at home, airport prayer room, or in-flight well before the mīqāt (in-plane is least convenient). Madīnah first: normal clothes in Madīnah; wear ihrām at the hotel or at Masjid Dhul Ḥulayfah before Makkah, or at the train station if travelling by train.
Ṣalāh al-Ihrām
Two rakʿahs nafl for ihrām — at home, airport, in-flight if facilities exist, or in Madīnah (hotel, Masjid al-Nabawī, mīqāt, train). Head may remain covered. Recite Sūrah al-Kāfirūn (109) then Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ (112) after al-Fātiḥah if possible; other sūrahs are permitted. Make duʿāʾ after the prayer.
Niyyah and Talbiyah
Make the intention at or just before the mīqāt; delaying until the last moment is ideal so restrictions are not longer than necessary. Mustaḥabb to say the intention aloud and inwardly. After intention, recite the Talbiyah — at least once; omitting it invalidates the ʿUmrah per article. Then you are muḥrim: learn ihrām prohibitions; violations may require damm or ṣadaqah. Continue Talbiyah until a door of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām before ṭawāf. Send ṣalawāt on the Prophet ﷺ and make duʿāʾ after Talbiyah.
Verbal intention (example 1)
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ عُمْرَةً
Labbayka Allāhumma ʿumratan.
Here I am, O Allah, (in response to Your call) for ʿUmrah.
Verbal intention (example 2)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ الْعُمْرَةَ
Allāhumma innī urīdu l-ʿumrata.
O Allah, I intend to perform ʿUmrah.
Verbal intention (example 3)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ الْعُمْرَةَ فَيَسِّرْهَا لِي وَتَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِّي
Allāhumma innī urīdu l-ʿumrata fa yassirhā lī wa taqabbalhā minnī.
O Allah, I intend to perform ʿUmrah, so make it easy for me and accept it from me.
Talbiyah after intention — pause briefly at each dash; recite at least once (wājib Hanafī/Mālikī; sunnah Shāfiʿī/Ḥanbalī).
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ
Labbayka Allāhumma labbayk, labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk, inna l-ḥamda wa-n-niʿmata laka wa-l-mulk, lā sharīka lak.
At Your service, Allah, at Your service. At Your service, You have no partner, at Your service. Truly all praise, favour and sovereignty are Yours. You have no partner.
Sacred ḥaram of Makkah
In the ḥaram: do not cut or harm vegetation; do not harm wild animals (including scaring birds); no weapons; no fighting or behaviour breaking sanctity. For a second ʿUmrah, enter ihrām outside the ḥaram boundary (e.g. Masjid ʿĀʾishah) before returning.
Entering Makkah & Masjid al-Ḥarām
Near the ḥaram: Talbiyah, dhikr, ṣalawāt. Recommended duʿāʾ when entering the ḥaram — see `duas.entering-haram-makkah`. After arrival you may rest; if showering, avoid scented products in ihrām. Enter the mosque right foot first; Bab al-Salām is sunnah if authorities allow. Do not pray Tahiyyat al-Masjid if you will begin ṭawāf immediately (ṭawāf suffices as greeting); if not doing ṭawāf yet, Tahiyyat al-Masjid is allowed. Walking in front of someone praying is permitted in al-Masjid al-Ḥarām except across their place of sujūd.
Recommended when entering the ḥaram of Makkah
اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا حَرَمُكَ وَأَمْنُكَ فَحَرِّمْنِي عَلَى النَّارِ وَأَمِنِّي مِنْ عَذَابِكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَوْلِيَائِكَ وَأَهْلِ طَاعَتِكَ
Allāhumma hādhā ḥaramuka wa amnuka fa ḥarrimnī ʿalā n-nāri wa aminnī min ʿadhābika yawma tabʿathu ʿibādak, wa jʿalnī min awliyā'ika wa ahli ṭāʿatik.
O Allah, this is Your sanctuary and security, so make me unlawful to the Fire, keep me safe from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect Your servants, and make me among Your allies and the people of obedience to You.
Entering al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (right foot) — may recite one or both
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ❁ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ❁ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَافْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Bismi Llāh. Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammad. Allāhumma-ghfir lī wa-ftaḥ lī abwāba raḥmatik.
In the name of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad. O Allah, forgive me and open for me the doors of Your mercy.
Seeking refuge when entering the mosque
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ وَبِوَجْهِهِ الْكَرِيمِ وَسُلْطَانِهِ الْقَدِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
Aʿūdhu bi-Llāhi l-ʿaẓīm, wa bi-wajhihi l-karīm, wa sulṭānihi l-qadīm, mina sh-shayṭāni r-rajīm.
I seek protection in Allah the Tremendous, in His Noble Countenance, and His eternal might, from Satan the accursed.
First sight of the Kaʿbah
Lower your gaze until the mawāṭif (ṭawāf area), then with awe look at the Kaʿbah. Raise hands and supplicate sincerely; send ṣalawāt on the Prophet ﷺ (duʿāʾ is raised when blessings are sent, per ḥadīth cited in article). Then abundant dhikr, duʿāʾ and ṣalawāt before starting ṭawāf.
Upon first sight of the Kaʿbah — three times
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
Allāhu akbar. Allāhu akbar. Lā ilāha illā Llāh.
Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. There is no god except Allah.
Sunnah duʿāʾ at first sight of the Kaʿbah
اللَّهُمَّ زِدْ هَذَا الْبَيْتَ تَشْرِيفًا وَتَعْظِيمًا وَتَكْرِيمًا وَمَهَابَةً وَزِدْ مَنْ شَرَّفَهُ وَكَرَّمَهُ مِمَّنْ حَجَّهُ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَهُ تَشْرِيفًا وَتَكْرِيمًا وَتَعْظِيمًا وَبِرًّا
Allāhumma zid hādha l-bayta tashrīfan wa taʿẓīman wa takrīman wa mahābah, wa zid man sharrafahu wa karramahu mimman ḥajjahu aw iʿtamarahu tashrīfan wa takrīman wa taʿẓīman wa birrā.
O Allah, increase this House in honour, greatness, nobility and awe; and increase whoever honours and reveres it — among those who perform Hajj or ʿUmrah — in honour, nobility, greatness and righteousness.
Sunnah duʿāʾ — peace
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ حَيِّنَا رَبَّنَا بِالسَّلَامِ
Allāhumma anta s-salām, wa minka s-salām, ḥayyinā rabbanā bi s-salām.
O Allah, You are Peace and from You is peace — keep us alive, our Lord, in peace.
Ṭawāf al-ʿUmrah
Conditions for valid ṭawāf
1) Perform ṭawāf yourself. 2) Intention (verbal or not). 3) Inside al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. 4) Wuḍūʾ and purity from major impurity. 5) ʿAwrah covered. 6) Begin at al-Ḥajar al-Aswad. 7) Anti-clockwise, Kaʿbah on your left. 8) Avoid the Ḥatīm (semi-circle). 9) Walking for those able. 10) Seven complete circuits. 11) Two rakʿahs after ṭawāf.
Preparation, starting point, istilām
Wuḍūʾ; men: idṭibāʿ (right shoulder uncovered, ihrām under right armpit). Line up with the Black Stone corner (green light marker). Intention for Allah alone — English wording in article or Arabic in `tawaf-intention-arabic`. Istilām: kissing if safe and reachable; else touch and kiss hand; else from distance raise hands to earlobes, palms toward the stone, say Bismi Llāhi wa Allāhu akbar — avoid harm to others; saluting from afar is often safest. At each lap’s istilām say Allāhu akbar; eight istilāms total (one before start + one after each of seven circuits). Say the duʿāʾ of ʿAlī — see `istilam-hajar-ali`. First three circuits: raml for men if no harm to others. Between Yamānī corner and Black Stone: Rabbanā ātinā… (Imām al-Shāfiʿī رحمه الله recommended it throughout ṭawāf). Do not read blindly from a book without understanding; supplicate in your own words with humility. Qurʾān and ṣalawāt are also recommended.
Optional Arabic wording for ṭawāf intention
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ طَوَافَ بَيْتِكَ الْحَرَامِ فَيَسِّرْهُ لِي وَتَقَبَّلْهُ مِنِّي
Allāhumma innī urīdu ṭawāfa baytika l-ḥarāmi fa yassirhu lī wa taqabbalhu minnī.
O Allah, I intend to perform ṭawāf of Your Sacred House, so make it easy for me and accept it from me.
When kissing, touching, or saluting al-Ḥajar al-Aswad
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Bismi Llāhi wa Allāhu akbar.
In the name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest.
At each istilām parallel to al-Ḥajar al-Aswad (duʿāʾ of ʿAlī رضي الله عنه, per article)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ اللَّهُمَّ إِيمَانًا بِكَ وَتَصْدِيقًا بِكِتَابِكَ وَوَفَاءً بِعَهْدِكَ وَاتِّبَاعًا لِسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ
Bismi Llāhi wa Allāhu akbar. Allāhumma īmānan bika wa taṣdīqan bi kitābik, wa wafā'an bi ʿahdik, wattibāʿan li sunnati nabiyyika Muḥammad.
In the name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest. O Allah, out of faith in You, belief in Your Book, fulfilment of Your covenant, and following the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad.
Between al-Rukn al-Yamānī and al-Ḥajar al-Aswad (Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:201)
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanā ātinā fi d-dunyā ḥasanatan wa fi l-ākhirati ḥasanatan wa qinā ʿadhāba n-nār.
Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. [al-Baqarah 2:201]
Completing ṭawāf, prayer, Zamzam, Multazam
Cover shoulder after idṭibāʿ. Ṭawāf should be continuous; if jamāʿah begins, join it and resume from where you stopped without redoing the circuit; same if renewing wuḍūʾ. After seven circuits: two rakʿahs preferably with Maqām Ibrāhīm between you and the Kaʿbah if crowding allows — else anywhere in the Ḥaram. Recite wa-takhidhū min maqāmi Ibrāhīma muṣallā while moving to the prayer place. Sūrah al-Kāfirūn then al-Ikhlāṣ after al-Fātiḥah. Drink Zamzam standing facing the Kaʿbah, Bismillāh, three breaths, al-ḥamdu lillāh; may wipe on face/body; duʿāʾ after drinking — see `after-zamzam`. Multazam (between Black Stone and Kaʿbah door): sunnah if reachable; else supplicate facing it.
Recommended aloud while going to pray after ṭawāf
وَاتَّخِذُوا مِنْ مَقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلًّى
Wattakhidhū min maqāmi Ibrāhīma muṣallā.
And take the station of Ibrāhīm as a place of prayer. [al-Baqarah 2:125]
After drinking Zamzam (recommended)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَرِزْقًا وَاسِعًا وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا وَشِفَاءً مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ
Allāhumma innī as'aluka ʿilman nāfiʿan, wa rizqan wāsiʿan, wa ʿamalan mutaqabbala, wa shifā'an min kulli dā'.
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, abundant provision, accepted deeds, and healing from every illness.
Saʿy
Validity and approach
Sunnah to perform saʿy immediately after ṭawāf, but you may rest if tired. Conditions: perform yourself; ihrām before saʿy; remain in ihrām until saʿy ends; correct time; start at Ṣafā, end at Marwah; after ṭawāf; on foot unless excused; seven laps; full distance each lap. Sunnah: ninth istilām of Black Stone before saʿy (may omit if difficult; may gesture anywhere in the Ḥaram facing the stone).
Laps between Ṣafā and Marwah
At Ṣafā: face Kaʿbah, hands raised for duʿāʾ (not like ṭawāf istilām). Recite the three-part formula three times with your own duʿāʾ between each round (sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ) — see `sai-at-safa-set`. Between the two green lights, men run at medium pace; women walk. No fixed dhikr during the walk; any duʿāʾ and ṣalawāt. At Marwah repeat like Ṣafā — one lap complete; seven laps end at Marwah. Then final duʿāʾ and two rakʿahs nafl in the Ḥaram if possible. Leave with left foot and duʿāʾ — `leave-masjid-haram`.
Once when approaching Ṣafā (before saʿy laps)
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ
Inna ṣ-Ṣafā wa l-Marwata min shaʿā'iri Llāh.
Indeed, Ṣafā and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. [al-Baqarah 2:158]
Immediately after the previous āyah, once
أَبْدَأُ بِمَا بَدَأَ اللَّهُ بِهِ
Abda'u bimā badā'a Llāhu bih.
I begin with what Allah began with.
At Ṣafā — recite three times, making your own duʿāʾ between each (sunnah per article)
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ ❁ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ❁ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ❁ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ ❁ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ❁ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ ❁ أَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa li-Llāhi l-ḥamd. Lā ilāha illā Llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-ḥamd, yuḥyī wa yumīt, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shay'in qadīr. Lā ilāha illā Llāhu waḥdah, anjaza waʿdahu wa naṣara ʿabdahu wa hazama l-aḥzāba waḥdah.
Allah is the Greatest (three times), and to Allah belongs all praise. There is no god except Allah alone, without partner; to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise; He gives life and causes death; and He has power over all things. There is no god except Allah alone; He fulfilled His promise, helped His slave, and defeated the confederates alone.
Leaving al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (left foot)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ❁ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
Bismi Llāhi wa ṣ-ṣalātu wa s-salāmu ʿalā rasūli Llāh. Allāhumma innī as'aluka min faḍlik.
In the name of Allah, and blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty.
Ḥalq or taqsīr
Completing ʿUmrah
After saʿy, shave the head (ḥalq) or shorten by about an inch (taqsīr) to leave ihrām. Shaving is more virtuous for men. Women only shorten. Licensed barbers in Makkah (e.g. Zamzam Towers, Hilton complex, al-Ṣafwa) or self in lodging. Congratulations — you may wear normal clothes. Another ʿUmrah requires ihrām outside the ḥaram again (commonly Masjid ʿĀʾishah).