How to Perform Umrah
Travel to a miqat., Assume the Ihram state of purity., Recite the Talbiyyah., If flying, consider assuming Ihram before/during your travel to Mecca.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Travel to a miqat.
As with the Hajj pilgrimage, a Muslim cannot travel directly to the Ka'bah in Mecca to begin Umrah.
Surrounding Mecca are five miqat, which are special holy barriers that all Muslims must pass through before proceeding to their religious duties as pilgrims.
At the miqat, all pilgrims must stop and assume a ritual state of purity which must be maintained throughout the Umrah.
Passing the miqat without assuming this state not permitted — if this is done, the pilgrim must return to one of the miqat before beginning the Umrah again.
The sites of the five miqat (with their distance and geographical position relative to the Ka'bah) are:
Dhu'l-Hulayfah: 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of Mecca. 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) from Medina.
Juhfah: 190 kilometers (118 miles) northwest of Mecca.
Qarn al-Manazil: 90 kilometers (56 miles) east of Mecca.
Dhat Irq: 85 kilometers (53 miles) northeast of Mecca.
Yalamlam: 50 kilometers (31 miles) southeast of Mecca.
In addition, some Muslim scholars believe it is appropriate to assume Ihram in the city of Jeddah, which is not one of the five traditional miqat but is 86 kilometers (53.5 miles) from Mecca and is home to Saudi Arabia's busiest airport.
However, in this case, an additional animal sacrifice may be required.
Finally, most people who live in Mecca use a special miqat called Tan'eem which is only about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the Ka'bah. -
Step 2: Assume the Ihram state of purity.
At the miqat, all pilgrims must assume a special state of religious purity called Ihram.
Externally, this is marked by putting on certain special clothing.
For men, this clothing is two special pieces of unstitched white cloth also called "Ihram," while for women this is ordinary but loose, conservative clothing.However, Ihram is more than just a uniform — it's a mental state and a code of behavior that marks the pilgrim's complete devotion to the duties of the Umrah.
The state of Ihram forbids:
Arguing, shouting, using impure language or acting aggressively Showing affection to one's spouse or having sexual intercourse (a pilgrim also may not marry while in the state of Ihram) Joking and immodest behavior Shaving any part of the body, clipping the nails, and using perfume or cologne Wearing a head covering, socks, or close-toed shoes (for men).
Women may wear head coverings and socks.
Umbrellas are acceptable for both sexes.
Killing animals except in self-defense or in the case of annoying pests like flies and mosquitoes (in both cases, driving the animal away without killing it is preferable) , At the miqat, the pilgrim recites a special short prayer called the Talbiyyah.
This recitation announces the pilgrim's presence to God and cements his or her intent to complete the pilgrimage.
Pilgrims are encouraged to repeat the Talbiyyah throughout their pilgrimage when they have time.
The words of the Talbiyyah are:
Labbayka-Allahummma labbayk, Labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk.
Innal-Hamda wanni'mata laka wal-Mulk, laa shareeka lak! In English, this is: "Here I am O Allah! Here I am! Here I am, there is no partner for you, here I am! Surely, all praise, blessings, and dominion are for You.
There is no partner for you!"
Today, Muslims from all over the world make the trip to Saudi Arabia via air travel.
However, since Saudi Arabia's busiest airport is in Jeddah, which is technically within the miqat boundary, many Muslims choose to assume the state of Ihram before or even during their travel.
In this case, the pilgrim should bathe before leaving and make sure to change into the proper clothes for Ihram at some point before the plane crosses the traditional miqat boundaries.
It is generally considered better to assume the state of Ihram well before crossing the miqat boundary than waiting until the plane nears the boundary and running the risk of crossing the boundary without becoming pure, so be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to change. -
Step 3: Recite the Talbiyyah.
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Step 4: If flying
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Step 5: consider assuming Ihram before/during your travel to Mecca.
Detailed Guide
As with the Hajj pilgrimage, a Muslim cannot travel directly to the Ka'bah in Mecca to begin Umrah.
Surrounding Mecca are five miqat, which are special holy barriers that all Muslims must pass through before proceeding to their religious duties as pilgrims.
At the miqat, all pilgrims must stop and assume a ritual state of purity which must be maintained throughout the Umrah.
Passing the miqat without assuming this state not permitted — if this is done, the pilgrim must return to one of the miqat before beginning the Umrah again.
The sites of the five miqat (with their distance and geographical position relative to the Ka'bah) are:
Dhu'l-Hulayfah: 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of Mecca. 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) from Medina.
Juhfah: 190 kilometers (118 miles) northwest of Mecca.
Qarn al-Manazil: 90 kilometers (56 miles) east of Mecca.
Dhat Irq: 85 kilometers (53 miles) northeast of Mecca.
Yalamlam: 50 kilometers (31 miles) southeast of Mecca.
In addition, some Muslim scholars believe it is appropriate to assume Ihram in the city of Jeddah, which is not one of the five traditional miqat but is 86 kilometers (53.5 miles) from Mecca and is home to Saudi Arabia's busiest airport.
However, in this case, an additional animal sacrifice may be required.
Finally, most people who live in Mecca use a special miqat called Tan'eem which is only about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the Ka'bah.
At the miqat, all pilgrims must assume a special state of religious purity called Ihram.
Externally, this is marked by putting on certain special clothing.
For men, this clothing is two special pieces of unstitched white cloth also called "Ihram," while for women this is ordinary but loose, conservative clothing.However, Ihram is more than just a uniform — it's a mental state and a code of behavior that marks the pilgrim's complete devotion to the duties of the Umrah.
The state of Ihram forbids:
Arguing, shouting, using impure language or acting aggressively Showing affection to one's spouse or having sexual intercourse (a pilgrim also may not marry while in the state of Ihram) Joking and immodest behavior Shaving any part of the body, clipping the nails, and using perfume or cologne Wearing a head covering, socks, or close-toed shoes (for men).
Women may wear head coverings and socks.
Umbrellas are acceptable for both sexes.
Killing animals except in self-defense or in the case of annoying pests like flies and mosquitoes (in both cases, driving the animal away without killing it is preferable) , At the miqat, the pilgrim recites a special short prayer called the Talbiyyah.
This recitation announces the pilgrim's presence to God and cements his or her intent to complete the pilgrimage.
Pilgrims are encouraged to repeat the Talbiyyah throughout their pilgrimage when they have time.
The words of the Talbiyyah are:
Labbayka-Allahummma labbayk, Labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk.
Innal-Hamda wanni'mata laka wal-Mulk, laa shareeka lak! In English, this is: "Here I am O Allah! Here I am! Here I am, there is no partner for you, here I am! Surely, all praise, blessings, and dominion are for You.
There is no partner for you!"
Today, Muslims from all over the world make the trip to Saudi Arabia via air travel.
However, since Saudi Arabia's busiest airport is in Jeddah, which is technically within the miqat boundary, many Muslims choose to assume the state of Ihram before or even during their travel.
In this case, the pilgrim should bathe before leaving and make sure to change into the proper clothes for Ihram at some point before the plane crosses the traditional miqat boundaries.
It is generally considered better to assume the state of Ihram well before crossing the miqat boundary than waiting until the plane nears the boundary and running the risk of crossing the boundary without becoming pure, so be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to change.
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Mark Freeman
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