How to perform Umrah

1. 1
   Enter ihram before the miqat

   Take a ghusl if you can. Men wear two plain unstitched sheets; women wear their normal modest clothes. Pray two rak'ahs of nafl if it is not a disliked time, make the intention for Umrah, and say the talbiyah: "Labbayk Allāhumma labbayk…". Flying in? Enter ihram before the plane crosses the miqat.

2. 2
   Keep the rules of ihram

   No perfume, no cutting hair or nails, no intimacy, no hunting and no arguing. Men do not cover the head or face or wear stitched clothing; women do not let a cloth rest on the face and do not wear gloves. Keep saying the talbiyah often.

3. 3
   Tawaf: seven rounds

   With wudu, start at the Black Stone, face it, raise your hands, say Bismillāhi Allāhu akbar, and touch or point to it. Go round the Ka'bah seven times, anticlockwise, pointing to the Stone at the start of each round. Men keep the right shoulder uncovered for this tawaf and walk briskly in the first three rounds. Stop the talbiyah when you begin.

4. 4
   Pray two rak'ahs and drink Zamzam

   After the seventh round pray two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim if you can, or anywhere in the masjid. These are wajib in the Hanafi school. Then drink Zamzam water.

5. 5
   Sa'i: seven laps

   Go to Safa, face the Ka'bah and make dua, then walk to Marwah: that is one lap. Marwah back to Safa is the second. Finish the seventh at Marwah. Men jog lightly between the green lights. Wudu is not required for sa'i but is better.

6. 6
   Shave or trim

   Men shave the head, which is better, or trim at least a quarter of the head by a fingertip's length. Women trim about a fingertip's length from the ends of their hair. Your Umrah is complete and the rules of ihram end.

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