What Is The Correct Manner Of Performing Umrah Established From The Sunnah Of The Prophet ﷺ?

Third: Entering Al-Masjid Al-Haram and Performing Tawaf When the person performing Umrah reaches Al-Masjid Al-Haram, he enters with his right foot and recites the dhikr for entering the mosque. He then proceeds toward the Kaabah. He begins tawaf from the Black Stone, keeping the Kaabah on his left, and performs seven circuits. If he is able to touch and kiss the Black Stone without harming others or crowding them, he may do so. Otherwise, he touches it with his hand and kisses his hand. If that is not possible, he points toward it and says the takbir. He should not crowd or push people in order to reach it. There is no specific dua authentically established from the Prophet ﷺ for each circuit of tawaf. Rather, a person may remember Allah, make dua, and recite whatever he is able to from the Quran. It is recommended to say between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone: "Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ A Sunnah Specific to Men: During the tawaf of Umrah, it is Sunnah for a man to perform: Idtiba: He places the middle of his rida beneath his right armpit and places its two ends over his left shoulder, thereby leaving his right shoulder uncovered. Ramal: He walks briskly with short steps during the first three circuits and walks normally during the remaining four. These two practices are specific to men and not women. A woman walks normally while maintaining her covering and modesty. After completing the seven circuits, the man covers his shoulder again. He then performs two rakahs if possible. It is recommended to perform them behind Maqam Ibrahim if this can be done without crowding or harming others. Fourth: Should a Woman Uncover Her Face During Tawaf and Sai? This is an important issue concerning which some women performing Umrah make mistakes.

Fifth: Sai Between Safa and Marwah After tawaf and its two rakahs, the person performing Umrah proceeds to Safa. He begins at Safa and then proceeds toward Marwah. Going from Safa to Marwah counts as one round, and returning from Marwah to Safa counts as the second round. He continues in this manner until completing seven rounds: Safa → Marwah = first round Marwah → Safa = second round This continues until the seventh round, which is from Safa to Marwah. He remembers Allah and makes dua upon Safa and Marwah and faces the qiblah when making dua. A man walks briskly between the two green markers. A woman, however, does not walk briskly between the two markers. Rather, she walks normally because she is required to maintain her covering and avoid movements that conflict with that. Likewise, there is no ramal for her during tawaf. Wudu is not a condition for the validity of sai, although remaining in a state of purity is preferable. Sixth: Shaving or Shortening the Hair. When a man finishes sai, he shaves his head or shortens his hair. Shaving is generally preferable because the Prophet ﷺ supplicated for those who shave their heads more than once. However, if the Umrah is close to the time of Hajj, shortening the hair is preferable so that some hair remains to be shaved during Hajj. The shortening should be done from the entire head and should not be limited to only a few hairs on one side. As for a woman: She does not shave her head. Rather, she shortens a small amount from the ends of her hair. "A woman only shortens her hair." The Sunnah for her is to shorten her hair. She is not to shave her head during either Hajj or Umrah. Upon shaving or shortening the hair, the Umrah is completed and the person exits the state of ihram. The prohibitions of ihram then become permissible for him again. Important Rulings Specific to Women: 1. There is no specific ihram clothing for a woman. She may enter ihram wearing a black abaya or clothing of another permissible color. What matters is that the clothing properly covers her, is not a form of tabarruj, and does not attract attention. 2. She does not wear the niqab while in ihram. This is based on the previously mentioned hadith of Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما: "A woman in ihram should not wear the niqab or gloves." 3. She covers her face from non-mahram men. However, she does so with something other than the niqab, such as the khimar, jilbab, or something similar. 4. She does not wear gloves. She may cover her hands by lowering her abaya or jilbab over them. 5. She does not crowd men in order to reach the Black Stone. Maintaining her covering and avoiding crowding with men takes precedence over the Sunnah of touching the Black Stone. 6. There is no ramal or brisk walking for her. She does not perform ramal during the first three circuits of tawaf, nor does she walk briskly between the two green markers during sai. 7. Menstruation does not prevent her from entering ihram. If her menstruation begins before reaching the miqat, she still enters ihram, recites the talbiyah, and performs whatever acts of the ritual she is able to perform. However, she does not perform tawaf around the Kaabah until she becomes pure and performs ghusl. The Obligatory Acts and Sunnahs in Brief: The fundamental acts of Umrah are: entering ihram from the miqat, performing seven circuits of tawaf, performing seven rounds of sai, and shaving or shortening the hair. Ibn Baz رحمه الله explained that Umrah is completed after tawaf, sai, and shaving or shortening the hair. Among the Sunnahs are: performing ghusl before entering ihram, applying perfume for a man before entering ihram, reciting the talbiyah, touching the Black Stone when possible without harming others, ramal and idtiba for men in their appropriate places, performing the two rakahs of tawaf, and frequently remembering Allah and making dua. Among the prohibited acts after entering ihram are: applying perfume, removing hair or trimming the nails without an excuse, sexual intercourse and its مقدمات, contracting a marriage, hunting land game, and the clothing prohibitions that specifically apply to men and women. Conclusion: The manner of performing Umrah, in very brief terms, is: Enter ihram from the miqat → recite the talbiyah for Umrah → perform seven circuits of tawaf around the Kaabah → perform two rakahs → perform seven rounds of sai between Safa and Marwah → the man shaves or shortens his hair, while the woman only shortens her hair → the Umrah is thereby completed and the person exits the state of ihram. As for a woman, she is not required to uncover her face during tawaf and sai. Rather, she does not wear the niqab while in ihram, but she covers her face with her khimar or jilbab when non-mahram men are present.