1. Enter ihram
Perform ghusl, then two unstitched white cloths for men, izar at the waist, rida over the shoulders. Women wear ordinary modest dress with the face and hands uncovered. Make the intention and begin the Talbiyah.
Where people go wrong: applying scented soap or deodorant after entering ihram. Do all of it before you change.
2. Cross the miqat
Flights from India cross Yalamlam, announced about 30 minutes before landing. Routing via Madinah, the miqat is Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali).
Crossing without ihram carries a penalty and a journey back to the boundary.
3. Perform tawaf
Seven circuits anticlockwise, beginning and ending at the Black Stone corner. Men perform idtiba throughout and ramal in the first three circuits. Then two rakah behind Maqam Ibrahim, and Zamzam.
At peak density the ground-floor Mataf takes 90 minutes. The first floor is roughly double the distance but half the time; the roof is calmest.
4. Perform sa'i
Seven lengths between Safa and Marwah, starting at Safa and ending at Marwah. About 3.15 km on flat, air-conditioned marble.
Seven lengths, not seven round trips. Safa to Marwah counts as one. Finishing at Safa means you have miscounted.
5. Halq or taqsir
Men shave the head or trim it evenly; women cut a fingertip length. This completes Umrah and releases every restriction of ihram.
Use a licensed barbershop with sterilised blades.
Common questions
How do you perform Umrah step by step?
Enter ihram before crossing the miqat, perform seven circuits of tawaf around the Kaaba starting at the Black Stone corner, pray two rakah behind Maqam Ibrahim and drink Zamzam, perform seven lengths of sa'i from Safa to Marwah, then shave or trim the hair. The rites take three to five hours.
How long does it take to perform Umrah?
Three to five hours for the rites. Tawaf takes 45 to 90 minutes depending on crowd density, sa'i takes 40 to 70 minutes, and halq about 10 minutes. At peak Ramadan the same rites can take seven hours.
Is sa'i seven times or fourteen?
Seven lengths, not seven round trips. Safa to Marwah is length one and Marwah to Safa is length two. The seventh ends at Marwah.
What breaks ihram?
Applying perfume or scented products, cutting hair or nails, covering the head for men or the face for women, hunting, marital relations, and arguing. The most common accidental breach is scented soap after entering ihram.