What is Umrah?

Umrah, often called the lesser pilgrimage, is a journey to the Kaaba in Makkah that can be made at any time of the year. Hajj happens on fixed days of Dhul Hijjah. Umrah can be done in a single morning or evening, in any season.

The Arabic word ʿumrah comes from a root meaning "to visit a place that is lived in". In practice it means visiting the Sacred House in Masjid al-Haram and completing four rites: ihram, tawaf, saʿi, and shaving or shortening the hair.

Why Muslims perform Umrah

Spiritual purification

The Prophet ﷺ described the pilgrims of Hajj and Umrah as the guests of Allah: if they call on Him, He answers; if they ask His forgiveness, He forgives.

Expiation of sins

"One Umrah to the next is an expiation for what lies between them." Many pilgrims return more than once in their lives for this reason.

Following the Sunnah

The Prophet ﷺ performed Umrah four times. Walking the same path connects pilgrims with fourteen centuries of worship at the same House.

The four rites at a glance

1. Ihram

   Enter the sacred state at the miqat with the intention for Umrah, then recite the talbiyah. Read the ihram guide.

2. Tawaf

   Circle the Kaaba seven times, counter-clockwise, starting at the Black Stone. Read the tawaf guide.

3. Saʿi

   Walk seven lengths between Safa and Marwah, starting at Safa. Read the saʿi guide.

4. Halq or taqsir

   Shave or shorten the hair. Your Umrah is complete and the restrictions of ihram are lifted. Read more.

History of the two holy mosques

Masjid al-Haram, Makkah

The Sacred Mosque surrounds the Kaaba and is the largest mosque in the world. In Islamic tradition the Kaaba was raised by the Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismaʿil as the first house of worship dedicated to the One God. Every Muslim faces it in prayer. Repeated expansions, most recently the King Abdullah expansion to the north, have brought its capacity to well over two million worshippers.

Masjid an-Nabawi, Madinah

The Prophet's Mosque was first built by the Prophet ﷺ himself in 622 CE, beside his home. It was a place of prayer, teaching and community life. It contains the Rawdah, the area between his house and his pulpit, described as one of the gardens of Paradise. The graves of the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr and ʿUmar lie within it. Visiting Madinah is not part of Umrah, but most pilgrims go.