Practical guidance
Umrah for women
Clothing, the rites, prayer areas and Rawdah visits, menstruation, and travel rules — the points that differ for women.
The rites are the same for women and men. These are the points that differ.
Clothing in ihram
There is no special garment for women. Wear your normal loose, modest clothing in any colour, with hijab. The face and hands remain uncovered in ihram: no niqab and no gloves. Many women lower a loose cloth over the face when near unrelated men, without it being fastened to the face.
In the rites
- Talbiyah: said so that the woman beside you can hear, not aloud.
- Tawaf: no raml (brisk walking) and no idtibaʿ.
- Saʿi: walk at a normal pace between the green markers. Only men jog.
- Taqsir: cut about a fingertip's length from the ends of the hair. Women do not shave.
Menstruation and post-natal bleeding
A woman who is menstruating can enter ihram at the miqat and do everything except tawaf. She waits until she is pure, takes ghusl, and then performs tawaf and saʿi. If you are travelling with a tight schedule, ask a scholar before you go about your situation.
Prayer areas and the Rawdah
Both mosques have large women's sections with their own entrances. In Madinah, Rawdah visits are booked in the Nusuk app, with separate time slots for women.
Travelling without a mahram
Saudi regulations no longer require women to travel with a mahram to receive an Umrah visa or permit. The religious ruling on travelling without a mahram is a matter of difference between scholars. Ask a scholar you trust.