How to perform Umrah: a step by step guide

Last checked against official Saudi sources: 9 November 2026. Rules change, so we confirm current requirements before every booking.

Umrah has four main steps: enter ihram at or before the miqat with the intention for Umrah, perform Tawaf around the Kaaba seven times, walk Sa’i between Safa and Marwah seven times, then shave or shorten your hair. After that, your Umrah is complete and you leave the state of ihram.

This guide follows the basics described by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. For detailed fiqh questions, or your own situation, please ask a qualified scholar.

Before you leave home

• Learn the steps and the Talbiyah before you travel.
• Book your Umrah permit in the Nusuk app for your chosen date and time.
• Pack ihram clothing in your hand luggage, because you may need to put it on during the flight.

Step 1: Ihram at the miqat

Ihram is the sacred state you enter for Umrah. It begins with the intention in your heart and reciting the Talbiyah.

Preparing

The Ministry’s Ihram guide says it is sunnah to take a ghusl and apply fragrance to the body before entering ihram, and to begin ihram after a prayer.

• Men wear two unstitched cloths: the izar around the lower body and the rida over the upper body, preferably white. A belt or clips to hold the izar are fine.
• Women may wear any modest clothing that is loose, covers properly, is not for adornment, and does not restrict movement.

The miqat when flying from Pakistan

A miqat is a boundary you must not cross without being in ihram. The Ministry says this applies whether you arrive by air, land or sea, and that you enter ihram at the miqat or at a point parallel to it.

Important for flights to Jeddah: the Ministry states that King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah is not a miqat. Your plane crosses the miqat line before landing. Airlines heading to Jeddah usually announce when the aircraft is level with a miqat. Many travellers put on the ihram clothing before boarding, then make the intention and begin the Talbiyah when the announcement comes.

If you fly to Madinah first and spend time there, you enter ihram later at Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali), the miqat for people coming from Madinah.

Intention and Talbiyah

State your intention for Umrah, for example: Labbayka Allahumma Umrah. Then recite the Talbiyah:

Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wan-ni’mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.

Men say it aloud; women say it quietly. If you fear you may not be able to finish because of illness or something outside your control, the Ministry’s guide recommends adding a conditional intention (ishtirat).

Ihram restrictions

While in ihram, avoid perfume, cutting hair or nails, hunting, marital relations and marriage contracts. Men must not wear stitched, fitted clothing or cover their heads. Women must not wear the niqab or gloves. Bathing and wearing sandals are allowed. Keep your speech and behaviour gentle and avoid arguments.

Step 2: Tawaf

On reaching Makkah, go to the Masjid al-Haram. Enter with your right foot and the supplication for entering a mosque. Stop the Talbiyah when you see the Kaaba or begin Tawaf.

1. Start at the line of the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad), with the Kaaba on your left.
2. Point your right hand towards the Black Stone and say Allahu Akbar. Do not push to touch or kiss it in a crowd.
3. Walk seven full circuits anticlockwise, each one starting and ending at the Black Stone.
4. Make any dua in any language. There is no fixed prayer required for each circuit.
5. After the seventh circuit, pray two rakahs behind Maqam Ibrahim if there is space, or anywhere in the mosque if it is crowded.
6. Drink Zamzam water.

Most scholars hold that you should be in a state of wudu for Tawaf. Questions about women in menstruation, illness, or breaking wudu during Tawaf are best taken to a scholar.

Step 3: Sa’i between Safa and Marwah

1. Go to Safa, face the Kaaba, and make dua.
2. Walk towards Marwah. Men jog lightly between the green markers; women walk normally.
3. Safa to Marwah counts as one lap, and Marwah back to Safa counts as the second.
4. Complete seven laps, finishing at Marwah.

Take breaks if you are tired, and ask the mosque staff for help if you need a wheelchair.

Step 4: Halq or taqsir

After Sa’i, you leave ihram by cutting your hair.

• Men shave the head (halq) or shorten the hair evenly (taqsir). Shaving is the more rewarded option.
• Women gather their hair and cut a small amount from the ends.

Your Umrah is now complete, and the ihram restrictions end.

Visiting Madinah and the Prophet’s Mosque

Visiting Madinah is not part of Umrah, but most travellers from Pakistan include it, and it is a deeply loved visit.

• Go with calm and respect. Enter the Prophet’s Mosque with your right foot, pray two rakahs, and keep your voice low.
• Sending salam. Greet the Prophet, peace be upon him, and then Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, quietly and without crowding or pushing. Follow the directions of the mosque staff.
• The Rawdah needs a permit. Praying in the Rawdah requires a booking in the Nusuk app. Visiting periods are separate for men and women and differ on Fridays. Check your booking details before you go.
• Be patient. Give others space, especially older visitors and wheelchair users.

A note on scholarly differences

This guide covers widely agreed basics. Schools of thought differ on some details, such as specific sunnah acts and what to do if a step is missed. If something goes wrong or you are unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

Planning your trip? Request a custom Umrah package with your dates, number of travellers and hotel preferences, and we will check the current visa and document rules for your case before you book.

Frequently asked questions