Assalamu Alaikum, dear traveller. Here is how to perform Umrah in one breath: enter ihram before the miqat with your intention and the talbiyah, walk seven rounds of tawaf around the Kaaba, pray two rakahs, walk seven laps between Safa and Marwah, then shave or trim your hair. That is the whole of it, and for most pilgrims it takes a few hours, not a few days.
If your stomach flips every time you picture the crowds, the rounds and the duas, you are not alone. I have been blessed to perform Umrah several times now, and I still remember how anxious I felt before the first one.
In this guide you will find the 7 steps in order, a one-page checklist, the exact words the Prophet ﷺ said at each point with their sources, what changes for women, and the 1448 season dates for your permit. I will also clear up the one worry that spoils more first tawafs than any crowd: the dua booklet. You will find that in step 3.
Last updated: 9 November 2026
Key takeaways
- Umrah has four core acts: ihram, tawaf, sa’i and cutting the hair.
- There is no special dua for each round of tawaf, so make dua in your own words.
- At the Black Stone the Prophet ﷺ said Allahu akbar, and between the Yemeni corner and the Stone he said “Rabbana atina…”.
- Sa’i starts at Safa and ends at Marwah, seven laps in all.
- Women trim a little hair; they do not shave.
- You need a Nusuk permit, and the last day to enter Saudi Arabia for Umrah this season is 23 March 2027.
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “(The performance of) `Umra is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise.”
Narrated by Abu Huraira. Sahih al-Bukhari 1773 (Sahih al-Bukhari)
How I source this: every verse is quoted from Saheeh International on quran.com and every hadith from sunnah.com with its grade. Scholar views are summarised and linked, never my own ruling. More about me.
Why Knowing How to Perform Umrah Matters Before You Fly
Picture a mother on her first Umrah. She has saved for years and landed at two in the morning. In one hand she holds a printed booklet, in the other her daughter’s hand. By the fourth round she has lost count, the booklet is on the wrong page, and the hour she dreamed about is spent worrying instead of talking to Allah.
Getting it wrong has a real cost. Lose count and you may need to redo a round. Skip the hair cut and you are still in ihram, which is the mistake I will come back to in step 6. Read words you do not understand for an hour, and you can come home feeling you were there but never fully present. On my own first Umrah, I lost count of my rounds during tawaf, and that moment of panic is why counting gets its own tip in step 3.
My biggest worry that first time was simply doing it right, and the fear that one small slip would spoil the whole Umrah. The good news is that Umrah is simple. Learning how to perform Umrah takes one calm evening, and this page is built so you can read it once and carry the checklist with you.
How to Perform Umrah at a Glance
| Step | What you do | Where | Words with a source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Prepare | Ghusl, ihram clothes, check your Nusuk permit | Home, hotel or airport | None fixed |
| 2. Ihram | Intention and talbiyah | Before the miqat | Talbiyah (Bukhari 1549) |
| 3. Tawaf | 7 rounds, Kaaba on your left, start and end at the Black Stone | The mataf | Allahu akbar at the Stone (Bukhari 1613); Rabbana atina between the corners (Abu Dawud 1892) |
| 4. Two rakahs | Pray behind Maqam Ibrahim if you can, then drink Zamzam | Anywhere in the mosque if crowded | Quran 2:125 |
| 5. Sa’i | 7 laps, Safa to Marwah | The mas’a | Quran 2:158 near Safa (Muslim 1218) |
| 6. Hair | Men shave or trim, women trim | Near Marwah or in your hotel | Bukhari 1727, Abu Dawud 1985 |
| 7. Finish | Leave ihram, rest and give thanks | Your hotel | Your own dua |
Save this table on your phone. It is the whole answer to how to perform Umrah on one screen.
How to Perform Umrah Step by Step: The 7 Steps
Here are the seven steps in the order you will do them, with the evidence for each one. Read them once at home, then again the night before you go to the Haram.
Step 1: Prepare before you reach the miqat
The first part of how to perform Umrah happens before you even see the Haram. So settle these things at home or in your hotel:
✔ Before you leave
- Check your visa and your Umrah permit. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah issues Umrah permits through the Nusuk app, and you need both.
- Take a ghusl and clip your nails before you enter ihram.
- Men: put on the two white ihram cloths. Women: wear any loose, modest clothes; there is no special colour or garment.
- Pack a small bag: water, unscented wipes, a tasbih counter, a bag for your shoes, and small scissors.
| 1448 Umrah season | Date |
|---|---|
| Season opened (visas and arrivals) | 31 May 2026 |
| Last day for Umrah visas | 9 March 2027 |
| Last day to enter Saudi Arabia | 23 March 2027 |
| Last day to leave Saudi Arabia | 7 April 2027 |
These dates come from the Ministry’s 1448 season calendar. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February, so an Umrah in Ramadan still fits inside the season. Book early, though, because Ramadan permits go fast.
Step 2: Enter ihram at the miqat
The miqat is the boundary a pilgrim does not cross without being in ihram. If you fly, your airline or group usually announces it. Many pilgrims change at the airport and make the intention on the plane, and the Ministry’s ihram guide explains entering ihram on a plane.
Make the intention for Umrah in your heart. According to the Ministry’s guide, the pilgrim says Labbayka ‘Umratan and then begins the talbiyah, repeating it until tawaf begins:
The Talbiya of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was : ‘Labbaika Allahumma labbaik, Labbaika la sharika Laka labbaik, Inna-l-hamda wan-ni’mata Laka walmulk, La sharika Laka’ (I respond to Your call O Allah, I respond to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders, You have no partner, I respond to Your call All the praises and blessings are for You, All the sovereignty is for You, And You have no partners with you.
Narrated by `Abdullah bin `Umar. Sahih al-Bukhari 1549 (Sahih al-Bukhari)
From this moment, a few everyday things are paused. These include perfume, cutting hair or nails, and marital intimacy. Men also avoid stitched clothes and covering the head, and women avoid the niqab and gloves. For the full list, read IslamQA’s things to avoid in ihram and the Ministry’s ihram page. If you slip, ask a qualified scholar rather than guessing.
Step 3: Walk seven rounds of tawaf
Tawaf is the heart of how to perform Umrah, so take your time here.
Make wudu, enter Masjid al-Haram and head for the line of the Black Stone. Tawaf is seven rounds around the Kaaba, with the Kaaba on your left, starting and ending at the Black Stone. The first time I saw the Kaaba, I cried, and the first thing I did was make dua.
Each time you pass the Black Stone, face it, raise your right hand towards it and say Allahu akbar. You do not have to touch or kiss it. In fact, pushing through the crowd to reach it can hurt people, and the Prophet ﷺ himself pointed to it:
The Prophet (ﷺ) performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba riding a camel, and every time he came in front of the Corner (having the Black Stone), he pointed towards it with something he had with him and said Takbir.
Narrated by Ibn `Abbas. Sahih al-Bukhari 1613 (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Men uncover the right shoulder during this tawaf and walk briskly in the first three rounds, as Jabir described in Sahih Muslim 1218. Women walk at a normal pace throughout.
Now, the dua booklet worry I promised to clear up. Many of us arrive believing there is a set dua for round one, another for round two, and so on, and that tawaf only counts if we read them all. That is not what the Sunnah teaches. IslamQA quotes Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin, who both explain that no specific dua is reported from the Prophet ﷺ for each round. Read their words on IslamQA. In fact, the only fixed words are Allahu akbar at the Stone and this short dua between the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say between the two corners: O Allah, bring us a blessing in this world and a blessing in the next and guard us from punishment of Hell.
Narrated by Abdullah ibn as-Sa’ib. Sunan Abi Dawud 1892 · Grade: Hasan (Al-Albani)
For the rest of each round, talk to Allah in your own language. Ask for your parents, your children, your health and your Jannah, or recite Quran if you prefer. I carried a printed dua booklet on my first trip, but for most of the rounds I closed it and made my own dua.
To keep count, move a tasbih ring one bead per round or fold one finger at a time. If you do lose count, ask the scholar with your group what to do. On my trips, a family member kept count for us, which left me free to focus on my dua. I did my tawaf after Fajr, when the marble was cool and the morning felt calm.
Step 4: Pray two rakahs and drink Zamzam
After the seventh round, go towards Maqam Ibrahim and pray two short rakahs, behind it if you can, or anywhere in the mosque when it is crowded. In Jabir’s report in Sahih Muslim 1218, the Prophet ﷺ recited this verse on his way there, and Surah al-Ikhlas and Surah al-Kafirun are mentioned for the two rakahs:
And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer.
Quran 2:125 (Saheeh International)
Then drink Zamzam and make dua. If you have little ones at home, my storybook The Story of Zam Zam Water is a gentle way to tell them where this blessed water comes from.
Step 5: Walk seven laps of sa'i between Safa and Marwah
Sa’i is the walk between the two small hills of Safa and Marwah, now inside the mosque. Allah names them among His symbols:
Indeed, aṣ-Ṣafā and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allāh. So whoever makes ḥajj [pilgrimage] to the House or performs ʿumrah – there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allāh is Appreciative and Knowing.
Quran 2:158 (Saheeh International)
As the Prophet ﷺ came near Safa he recited that verse. Jabir reported what he said next:
“ Al-Safa’ and al-Marwa are among the signs appointed by Allah,” (adding: ) I begin with what Allah (has commanded me) to begin. He first mounted al-Safa’ till he saw the House, and facing Qibla he declared the Oneness of Allah and glorified Him, and said:“ There is no god but Allah, One, there is no partner with Him. His is the Sovereignty. to Him praise is due. and He is Powerful over everything. There is no god but Allah alone, Who fulfilled His promise, helped His servant and routed the confederates alone.”
Part of the narration of Jabir. Sahih Muslim 1218 (Sahih Muslim)
- At Safa, face the Kaaba, raise your hands, say the dhikr above and make your own dua.
- Walk to Marwah. That is lap one. Men hurry between the green lights on the floor; women walk.
- At Marwah, face the Kaaba and repeat the dhikr and dua.
- Walk back to Safa. That is lap two, not the end of lap one.
- Keep going until you finish lap seven at Marwah.
Remember that one trip is one lap. So you start at Safa and you always finish at Marwah, which IslamQA’s Umrah guide also sets out step by step.
If you like having everything on paper, I made The Umrah Experience: Guide, Planner & Journal for exactly this, with room to write your duas and reflections. For the practical side, the Umrah Planner Printable has 33 checklists, from documents and packing to the ritual sequence and a printable dua card.
Step 6: Shave or trim your hair
This is the step people forget, and the mistake I mentioned at the start. Your Umrah ends with halq (shaving) or taqsir (trimming), and the Prophet ﷺ made dua for both:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “O Allah! Be merciful to those who have their head shaved.” The people said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! And (invoke Allah for) those who get their hair cut short.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “O Allah! Be merciful to those who have their head shaved.” The people said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! And those who get their hair cut short.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said (the third time), “And to those who get their hair cut short.”
Narrated by `Abdullah bin `Umar. Sahih al-Bukhari 1727 (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Men may shave the whole head or trim from all over it. Women only trim:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Shaving is not a duty laid on women; only clipping the hair is incumbent on them.
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas. Sunan Abi Dawud 1985 · Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)
Many scholars mention trimming about a fingertip’s length for women, so follow your school or ask a scholar. Do it in private, with your mahram or a sister, using the small scissors you packed. I wore a plain abaya and hijab in ihram, and my mahram trimmed my hair with small scissors.
If you have already changed out of ihram before cutting your hair, do not panic and do not guess. Instead, ask a qualified scholar before you fly home.
Step 7: Leave ihram with a grateful heart
Once your hair is cut, your Umrah is complete and the restrictions of ihram lift. Change, rest, eat something and thank Allah for bringing you here. Then plan the rest of your trip. Many families travel on to Madinah next, and my guide on how to make the most of your time in Madinah during Umrah walks you through how to spend your days there.
How to Perform Umrah as a Woman: Ihram, Periods and Hair
Sisters, most of how to perform Umrah is the same for you. However, a few details are different, and it helps to know them before you travel.
- Clothes: there is no special ihram garment for women, so wear loose, modest clothes you can walk in for hours. Scholars explain that the niqab and gloves are not worn in ihram; IslamQA explains how women cover the face when needed in its answer on things to avoid in ihram.
- Hair: trim, never shave, as in step 6.
- Your period: this worries so many of us. When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) got her period on the way to Hajj, the Prophet ﷺ comforted her with the words below.
“This is the thing which Allah has ordained for all the daughters of Adam. So do what all the pilgrims do except that you do not perform the Tawaf round the Ka`ba till you are clean.”
Part of the narration of `Aisha. Sahih al-Bukhari 305 (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Scholars discuss what to do when your flight dates leave no time to wait, and the answer depends on your situation. So please ask a qualified scholar before you travel, and keep your plans flexible if you can.
5 Common Mistakes People Make When Learning How to Perform Umrah
Knowing how to perform Umrah also means knowing what to avoid. Watch out for these five slips:
- Reading a booklet for every round instead of making your own heartfelt dua.
- Pushing to touch the Black Stone. Pointing and saying Allahu akbar is enough.
- Counting a return trip as one lap of sa’i. Safa to Marwah is one lap; Marwah to Safa is the second.
- Changing out of ihram before the hair cut. Cut first, then change.
- Leaving the permit to the last minute. Check your Nusuk permit and visa dates weeks ahead, especially for Ramadan.
Way Forward: Your How to Perform Umrah Checklist
- Two weeks before: check your Nusuk permit, your visa dates and your hotel booking.
- The night before: pack your ihram, a tasbih counter, unscented soap and small scissors. Read this guide once more.
- At the airport: change into ihram and make wudu.
- Before the miqat: make the intention and begin the talbiyah.
- At the Haram: tawaf, two rakahs, Zamzam, sa’i, then the hair cut.
- Afterwards: rest, give thanks and plan your days, including Madinah.
Still planning? My guide on how to prepare for your first Umrah journey covers the weeks before you fly, and the Umrah packing checklist makes sure nothing is left behind. Travelling with children? Read the family guide to a successful Umrah, and share Yusuf and Fatima’s First Umrah with your little ones before you go.
Recap
- Prepare: permit, ghusl, ihram clothes.
- Ihram: intention and talbiyah before the miqat.
- Tawaf: 7 rounds, Allahu akbar at the Stone, Rabbana atina between the corners, your own dua in between.
- Two rakahs, then Zamzam.
- Sa’i: 7 laps, Safa to Marwah.
- Hair: men shave or trim, women trim. Then you are done.
FAQ: How to Perform Umrah
How long does it take to perform Umrah?
What are the four main parts of Umrah?
Is there a special dua for each round of tawaf?
Do I need a Nusuk permit to perform Umrah?
Can a woman perform Umrah during her period?
What is the last date to enter Saudi Arabia for Umrah this season?
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to perform Umrah is not about memorising a booklet. It is about knowing the few things that must be done, and then giving your heart to Allah in between. Walk slowly, keep your dua simple and honest, and let the crowd fade away. If I could hand every first-time pilgrim one thing, it would be this: renew your intention at every step, and keep remembering why you came.
But among them is he who says, “Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
Quran 2:201 (Saheeh International)
Ya Allah, invite every reader of this page to Your House, accept their Umrah, forgive their sins and bring them home with hearts that stay close to You. Ameen ya Rabb.
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If this guide helped you, share it with someone who is getting ready for their first Umrah. Every share is a little sadaqah.
Written by Madiha Ali
Self-taught designer behind Pink Pastel Studio. I check every verse on quran.com and every hadith on sunnah.com. Last reviewed: November 2026.
Follow along on Instagram for gentle daily reminders: @pinkpastelstudio.
Sources: Quran 2:125, Quran 2:158, Quran 2:201 (Saheeh International, quran.com); Sahih al-Bukhari 1773, 1549, 1613, 1727, 305, Sahih Muslim 1218, Sunan Abi Dawud 1892, 1985 (sunnah.com); Ministry of Hajj and Umrah: 1448 season calendar, Ministry: Ihram; IslamQA 154979, 109246, 11356.
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