Among the worships in Islam, one act of worship is to perform hajj. This is obligatory on those who can afford. In pilgrimage, Muslims go to makkah mukaramah and madina munawara to perform and complete hajj. The hajj is completed in makkah, in baitullah. There is not other place on earth which can be taken as to be visited as hajj. If you find people visiting Iran or Israel or any other place and call their visit or trip as hajj then they are wrong and falsehood is their purpose.
Hajj is performed once a year in the month of zilhajj. Other than hajj period if one goes to baitullah and performs the necessary rituals then this small pilgrimage at any time of year will be called umrah. The point to be noted is that during hajj, umrah is performed as a must ritual of hajj. But other than hajj, umrah is not a compulsory worship, though it is of great reward.
Allah says in the Quran:
"---fulfill Hajj and umrah to Allah". (Quran 2: 196)
Great Virtues of Performing umrah
Prophet (peace be upon him) has described the great merits of performing umrah saying:
1- "The people who come to perform Hajj or umrah are the guests of Allah because they visit His House on His Call; therefore, Allah grants them what they ask for"
2- "One umrah becomes an atonement for the sins committed up to the next umrah "
Umrah is performed in Ramadan because it is commendable and is considered equal to hajj.
Like hajj of baitullah, umrah also has certain rules which are to be followed those rules are given in the following lines as prescribed by the scholars.
umrah is a Sunna (Sunna is following prophet Mohammad (PBUH)):
umrah is neither imperative (Fard) nor obligatory (wajib), but performing umrah once in a life time is a Sunna. However, once or more than once, whenever it is performed, it fetches great rewards.
2- No Fixed Time:
umrah can be performed during anytime in the year, there is no fixed month, day or time for umrah as the case with Hajj, as said earlier.
3- The station of Ihram (Miqat):
The station of Ihram (Miqat) for umrah is Hill for the residents of the Haram of Mecca and the people of Hill. As mentioned later, the area between the five appointed Miqats of Hajj and the bounds of the Haram of Mecca is called Hill. The outsiders, (comers) who come to Mecca for Hajj and umrah should already be in Ihram before entering into Mecca. However, for subsequent Umrahs, even they have to go to Hill to put on Ihram. For this purpose, buses outside.
The rights of umrah are
Entering the state of Ihram
- Tawaf of Kabah
- Sayee (running) between the hills of Safa and Marwah
- Shaving and clipping of the hair (after you finish the umrah)
In umrah, the satans are not stoned as they are stoned in hajj and during umrah the visit of madinah is not made like hajj. Nor the visit to Arafat and muzdalfah is made. Sacrifise is also not done in umrah.
Then comes the next step to perform umrah it should be performed properly so that is could be accepted.
Here are the steps given in below lines;
Ihram:
You should be already in Ihram for umrah before entering Mecca or as mentioned earlier, enter the state of Ihram at Masjid Aicha in Hill if it is your subsequent umrah or if you are the resident of the Haram of Mecca or of Hill. If you are entering into Ihram now, your next step is to cover your head and pray two rakahs. Then uncover your head, intend to perform umrah and proclaim Talbiyah three times and as often afterwards as possible. This starts all the restrictions of Ihram which are listed in the description of Hajj. You may review the complete procedure to enter into Ihram discussed earlier.
Entering Masjid al-Haram:
While reciting Talbiyah, enter Al- Masjid Al-Haram preferably through Bab Al Salam. Supplicate to Allah and proceed towards Kabah. You may recite the following supplication which is usually used before entering a mosque:
1. Allahumma eftah li abwabe rahmateka (Allah, open to me your doors of mercy)
2. First Sight: At the first sight of Kabah, keep your eyes fixed at it and standing at one side, it is suggested that you do the following:
- Say Allahu Akbar: three times (Allah is the Greatest)
- Say La-Ilaha-Illa-Allah: three times (There is no god but Allah)
- Say May peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad)
- Then supplicate to Allah as you wish. This is a special time for the acceptance of prayers.
(The content about rights, rules and steps of umrah are taken from islamonline as a scholarly point of view.)
Hajj is performed once a year in the month of zilhajj. Other than hajj period if one goes to baitullah and performs the necessary rituals then this small pilgrimage at any time of year will be called umrah. The point to be noted is that during hajj, umrah is performed as a must ritual of hajj. But other than hajj, umrah is not a compulsory worship, though it is of great reward.
Allah says in the Quran:
"---fulfill Hajj and umrah to Allah". (Quran 2: 196)
Great Virtues of Performing umrah
Prophet (peace be upon him) has described the great merits of performing umrah saying:
1- "The people who come to perform Hajj or umrah are the guests of Allah because they visit His House on His Call; therefore, Allah grants them what they ask for"
2- "One umrah becomes an atonement for the sins committed up to the next umrah "
Umrah is performed in Ramadan because it is commendable and is considered equal to hajj.
Like hajj of baitullah, umrah also has certain rules which are to be followed those rules are given in the following lines as prescribed by the scholars.
umrah is a Sunna (Sunna is following prophet Mohammad (PBUH)):
umrah is neither imperative (Fard) nor obligatory (wajib), but performing umrah once in a life time is a Sunna. However, once or more than once, whenever it is performed, it fetches great rewards.
2- No Fixed Time:
umrah can be performed during anytime in the year, there is no fixed month, day or time for umrah as the case with Hajj, as said earlier.
3- The station of Ihram (Miqat):
The station of Ihram (Miqat) for umrah is Hill for the residents of the Haram of Mecca and the people of Hill. As mentioned later, the area between the five appointed Miqats of Hajj and the bounds of the Haram of Mecca is called Hill. The outsiders, (comers) who come to Mecca for Hajj and umrah should already be in Ihram before entering into Mecca. However, for subsequent Umrahs, even they have to go to Hill to put on Ihram. For this purpose, buses outside.
The rights of umrah are
Entering the state of Ihram
- Tawaf of Kabah
- Sayee (running) between the hills of Safa and Marwah
- Shaving and clipping of the hair (after you finish the umrah)
In umrah, the satans are not stoned as they are stoned in hajj and during umrah the visit of madinah is not made like hajj. Nor the visit to Arafat and muzdalfah is made. Sacrifise is also not done in umrah.
Then comes the next step to perform umrah it should be performed properly so that is could be accepted.
Here are the steps given in below lines;
Ihram:
You should be already in Ihram for umrah before entering Mecca or as mentioned earlier, enter the state of Ihram at Masjid Aicha in Hill if it is your subsequent umrah or if you are the resident of the Haram of Mecca or of Hill. If you are entering into Ihram now, your next step is to cover your head and pray two rakahs. Then uncover your head, intend to perform umrah and proclaim Talbiyah three times and as often afterwards as possible. This starts all the restrictions of Ihram which are listed in the description of Hajj. You may review the complete procedure to enter into Ihram discussed earlier.
Entering Masjid al-Haram:
While reciting Talbiyah, enter Al- Masjid Al-Haram preferably through Bab Al Salam. Supplicate to Allah and proceed towards Kabah. You may recite the following supplication which is usually used before entering a mosque:
1. Allahumma eftah li abwabe rahmateka (Allah, open to me your doors of mercy)
2. First Sight: At the first sight of Kabah, keep your eyes fixed at it and standing at one side, it is suggested that you do the following:
- Say Allahu Akbar: three times (Allah is the Greatest)
- Say La-Ilaha-Illa-Allah: three times (There is no god but Allah)
- Say May peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad)
- Then supplicate to Allah as you wish. This is a special time for the acceptance of prayers.
(The content about rights, rules and steps of umrah are taken from islamonline as a scholarly point of view.)