Complete Umrah Rules for First-Time Pilgrims

While booking your first Umrah trip from UK is exhilarating, it can also come with a few nervous jitters. So this is where many first-time pilgrims get it wrong, fearing they won’t get the rituals right. With Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i and do’s and don’ts that surround them, it can feel like so much is at stake to get every step right.

This guide is a step-by-step roadmap to the Umrah rules with detailed notes that apply to UK pilgrims, including what you need to prepare before your flight and what will happen at each stage in Makkah; as well as all the mistakes most first timers make so you can avoid them.

What Are Umrah Rules?

Umrah terms and conditions are the aspects that ensure an Umrah to be valid in accordance with Islamic teachings, including the order of performance (Tarteeb), restrictions on individuals, and other factors. Umrah, on the other hand has a time range throughout the year besides having an approximate few hours for its proceeding but is still performed under a defined schedule of entering the state of Ihram, Tawaf (circumambulation) around Kaaba post which we shall perform a Sa’i (walking or running between Safa and Marwa or back and forth), and finally ending with Halq / Taqsir (shaving/ trimming hair).

Getting sequence right matters. Where one step is missed out or performed in a different order each action affects the validity of your Umrah and hence, most guidance like this will walk you through the process in the precise order of things that need to be done.

Who Must Follow Umrah Rules?

All those who come to Makkah to perform Umrah should follow these regulations, no matter which nationality they belong to or how many times they have done it before. However, there are some categories of pilgrims that should be considered:

• First-time pilgrims tend to need most guidance on sequence and etiquette.
• Women are expected to follow special requirements of Ihram attire and some flexibility concerning menstrual days.
• Elderly or disabled pilgrims are allowed some exemptions, such as being pushed in a wheelchair for Tawaf and Sa’i.
• Children coming along with parents are not under the same strictures, but many courteous hosts will tell guests that they should ensure their children and others adhere to most of the basic etiquettes.

We will discuss each of these groups in more detail later down.

Preparing for Umrah Before You Travel

Most of mistakes that occur during Umrah take place due to poor preparations at home rather than misunderstandings in Makkah itself. Before embarking on the journey to Saudi Arabia from the UK, it would be useful to:

• Be well-informed about ritual procedure, rather than learning everything at once when you get there.
• Pack the clothes for Ihram (men) in your hand baggage, as some pilgrims put themselves into the state of Ihram even prior to their trip.
• Find out if there is any Miqat point you need to cross before or during your flight.
• Have a general health checkup if you have any diseases, as the Tawaf and Sa’i require a good deal of walking.
• Cut nails and shave off your underarm hair before putting on the Ihram as this cannot be done after wearing Ihram.

This would eliminate a great deal of stress when you arrive at Jeddah or Madinah.

Ihram Rules Explained

Ihram is a state of mind as well as a physical state which the pilgrim must be in order to embark on the pilgrimage.

For males, two white, unstitched sheets are required where one is worn on the waist while the other is worn on the shoulders. Stiched clothes, underwear and shoes which cover the ankle bone are not allowed.

For females, normal clothes which cover their body parts, but the face and hands should remain uncovered (even though most prefer to cover themselves, which is also alright).

During the state of Ihram, both male and female pilgrims are prohibited from doing the following acts:

• Trimming their hair and nail
• Using perfumes or other such things
• Hunting and killing of animals
• Marriage relations
• Quarreling, fighting and using abusive language

The intention of performing Umrah must be made while wearing Ihram.

Miqat Rules Every Pilgrim Should Know

A Miqat is a designated boundary point beyond which pilgrims cannot pass without first entering Ihram. For pilgrims flying from UK, the relevant Miqat depends on your route:

• Flying direct UK to Jeddah: If you are on a direct flight from the UK to Jeddah, you must enter the state of Ihram before crossing the Miqat while in the air. You cannot wait until landing at Jeddah Airport to put on your Ihram or make your Niyyah (intention), as the flight passes over the Miqat boundary roughly 20 to 30 minutes before landing.
• Flying to Makkah via Madinah: The Miqat is Dhul Hulayfah, which is located on the outskirts of Madinah, and you will enter Ihram here before reaching Makkah.
• Flying to Makkah via any other Gulf city with stopover: You should confirm from your travel agent or airline.

Not entering into Ihram at Miqat when there is an intention of performing Umrah is a relatively frequent offense committed by pilgrims for the first time, but it does come with some religious repercussions, so better to recheck your route.

Step-by-Step Umrah Rules

Once you’ve arrived in Makkah in a state of Ihram, core sequence is:

1. Entering Masjid al-Haram (preferably with right foot and saying the entry dua).
2. Walk seven times in an anti-clockwise direction around the Kaaba.
3. Then you do two rak’ahs praying behind Maqam Ibrahim (or anywhere else in the mosque if it is crowded).
4. Drink Zamzam water.
5. Walk seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah.
6. Perform the Complete Halq (head shaving, for men) or Taqsir (hair trimming, for both men or women).

Once Halq or Taqsir is done, Umrah is complete and the restrictions of Ihram are lifted.

Tawaf Rules for First-Time Pilgrims

Tawaf refers to circling around the Kaaba seven times starting and ending from the Black Stone (Hajar Al Aswad).

• The circuits should be performed anti-clockwise where the Kaaba is on your left hand side.
• Every circuit starts and ends from a point that is level with the Black Stone and kissing or touching it is Sunnah, not obligatory, and isn’t worth pushing through crowds for. 
• It is advised that men walk with slightly more speed (Ramal) during the first three circuits but this is optional especially when the crowd is thick.
• Ablution is important throughout the process of Tawaf.
• There is no specified dua for every circuit although there is a certain dua advised during the last bit of each circuit.

Many beginners do not expect how physically strenuous Tawaf may be.

Sa’i Rules Between Safa and Marwah

Sa’i re-enacts Hajar’s search for water between the hills of Safa and Marwah, and consists of seven one-way passes (Safa to Marwah counts as one, Marwah back to Safa counts as the next).

• Begin from Safa, look towards the Kaaba, and pray the dua of Sa’i before starting.
• Jogging between the two green markers in the path is suggested for men but is not compulsory for women.
• There is no need for new Wudu in Sa’i, even though it is recommended.
• The seventh pass should have ended by reaching Marwah and not returning to Safa.

Counting the rounds in Sa’i can become difficult for newcomers and hence a tasbih or phone app may prove helpful.

Hair Cutting Rules After Umrah

Umrah concludes with Halq (shaving), or Taqsir (trimming) which is the final procedure to complete the process of performing Hajj in addition to formally ending Ihram.

• Men can perform either Halq (shaving of the head) or Taqsir (shortening hair).
• A woman can only trim a small portion of her hair (roughly the length of a fingertip); shaving the head is strictly prohibited for women.
• It should take place after performance of Sa’i, as performing it before will not be effective.

Once this is done, all earlier Ihram restrictions (perfume, cutting nails, marital relations, and so on) are lifted.

Things Forbidden During Umrah

In the state of Ihram (only), pilgrims must avoid:

• Wearing perfume or scented products
• Cutting hair or nails
• For men, head coverage; for women face cover (with some scholarly leeway)
• Hunting of animals and destruction of plants within Shahr Haram
• Anything that leads to sexual relations or indecency
• Yelling, Swearing or Physical Outburst

A number of these prohibitions (for instance, not arguing or behaving badly) should be maintained even after the Ihram has been removed for the duration of the trip.

Common Umrah Mistakes to Avoid

From the mistakes made by first-timers on pilgrimage:

• Missing out on Ihram while going through the Miqat unintentionally, especially during connecting flights.
• Counting failure during Tawaf and Sa’i, which leads to either doing more rounds than necessary or not completing the number of rounds.
• Being impatient in touching the Black Stone and creating congestion and injuries.
• Trimming nails and hair before Sa’i while still in Ihram.
• Sa’i without Tawaf or in a reverse order.
• Not taking enough water and becoming dehydrated during Tawaf, particularly in hot months.
• Dressing in stitched clothes (men) without knowing that particular clothes are stitched.

How to Correct Mistakes Made During Umrah

In case a mistake is made halfway through:

• Loss of count in Tawaf/Sa’i: when in doubt, it is always better to be safe than sorry and count the circuits lower than higher.
• Crossed the Miqat but not in Ihram yet: in such cases, scholars recommend that you return to the Miqat and enter into Ihram or perform some kind of compensation for the mistake (Dam) if it is impossible to return.
• Nails clipping or hair shaving is done during Ihram: in these instances, some compensation needs to be made (Fidya), and you will have to get guidance from a local scholar about this matter.

Most UK Umrah package groups travel with an experienced guide precisely so questions like these can be answered immediately on the spot rather than after the trip.

Essential Duas to Recite During Umrah

Though an exhaustive list of Umrah duas would be best explained separately, the important occasions where duas have to be offered include:

• Before setting out from your house, and at the time of boarding the plane
• When entering into Ihram (pronouncing Niyyah)
• Talbiyah to be recited several times before starting Tawaf
• Entering Masjid al-Haram
• In between Yemeni Corner and Black Stone in each of the seven circuits of Tawaf
• Beginning of Sa’i after turning towards Kaaba from Safa

In case you need all this in detail, you can check our exclusive guide on Umrah duas for UK pilgrims.

Umrah Rules for Women

• Similar steps are involved by women as men but with a few particular distinctions as follows:
• Wearing of white clothes is not necessary for Ihram; Ihram garments can be modest or normal ones.
• For Ihram, the face and hands are not covered but some women choose to do so from the eyes downwards in front of non-mahram men.
• Women are not supposed to jog in Sa’i or brisk walk in the first three rounds of Tawaf.
• Tawaf has to be delayed till after purifying oneself in case menstruation occurs before or during the trip; however, other aspects of the trip may go ahead, like traveling, Sa’i in certain opinions, and Ihram.
• Cutting of the hair is allowed but shaving the hair is not allowed for Umrah.

Umrah Rules for Men

For men, a few points are worth being specific about:

• Both sheets of the Ihram attire must be loose, whereas the sewed money belt or money bag worn underneath the waist cloth is acceptable. Sewed pants or underpants are not acceptable.
• The head must remain uncovered for Ihram (the sunshade may be worn, but not cap or hood).
• Shoes that cover the ankle are not allowed; sandals with the bones of the ankle visible are preferable.
• Ramal (walking at a brisk pace for the first three rounds in Tawaf) and Sa’i (running between the green flags) are both recommended actions only for men.
• Halq and Taqsir are both equally acceptable, even though Halq is more preferred.

Umrah Rules for Elderly and Disabled Pilgrims

Islam allows for reasonable accommodation where physical capability is limited:

• Wheelchairs are easily accessible for both Tawaf and Sa’i, and using it does not invalidate the Tawaf and Sa’i itself.
• If pilgrims cannot do Tawaf or Sa’i themselves, they can appoint other people to do it in some situations that needs confirmation from the scholars.
• It is not necessary to stand throughout the whole time; it is acceptable to sit at the intervals.
• There are many UK Umrah package services which provide facilities for the elderly and disabled pilgrims in the UK.

Final Umrah Checklist Before Leaving Makkah

Before heading back to your hotel or on to Madinah:

• Ensure Halq or Taqsir is done as per guidelines.
• Collect Zamzam water, if you have need for it at home (refer to the latest restrictions on carrying liquids in flights).
• Say your final dua in Haram before leaving.
• Check whether your documentation is in place and ensure that your Ihram is packed.
• If you are leaving from Jeddah through an air route, then you need to make some extra time for reaching the airport.

Conclusion: Following Umrah Rules with Confidence

Umrah need not be an intimidating journey for someone on their first time doing Umrah. The regulations are there to help make your experience a smooth one rather than confuse you. And once you know about Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, Halq or Taqsir, everything becomes simple and easy.

If you are planning to make your first Umrah journey soon, you can consider looking at our Umrah packages from UK which have experienced group leaders to help you along through each process.