Muslim Advice
Muslim Advice
Muslim Advice
What is Umrah?
Performing Umrah is neither imperative nor obligatory, but it is a privilege and performing it even once in a lifetime can bring a pilgrim great rewards.
Though a smaller scale pilgrimage than Hajj, Umrah is just as sacred and just as impressive. It is also a more flexible option for those struggling with certain commitments and time or financial constraints.
Unlike Hajj, you don't have a fixed time or date by which you have to perform Umrah. You can complete it at any time of year, either in conjunction with Hajj (Umrat al-tammatu) or independent of it (al-Umrat al mufradah).
However, if you want to complete Umrah in its own right, you will need to wait for Hajj is over.
There are certain rites to perform as part of Umrah, such as entering a state of Ihram, completing Tawaf of Ka'bah, and Sa'yee between the hills of Safa and Marwah. However, you don't have to visit Mina, Arafat or Muzdalifa as you do in Hajj, and you don't have to practice Qurbani.
Mustahab Acts of Sa’y
Article 239
The following acts are Mustahab in Sa’y:
1- It is better to have ablution during Sa’y, but it is not obligatory. Even women can perform Sa’y of Safa and Marwah during their menstrual period. Even Sa’y during sleep doesn’t have problem (for example a pilgrim is sitting on a cart and performing Sa’y and he/she goes to sleep for a while performing).
2- It is Mustahab to place a hand on “al-Hajar al-Aswad” or kissing that after Tawaf and its prayer if the crowd is not congested and goes for Zamzam water and drinking from it and pouring some water on his/her head and body and then goes for Sa’y, but if kissing “al-Hajar al-Aswad” causes trouble for others because of congestion of the crowd, this act should not be performed.
3- Sa’y can be performed on foot or ride, if the person is healthy and capable of walking or ill and weak, but it is better for people who can walk to perform Sa’y by walking.
Mustahab Hajj
Article 9
It is Mustahab (recommended) for persons who are not able to perform Hajj or do not have other conditions or have performed obligatory Hajj, to perform Hajj and it is Mustahab to perform it every year. But if due to extreme congestion of Hajjis there is a interruption for people who have not performed their obligatory Hajj yet, then it is preferred not to perform Mustahab Hajj.
It is also preferred to give turns to persons who have not performed obligatory Hajj and want to perform for the first time; but if (assumably) the house of Allah has enough places remaining for Hajjis for one year then it is obligatory for the religious governor to send groups of people for performing Hajj even if they have already performed their obligatory Hajj.
Article 10
Taqsir
Article 243
Fifth obligatory act of Umrah is Taqsir, which means cutting the hair of the head or the face (beard or mustache) and cutting a part of the nail, and it is enough to cut the hair of the head or the face and forgo cutting the nail, but it is a precaution not to suffice cutting the nail solely.
Article 244
Cutting the hair of the head or the face can be performed with any tool, but tweezing is not enough.
Article 245
Taqsir is part of worship and should be performed with the intention and for closeness to Allah.
Article 246
There is no specific place for Taqsir in Umrah al-Tamattu’, therefore the pilgrim can perform Taqsir in Marwah after completing the Sa’y or do it after returning home, and also there is no difference between cutting the hair by the pilgrim himself/herself or asking someone else to do.
Article 247
Umrah
Definition: Umrah is sometimes known as the "lesser pilgrimage," in comparison to the annual Hajj pilgrimage of Islam. It is a visit one makes to the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, outside of the designated Hajj pilgrimage dates. The word "umrah" means to visit an important place.
During the Umrah, some of the same pilgrimage rites are performed:
• Wearing of the ihram
• Tawaf - walking seven times around the Ka'aba
• Sa'y - Running between the hills of Safa and Marwa
• Shaving or clipping of the hair
However, the other steps of Hajj are not done during Umrah. Therefore, performing Umrah does not meet the requirements of Hajj and doesn't replace one's obligation to perform Hajj. The Umrah is recommended but not required in Islam.