UMRAH PROCEDURE

To perform Umrah, if the piligrim wishes to be retually pure for Umrah, before entering the Holy City of Makkah, one should be in Ihram.

One should perform an obligatory prayer. When he finishes his prayer he should say: "Here I am for Umrah--here I am, Oh Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion is yours, and you have no partner." [Talbeeyah]. A man raises his voice when saying this and a woman says it so that only one beside her may hear her.

One in Ihram should say the Talbeeyah as often as possible, especially when times and places change. For example: when descending or ascending during travel or when day or night approach. He should also ask Allah for His pleasure, for Heaven and seek refuge in Allah's mercy from Hellfire.

Enter the Holy Sanctuary (al Masjid al Haram), with the right foot throught the gate first, reciting the Talbiya.

When you first see the Holy Kaaba, keep your eyes fixed on this the holiest of all structures in Islam.

• Perform a tawaf, which consists of circling the Kaaba seven times in a counter-clockwise direction. Men are encouraged to do this three times at a hurried pace, followed by four times, more closely, at a leisurely pace.
• Perform a sa'i, which means rapidly walking seven times back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah. This is a re-enactment of Hagar's frantic search for water, before the Zamzam Well was revealed to her by Allah.
• Perform a halq or taqsir, meaning a cutting of the hair. A taqsir is a partial shortening of the hair, whereas a halq is a complete shave of the head.

More information to follow soon.