Fundamental Rites of Minor Pilgrimage

Umrah pilgrimage also commonly referred to as the ‘Lesser or Minor Pilgrimage’, remains a sacred act of worship for which Muslims travel to the holy land of Makkah with Baitullah Travel Offers Cheap Hajj and Umrah Packages. The word ‘Umrah’ itself linguistically means making a pilgrimage to Makkah. However, it’s important to know that a minor pilgrimage’s performance is not obligatory for any Muslim/. Since it’s a great sunnah of our Holy Prophet (SAWW) and holds infinite bounties for the pilgrims, it’s advised to follow up on its performance.

Here’s a brief description of the pillars i.e., fundamental rites of Umrah.

Assuming the state of Ihram.

Ihram is commonly referred to as the ceremonial clothing worn for the minor pilgrimage. However, it’s something more than that. Ihram itself defines a sacred state which a Muslim pilgrim assumes in order to observe the rites of Umrah. For anybody, who is going to perform umrah or hajj, entering Ihram is obligatory. Otherwise, the pilgrimage would not be considered valid.

Ihram For men.

Men can only wear the especially designed clothes for performing Umrah i.e., their Ihram which is two sheets of simple white cloth. One is used for covering the lower half of the body and the other for covering the upper half.

Ihram for women.

Women don’t necessarily need to stick to a specific dress code for their Ihram. They can wear anything i.e., their ordinary clothes as their Ihram but the ones which are unpretentious and less revealing (as per the Islamic teachings).

When Ihram should be assumed?

The state of Ihram must be assumed by a pilgrim before the Meeqat boundary is crossed. After you’ve entered the state of Ihram, certain prohibitions and rules are imposed and it’s necessary to abide by all of them to make your Umrah pilgrimage valid.

Tawaf of the Holy Kaabah.

Tawaf signifies the act of seven circumambulations around the Holy Kaabah by the pilgrims done in an anti-clockwise direction. It is among the principal and most significant rites of Umrah. Each of these seven rounds of Tawaf must start as well as end at the place of Hajar-al-Aswad “the Black Stone.”

Sayee of Safah and Marwah.

Sayee is an act of ritualistic walking between the hills of Al-Safah and Al-Marwah present inside Masjid-al-Haram for seven rounds. While performing Sayee, the pilgrims are advised to seek mercy and blessings from Allah by reciting specific prayers. For a pilgrim, it’s recommended that he/she must complete Sayee on foot; it holds greater significance. However, if there’s a dire need for a wheelchair, it’s permissible to use it but under righteous conditions.

Tahallul.

Tahallul is an act that marks the “discontinuation of the ceremonial state of Hajj or Umrah.” Upon the completion of Umrah rituals, men are advised to shave/trim their heads, while on the other hand, women are only allowed to cut a small portion of their hairs i.e., a fingertip’s length only.

Since it’s the last rite of umrah, therefore upon the performance of Tahallul the pilgrims will be exempted from all the prohibitions of Ihram, and their Umrah would get complete.

These are some of the things to know about the fundamental rites of minor pilgrimage.