Informational summary, not a religious ruling. Where the schools of law differ, both positions are named. For anything affecting the validity of your Hajj, ask a qualified scholar or your group's guide.
Seven steps, in order
Umrah can be performed at any time of year and takes a few hours. It is also the first half of Tamattu‘, which is how most Hajj pilgrims begin.
- 01Ihram at the miqatGhusl if you can, then the two unstitched sheets for men, ordinary modest dress for women. Make the intention for Umrah and begin the talbiyah. The restrictions apply from this moment.
- 02Enter the HaramContinue the talbiyah until you reach the Kaaba and begin tawaf.
- 03TawafSeven circuits anticlockwise, starting and ending level with the Black Stone. Point toward the stone and say “Allahu akbar” at each circuit if you cannot reach it. Pushing through the crowd to kiss it is not required and injures people every year.
- 04Two rak‘ah at Maqam IbrahimBehind the Station of Ibrahim if there is room; anywhere in the mosque if there is not.
- 05ZamzamDrink from the wells around the mataf.
- 06Sa‘iSeven passages between Safa and Marwah, starting at Safa. The round trip is one and one; you finish at Marwah.
- 07Halq or taqsirMen shave or shorten; women shorten by about a fingertip. Umrah is complete and the state of ihram ends.
Sa‘i is a round course of roughly 3.5 km, mostly indoors and air-conditioned, with wheelchair and buggy lanes on the upper levels. If you are travelling with an elderly parent, plan to use them: pride at this point causes a great many of the collapses that follow.