What is Umrah?

The Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to the house of Allah (SWT), Makkah, Saudi Arabia or an act of worship to Allah, performed by Muslims. It can be performed at any time of the year, as opposed to the Ḥajj which has specific dates as per the Islamic calendar.

Based on the lessons of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Umrah is prescribed as Sunnah and Mustahabb, but not obligatory and holds an incredible virtue in the eyes of Allah (SWT). No doubt, it is among the best deeds to perform when satisfying Allah (SWT).

In the Sharia, Umrah means to perform Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Ka'bah and Sa'i (walk) among the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, both entering the state of Ihram. It is obligatory for a man to shave his head and woman to cut off her hair only by a fingertip's length after performing Umrah. However, it is not compulsory for those performing Umrah to offer Qurbani or visit Mina, Muzdalifa or Arafat as Hajj requires.

In the month of blessings i.e. Ramadan, the reward of performing Umrah is equivalent to that of performing Hajj with the Prophet (PBUH). Another reward is that if an individual passes away during the journey of his Umrah, he will be rewarded with Jannah.

We are looking forward to welcoming all those who are planning to perform Umrah this year to make the most of the opportunity. May Allah (SWT) accepts our Umrah, forgives our sins and grants us Jannah. Ameen!