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First 10 Days Of Dhul Hijjah

The first ten days are the great blessings from Allah to the Muslim Ummah. A Muslim should grasp this opportunity and worship Allah so he is rewarded, as Allah has given us many ways to worship him to gain His blessings.

Ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him), reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days; meaning the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. They inquired: “Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah?” He said: “Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah unless one goes out for Jihad sacrificing both his life and property and returning with neither.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

In another Hadith, Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him), said: “There are no days during which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allah than these ten days. So recite more often the Tahleel (Laa Ilaaha Illallah), Takbeer (Allahu Akbar), and Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah). (Imam Ahmad) Jaabir reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The best day is the Day of Arafah. There are no days during which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allaah than these ten days. So recite more often the Tahleel (Laa Ilaaha Illallah) Takbeer (Allahu Akbar), Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah).”

Among the good deeds the Muslim should strive to do during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are:

· Performing Haj and Umrah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Performing Umrah and following it with another expiates sins that are committed in between. And the perfect Hajj would be requited with nothing other than Jannah.”

· Observing fasting on all or some of these days, particularly on the Day of Arafah.
Abu Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Observing fasting on the Day of Arafat; I expect Allah to expiate the sins that were committed during the preceding year, and the sins that will be committed in the year after”. (Sahee Muslim)

· Reciting Takbeer, and Dhikr in these days – Ibn Umar and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to go out to the marketplaces during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and recite out loud the Takbeer and people would repeat the after them. Ishaaq (may Allah bestow mercy upon him) reported that the jurists (may Allah bestow mercy upon them) used to recite during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa Ilaaha illallah, wallahu Akbar, wa lillaahil-hamd. It is recommended to recite them out loud in marketplaces, at homes, roads, mosques, and elsewhere.

· Accomplishing more good deeds of voluntary observances, such as Nawafil Salah, charity, Jihad, Qur’anic recitation, enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong, and the like; for the rewards of such observances are multiplied during these days. Offering the sacrificial animal during the day of sacrifice and the Days of Tashreeq i.e. 4 days. It is the sunnah of Ibraheem, may Allah exalt his mention, in commemoration of the occasion when Allah ransomed Ibraheem’s son with a large ram. It has been authentically confirmed that the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) sacrificed two black and white rams with horns with his own hands, invoked the name of Allah upon them, recited the Takbeer, and placed his foot on their sides when he slaughtered them. (Agreed upon).

It narrated from Abu Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said “O Fatima come and stand by your sacrificial animal and witness it being slaughtered for surely, by the the first drop of blood, all your sins will be forgiven.” She asked: “O Rasullullah! Is this reward specifically for us, your family, or is it for us and the Muslims as well? He replied: “It is for us and for the Muslims.”(Al-Bazaar)

· Umm Salamah, (may Allah be pleased with her), said: When you see the new moon of Dhul Hijjah, and one of you wants to sacrifice an animal let him refrain from cutting or shaving his hair or clipping his fingernails, or toenails. In another version: Let him not cut his hair or his fingernails until he has slaughtered his sacrificial animal.

· The Muslims must make sure to observe the Eid prayer in its designated place and attend the Eid sermon. He should also know the purpose of Eid, and that it is a day of giving thanks and a chance to accomplish good deeds.

A Muslim should take advantage of these 10 days, do good deeds, and ask Allah to grant success and guidance to the right path and repentance and relinquish acts of disobedience and all sins.

Virtues Of Umrah Performed In Ramadan

 

Ibn ‘Abbas may Allah be pleased with him narrated, “When the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention) returned after performing Hajj (major pilgrimage), he asked Umm Sinaan Al-Ansaariyyah, ‘Why did you not perform Hajj?’ She replied, ‘The father of so-and-so [i.e., her husband] had two camels and he went on pilgrimage on one of them, and the second is used for the irrigation of our land.’ The Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention)said [to her]: ‘An ‘Umrah (minor pilgrimage) in Ramadan is akin to Hajj with me [in terms of reward].’” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] According to another narration, he told her: “When Ramadan comes, do ‘Umrah as [the reward for] it then is equivalent to Hajj.”

Likewise, it was reported by Umm Ma‘qil may Allah be pleased with her that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention ), said to her, “Perform ‘Umrah in Ramadan, as it is equal to ‎Hajj.”‎[Abu Daawood] Similar Hadeeths were also narrated on the authority of Jaabir, Anas, Abu Hurayrah, and Wahb ibn Khanbash may Allah be pleased with them all.

Ibn Battaal may Allah have mercy upon him commented on the aforementioned Hadeeths, saying: The sentence that ‘Umrah “then is equivalent to Hajj”, proves that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), was actually encouraging her to perform a voluntary Hajj, as the whole Ummah (Muslim nation) has unanimously agreed that the ‘Umrah can never be a substitute for the obligatory Hajj. Moreover, what he, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), meant is that they are like each other in reward, but virtues cannot truly be perceived through analogy, and Allah The Almighty bestows His Bounty upon whom He Wills.

Benefits and rulings [derived from these Hadeeths]:
1- The mercy and bounty bestowed by Allah The Almighty upon His slaves are great, as He granted them huge rewards in return for small good deeds; so, we praise Him abundantly for that.
2- The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), was keen on ensuring the welfare of his Ummah and would ask after those under his rule. Just as he was the sincerest confidant to all people, any slave whom Allah The Almighty puts in charge of subjects should treat them leniently, advise them, check on their conditions, and serve their worldly and religious benefits.
3- ‘Umrah done during the month of Ramadan cannot be a substitute for the obligatory Hajj, i.e., they are equal in reward, but the former does not replace the latter as a fulfillment of the obligation that is unanimously agreed upon by the scholars.
4- The reward of good deeds increases in proportion to the virtue of the time they are performed, as well as one’s heartfelt devotion and dedication.
5- This Hadeeth is similar to the narration that says, “The Chapter Al-Ikhlaas (Purification) equals one-third of the Quran”; it indicates that it is equivalent in terms of the reward of recitation, not that reciting it could, or should, substitute actually reciting [that much or] the whole of the Quran.
6- The ‘Umrah here is considered equal to the Hajj in reward when it is performed during the month of Ramadan, which is a great season for good deeds. Hence, whoever performs it then, enjoys the virtue of the place [i.e., the Sacred Mosque in Makkah] and time [i.e., Ramadan]; this is also the case with one who performs Hajj, as he is also in the same holy place and in a blessed time [i.e., months of Hajj].

In addition, doing ‘Umrah in the month of Ramadan ‎is more difficult. That is because one may be fasting while performing it or break his fast due to the traveling involved, and then have to make up for it. This is not the case when one performs ‘Umrah during any other month. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), said to ‘Aa‘ishah may Allah be pleased with her once, when he ordered her to perform ‘Umrah, “It [i.e., its reward] is according to your effort”, or, as per another narration, “according to your expenditure.”[Muslim]
7- This great reward is granted to whoever performs the ‘Umrah during the month of Ramadan, even if he [or she] returns immediately thereafter and does not prolong his [or her] stay in Makkah.
8- These Hadeeths do not mean that it is recommended for one to perform ‘Umrah many times in the month of Ramadan or in a single day of it. This practice, which has become common today, differs from the Sunnah and traditions of the honorable Companions may Allah be pleased with them as it was not reported that any of them used to perform many ‘Umrahs during the same journey to Makkah.
9- Whoever performs ‘Umrah in Ramadan and intends to stay at the Holy Mosque during the whole month or its last ten nights, should guard himself against committing any prohibition, because evil deeds are more sacrilegious in Makkah than in any other place, not to mention, during the month of Ramadan.
10- Whoever takes his family to stay at the Holy Mosque during the month of Ramadan, should take care that they, too, do not fall into committing any forbidden act; otherwise, he may return with sins that exceed the reward he came to earn, due to his negligence towards his wife and children.
11- If one entered the state of Ihraam (ritual consecration) with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and reached Makkah while fasting, he has the choice of either breaking his fast to be able to do it immediately or waiting to do it until after sunset.

 

Errors During Umrah

Recently in Makkah, an old lady came for Umrah wearing the Ihram of men, the two white pieces of cloth. A few women at the Haram (the Grand Mosque in Makkah) helped her cover her head and change her clothes. Millions of people come for Umrah and Haj from around the world, but many, like the lady above, are unaware of its Islamic rulings and rites.

Here are some common errors adapted from the above resource:

Meeqat point
Some pilgrims bypass the designated Meeqat point of lhram on their route without either being in the state of Ihram or entering into Ihram there, proceeding until they reach Jeddah or some other place at which they enter Ihram.

This is against the command of Allah’s Messenger (peace be on him). Every pilgrim should enter into Ihram at the designated Meeqat point in his route. If one did not pass through one of the five Meeqat points, he should enter into Ihram at a point that is nearest to it.

If someone bypassed, he must either go back to the Meeqat point in his route and enter into Ihram, or he must give an expiation by sacrificing a sheep in Makkah and feeding all its meat to the poor.

Tawaf
Starting the Tawaf at some point other than the site of the Black Stone, while it is obligatory to begin Tawaf from the Black Stone.

Doing one’s Tawaf inside the Hijr of lsma’il. The Hijr of Isma’il is a part of the Ka’bah which would then be left out of Tawaf. Such a Tawaf is invalid.

Doing Ramal (taking quick short steps) during all seven circuits while Ramal is to be done only during the first three of the “Tawaf of Arrival” (Tawaf Al-Qudum).

Struggling vehemently to kiss the Black Stone in this process and hitting or pushing people. Such acts, which are injurious to Muslims, are not permissible.

Touching the four corners of the Ka’bah or its walls. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not touch any part of Ka’bah except the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner.

Specifying supplications reserved for each circuit. The Prophet (peace be on him) did not specify any supplications except to say “Allahu Akbar” when he reached the Black Stone and, at the end of each circuit between the Yamani Corner and the Black Stone, he said: “Rabbana, atina’ fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasana wa qina adhaban-nar.”
(Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the punishment of the Fire.)

Raising voices above the voices of others; while following or leading a group during Tawaf and creating confusion among other worshippers.

Scuffling and wrestling to pray at the Station of lbrahim. This is contrary to the sunnah, besides causing harm to other pilgrims. It is sufficient to pray the two Raka’ah after completing Tawaf anywhere within the Sacred Mosque.

Sa’ee
When climbing upon Safa and Marwah, some pilgrims face the Ka’bah and raise their hands towards it while saying “Allahu Akbar”. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not do so.

Here you may glorify and magnify Allah in any words you wish while facing the direction of the Ka’bah. It is preferable, however, to say what the Prophet (peace be on him) recited at Safa and Marwah.

Restrictions Of Ihram

The muhrim (one in ihram) is forbidden to do certain things because of having entered the state of Ihram.

The forbidden things are:
1) Shaving the hair of the head, because Allah says: “… And do not shave your heads until the Hady (animal, i.e. a sheep, a cow, or a camel) reaches the place of sacrifice…” (2:196)

Scholars have added that besides shaving the head, shaving any hair on the body as well as trimming or cutting one’s nails is also prohibited.

2) Using perfume after entering ihram, whether on one’s clothing or body, or in one’s food, or when washing the dead body (muhrim) or in any way whatsoever. The evidence for this being forbidden in ihram is the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said concerning a man whose camel trampled him to death, “Wash him with water and lotus leaves and shroud him in his two garments, but do not cover his head or perfume him with hanoot.” Hanoot is a mixture of perfumes that is usually applied to the dead body.

3) Sexual intercourse, because Allah says: “… So whosoever intends to perform Haj therein (by assuming Ihram), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Haj…” (2:197)

4) Touching one’s wife with desire because this comes under the general meaning of the phrase, “he should not have sexual relations (with his wife),” and because it is not permissible for the muhrim to get married or to propose marriage – so it is more likely that it is also not permissible for him to touch his wife with desire.

5) Killing game (hunting), because Allah says: “O you who believe! Kill not game while you are in a state of Ihram [for Haj or Umrah (pilgrimage)]…” (5:95)

Cutting down trees is not haram for the muhrim, except for those trees within the amyal, i.e., the boundaries of the sanctuary. Cutting these trees is forbidden whether one is in ihram or not. Hence, it is permissible to cut down trees in Arafah even if one is in ihram, because the prohibition on cutting down trees is connected to the Haram (within the sanctuary), not ihram.

6) A prohibition applies exclusively to men is wearing shirts, hooded robes, trousers, turbans, and leather slippers, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about what the muhrim should wear. He answered, “He should not wear a shirt, hooded robe (burnous), trousers, a turban, or leather slippers.” But he (peace be upon him) made an exception for one who cannot find an izar (lower garment or waist wrapper). Such a person may wear trousers, and one who cannot find sandals may wear leather slippers.

A common perception is that wearing sewn garments means wearing clothes that have stitching in them, but that is not the case. What the scholars meant by that is wearing clothes that are tailored to fit the body or part of it, such as shirts and trousers. Hence, if a person wears a rida (upper garment) or izar (lower garment) with patches on it, that is permissible, but if he wears a woven shirt with no stitching, that is haram.

7) One of the prohibitions of ihram that applies only to women is the niqab, which refers to a veil that covers the face and leaves the eyes uncovered because the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade that. A similar prohibition applies to the burqa. When a woman enters ihram, she should not wear a niqab or burqa.

With regard to the one who does any of these forbidden things out of forgetfulness or ignorance or because he or she is forced to do so, no expiation is due on them because Allah says: “And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (33:5)

Concerning killing game or hunting, Allah says: “O you who believe! Kill not game while you are in a state of Ihram [for Haj or Umrah (pilgrimage)], and whosoever of you kills it intentionally, the penalty is an offering, brought to the Ka’bah, of an eatable animal ( i.e. sheep, goat, cow) equivalent to the one he killed…” (5:95)

After Performing Umrah For Men

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 2.785 Narrated by: Abdullah bin Umar
Allah’s Apostle said, “O Allah! Be merciful to those who have their head shaved [after performing UMRA) .” The people said, “O Allah’s Apostle! And (invoke Allah for) those who get their hair cut short.” The Prophet said, “O Allah! Be merciful to those who have their head shaved.” The people said, “O Allah’s Apostle! And those who get their hair cut short.” The Prophet said (the third time), “And to those who get their hair cut short.” Nafi’ said that the Prophet had said once or twice, “O Allah! Be merciful to those who get their head shaved,” and on the fourth time he added, “And to those who have their hair cut short.”

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 2.786 Narrated by Abu Huraira
Allah’s Apostle said, “O Allah! Forgive those who get their heads shaved.” The people asked. “Also those who get their hair cut short?” The Prophet said, “O Allah! Forgive those who have their heads shaved.” The people said, “Also those who get their hair cut short?” The Prophet (invoke Allah for those who have their heads shaved and) at the third time said, “also (forgive) those who get their hair cut short.”

The Most Exclusive Blessings Is Ramadan From Allah

Sahl Ibn Sa’d radi Allahu anhu narrates that RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said: “In Jannah, there is a gate called Ar-Rayyan: a door which the Saa’imoon will enter from, no one else except them. It will be announced, ‘Where are the Saa’imoon?’ and the Saa’imoon will stand. No one except them will enter from the gate called Rayyan.”

Have you ever heard of a weekend warrior? They are employees who sit in cubicles and relax at a coffee station, weighed down with donuts all week long. Then on the weekend, they rip off their suits bearing their Reebok gear underneath and spend the entire weekend playing basketball, hang gliding, and mountain climbing. What happens? They break their knees, pull a dozen muscles, and are hospitalized on Monday.

This is in relation to the physical body. But there are people that should be known as Ramadan warriors. They are those that haven’t fasted all year long and then shock their bodies with a whole month. Or haven’t prayed in the masjid or haven’t woken up to pray in the night all year long. What happens to them? As one Muslim doctor said, “In normal days, we have about 5 to 7 patients a day. On the first day of Ramadan, the patients increase to over 50!”

Ramadan warriors were rare in our Islamic history. To illustrate, let’s all remember where we were at the beginning of Safar. We were probably praying for work to end, or just finished up with exams, or looking through brochures for a holiday getaway.

Interestingly, if we were sitting beside a Tabi’oon over a thousand years ago in a simple masjid, we would have heard him raising his hands asking Allah to grant him the blessing of being around when a guest comes, a guest called Ramadan!

There are different ways that we can ‘warm up’ for Ramadan. One of those ways is by increasing the frequency of our du’a. Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says in the Qur’an, with the verse before it talking about Ramadan and the verse after it speaking about Ramadan, and right in the middle we read:

And when My servants ask you, (O Muhammad), concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me (by obedience) and believe in Me that they may be guided (Al-Baqarah 2/186).

Every goodness on earth is from Allah. And one of the most exclusive blessings is Ramadan. So let us ask the Lord of Ramadan to help us find His mercy in the coming days.

The early generations of the ummah used to make du’a 6 months after Ramadan that Allah accept their deeds in Ramadan. And for the next 6 months, they would make du’a to Allah to grant them the blessing of being alive in the coming Ramadan.

Cleanliness – Whenever a guest comes, we prepare in advance for his arrival by vacuuming the carpet, dusting the shelves, and scrubbing the sinks. We should do this for our guest called Ramadan. But the scrubbing should not just be of our physical surroundings; it should include the scrubbing of our sins.

Listen to the words of RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam speaking about those people that don’t want to clean up for Ramadan:

“Whoever doesn’t desist from speaking falsehood and acting upon it, Allah has no need that he desist from his food and drink” (Bukhari).

Fasting in Sha’baan (the month before Ramadan) – The biggest downfall of the weekend warriors was that they were not properly warmed up for the exercise, which caused the injuries. Similarly, when fasting, some people only do it once a year, making their bodies very foreign to going without food and drink.

From here we see the following Sunnah: Umm Al-Mu’mineen Aisha radi Allahu anha observes, “Allah’s Messenger never fasted an entire month other than Ramadan and I haven’t seen him fast more than he did in Sha’baan.”

When we look at the celebrations of ‘the holy days’, we see that they put all their time and effort, and spirit into preparation. I tell you, go to any store outside this masjid and you will see preparations of candy canes, red and green bouquets, even eggnog all in the wait for the annual celebration of the birth – as they falsely claim- of Prophet ‘Eesa alayhis salaam. They are preparing for their falsehood almost 2 months in advance! One of the ways to prepare for Ramadan is to educate ourselves in the Fiqh of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah, sitting in this masjid today are many brothers and sisters for whom this will be their first Ramadan. Allahu Akbar! May Allah accept it from them and allow them and us to share in the blessing of Ramadan for many years to come.

Let us briefly review what fasting is:

Fasting in Ramadan is not optional – it is a must. The evidence for this is found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Allah says:

O you who believe! Observing as-sawn (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become al-muttaqoon (the righteous) (Al-Baqarah 2/183).

The Prophet said: “Islam is built on five (pillars)…” among which he mentioned fasting in Ramadan (Bukhari).

The Arabic word for fasting is sawm. In Arabic, it literally means to abstain from something. And in Islamic Law, it is to abstain from those things that break the fast starting from dawn (Fajr prayer) and ending with sunset (Maghrib prayer) having first made the intention to do so.

The things which break one’s fast, the things which he or she must abstain from, from dawn to sunset, are as follows: eating and drinking, and marital relations.

These apply if 3 conditions are met: that the person is not ignorant that this thing breaks one’s fast, that he is aware that he is doing something that breaks his fast (meaning he did not do so in forgetfulness), and he does so out of his free will and no one forced him to break his fast.

In conclusion, as the month of Ramadan draws nearer, we should prepare for this special guest by preparing a Ramadan program (‘Operation: Valuable Time’) in our homes and at our masajid. The program should include:

1. Locked times of the day when we will consistently recite the Qur’an, learning its meanings and memorizing new surahs.

2. Something useful for the time before Taraweeh prayers and the time after Taraweeh. And how to increase our worship in the last ten nights – i.e. what will we do extra.

3. We should make sure that there are days of this month when we feed people. Bring dates or milk to the masjid for Maghrib. Invite people over to have dinner with your family. Organize a dinner in the masjid and invite people that don’t normally get invited because they are new. Take care of the new Muslims in your community and for the sake of Allah ta’aala make their Ramadan special.

4. Make the intention to double and triple the amount of sadaqah we give, the worship we normally do, the dhikr we do, and the deeds that’ll help us purify our souls.

5. And finally, for those that can afford it, plan an Umrah to the Ka’bah in Ramadan!

After returning from the Farewell Hajj, RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam saw an Ansari woman who had not made the Hajj. He asked her, “What kept you back from joining in the Hajj?”

She said, “We had a camel that we used to ride which Abu Fulan and his son went on, and another we used for farming.”

So, RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Verily, Umrah in Ramadan is the same (reward) as performing Hajj with me” (Bukhari and Muslim)!

How To Perform Umrah

THE Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Umrah is an expiation for the time between it and the previous ‘Umrah, and an accepted Haj has no less a reward than Paradise.” (Al-Bukhari)

The person who intends to perform Umrah “clips his nails, trims his mustache, shaves his pubic hair, and plucks out the hairs of his armpits. Then he performs Ghusl (complete bathing), and the male pilgrim wears an Izar (lower garment affixed at the waist like a bath towel) and a Rida’ (a garment worn over the shoulders) that are both clean and white.” (Note: Women may enter the state of Ihram in any clothing within the Islamic guidelines)

After completing this and while approaching one of the Meeqat (marked posts around Makkah) for Haj and Umrah), he should enter the state of Ihram which is “the intention to enter into one of the two sacred rituals, Al-Haj or Al-‘Umrah.”

The state of Ihram has certain prohibitions; some of which are as follows:

• Wearing stitched clothing such as shirts, socks, hoods, and a thawb by men.
• Applying perfume.
• Shaving the hair or cutting it, even a little.
• Cutting the nails on either the hands or feet.
• Having sexual intercourse with one’s spouse and the actions that precede it like kissing.

The pilgrim should then begin the Talbiyyah (answering of the command) and continue it until he reaches Masjid Al-Haram.

The meaning of the wording for the Talbiyyah is: “I am here at Your service, O Allah; I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service; You have no partner; I am here at Your Service. Verily the Praise and the Blessings are Yours, and also the Sovereignty. You have no partner.”

When the pilgrim arrives at Masjid Al-Haram, he should proceed to the area of Tawaf (circumambulating the Ka’ba) being in a state of purity. He comes to the Black Stone and kisses it, touches it, or points to it if he is unable to reach it. He then begins Tawaf with the Ka’ba on his left performing Ar-Ramal (walking with a brisk trot) while making supplication to Allah. Whenever he passes the Yemeni corner, he touches it if he can. On reaching the Black Stone again, a circuit is complete. He repeats this procedure for two more circuits. For the remaining four circuits the pilgrim stops Ar-Ramal and walks at a normal pace with tranquility. A total of seven circuits must be completed during Tawaf.

After completing the Tawaf, the pilgrim should pray two Rak’ah (units) of Salah behind the Maqam (standing place) of Ibrahim reciting Surah Al-Kafiroon in the first unit and Surah Al-Ikhlaas in the second one. Thereafter, the pilgrim should proceed to the hill of As-Safa to begin Sa’ee which is “to walk between As-Safa and Al-Marwah.” He stands on As-Safaa, faces the Ka’ba, and supplicates to Allah for as long as he wishes. Then he walks to the hill of Al-Marwah moving quickly between the two green markers, making Du’a along the way. Arriving at Al-Marwah constitutes one unit.

Standing on Al-Marwah, he supplicates to Allah (facing the Ka’ba) for as long as he wishes. He then walks back to the hill of As-Safa increasing the pace between the two green markers and supplicating to Allah along the way. On arriving at As-Safa the second trip is completed. The pilgrim must make a total of seven units completing As-Sa’ee at the hill of Al-Marwah.

After completing the Sa’ee, the pilgrim must cut his hair to exit the state of Ihram. The male pilgrim may either shorten all of his hair or shave it off completely. The female pilgrim shortens her hair the length of a fingertip. This completes the Umrah.