All the Umrah Masail That You Should Know

The word Masail (مثيل) means questions, propositions, problems, and topics. Well, Umrah Masail means questions related to doing Umrah. It’s a great journey for Muslims from Bangladesh, but it can be confusing for a first-timer. That's where Umrah Masails can help.

No matter what your case is, I’ve got you covered. Here, I’ll share all your questions about Umrah and give in-depth answers. Let's get it!

Here’s All the Umrah Masails with Answers

Based on different schools of thought (Hanafi, Shafi’i, Hanbali, or Maleki), the Masail’s answer can vary. To help you with the Umrah basics, I have collected some that all schools of thought agree on. Let me share them below:

Basics of Umrah

What Is Umrah?

Umrah is a minor pilgrimage that you do by going to Mecca. It’s similar to a shorter version of performing Hajj. Every year, many Muslims from Bangladesh do this to get plenty of Umrah benefits along with rewards.

Is It Fard to Do Umrah?

It is not Fard or Wajib to do Umrah as a Muslim. However, it is a sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) to perform this pilgrimage.

How to Do Umrah?

You can do Umrah by doing Ihram, Tawaf 7 times, Sa’i 7 times, and trim or shave your hair (Halaq or Qasas). If you miss any of the Fard or Wajib acts, your Umrah will go in vain. To avoid that, be sure to check this guide where I’ve explained exactly how you can perform Umrah.

When Can You Do Umrah?

You can do Umrah at any time of the year. However, it is better to perform this during Ramadan as you get a bonus blessing.

How Long Does It Take to Complete Umrah?

It takes no more than 4 to 6 hours to complete Umrah if you do it in a day. However, if you go to perform Umrah from Bangladesh, it mostly takes a few days in package deals.

What Are the Fard Acts of Umrah?

The Fard acts of Umrah are two in general:

• To go inside Mecca in the state of Ihram.
• To do Tawaf (circling Kab’ah seven times).

What Are the Wajib Acts of Umrah?

The Wajib acts of Umrah are two:

• To do Sa’i (walking/brisking from two mounts called Safa and Marwa).
• To perform Halaq or Qasas (shaving/trimming the hair).

Can You Do Umrah Twice?

Yes, you can do Umrah twice. No restriction is mentioned in the Hadith or Quran that you can’t do that. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) performed this four times in his lifetime.

Is Umrah and Hajj the Same?

No, Umrah and Hajj aren’t the same. Let me show you the main differences between Umrah and Hajj:

Basics of Ihram

What Is Ihram?

Ihram means to make lawful or Halal acts forbidden or Haram. In this state, when you as a pilgrim recite the Talbiyah, some certain acts become unlawful.

What Are the Wajib of Ihram?

The Wajib of Ihram are two that you need to do or else it would be sinful:

• Enter into the condition of Ihram before going to the Miqat (a sacred place).
• Not doing what is Haram (prohibited) in Ihram.

What Are the Prohibited Acts in Ihram?

• Wearing scent or anything that contains fragrance.
• Eating fragrant raw food.
• Cutting nails or plucking hair.
• Marry or propose to someone.
• Talking intimating talk with sexual undertones or marital relations.
• Hurting or killing animals.
• Sinning intentionally.
• Getting into arguments or fighting.
• Cleaning dirt from the body or causing hair to fall.
• Wearing stitched clothes and slippers that cover the center bone of the foot (only for men).
• Covering the head and face (only for men).
• Women cover their faces (it is suggested to wear a veil that doesn’t touch their faces in the presence of men).
• Having marital relations.
• Wiping the face with a towel or cloth.

What Are the Permitted Acts in Ihram?

• Taking a bath without taking dirt from the body.
• Wearing a ring, watch, glasses, and other things.
• Using an umbrella.
• Brushing teeth with a Miswaak.
• Filing a broken nail.
• Applying kajal that has no fragrance.
• Tying a bandage.
• Placing head or cheek on the pillow.
• Killing a dangerous animal for defense.
• Changing Ihram garments.
• Using a blanket during sleep without hiding your head and face.
• Pulling out a tooth if needed.

What Is a Men’s Ihram?

The men need to wear two unsewn garments (white in shade). The clothes shouldn’t contain a button, hem, or seam. To know how to wear Ihram clothing in the proper way, you can check this guide out.

What Is a Women's Ihram?

The Ihram garment for women is similar to men. However, it has some exceptions like women can’t show their heads or let a veil touch their face but need to cover it. Unlike male pilgrims, women can wear sewed clothes.

What Is Talbiyah?

Talbiyah is a devotion of words that Muslims recite when doing Umrah or Hajj. This is what you should utter to read the Talbiyah:

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ لاَشَرِيْكَ لَكَ

Lab`baika-allahumma labbaik. Lab`baika lā sharīka laka Lab`baik. InnalHamda, wan`naimata, laka walmulk, Lasharīka lak.

I am here, O Allah, I am here. I am here and You have no partners. All praises and favors are for you and sovereignty is to you alone. Without any partners.

Basics of Tawaf

What Is Tawaf?

Tawaf is an act of circling Kab’ah seven times which all pilgrims do in Umrah or Hajj. You need to walk in an anticlockwise direction starting from The Black Stone.

What Makes Tawaf Invalid?

There are a few things that can invalidate your Tawaf if you don’t perform it properly. Like, if you don’t circle the Kab’ah 7 times, it cancels your Tawaf.

What Are the Mistakes in Tawaf?

• Speaking the intention out loudly.
• Pushing or shoving too much to get into the first line to touch The Black Stone.
• Thinking kissing or touching the Black Stone is done to get blessings and barakahs.
• Uttering a specific dua in each circuit.

Basics of Sa’i

What Is Sa’i?

Sa’i or Saee is an act of walking/running from the Mount of Safa to the Mount of Marwa seven times. It starts from the Safaf Mount and ends with walking to the Marwa Mount.

How Long Is the Walk Between Safa and Marwa?

The walk between Safa and Marwa mounts is around 450 meters (0.28 miles) long. And, if you count the total seven rounds, it is roughly 3.15 kilometers (2 miles).

What Are the Green Lights in Safa Marwa?

The green lights in Safa Marwa Walk are the areas where only men need to do brisk or run at a fast pace. It’s not for women and this is where Hajra (AS) ran while searching for water.

Basics of Umrah Kaffara

What is Kaffara?

Kaffara is an expiation that a Muslim needs to do if he or she makes some mistake or does forbidden acts during Umrah.

What Are the Forms of Kaffara in Umrah?

The forms of Kaffara in Umrah are three that you need to do if you make a mistake. Here’s what you need to do as Kaffara:

• Damm (slaughtering a halal and small animal).
• Giving food to the poor.
• Giving Sadaqa.

If you mistakenly don’t do the Wajib acts in Ihram, Sa’i, and Halaq properly, it may require you to do Kaffarah.

What Are the Requirements to Do Damm as Kaffara?

• Pick a small animal like a sheep, goat, cow, or camel that you can slaughter to do Damm.
• The age of the animals is around 6 months to 5 years. A sheep needs to be 6 months, a goat needs to be 1 year, a cow needs to be 2 years, and a camel needs to be 5 years.
• For Damm, the animals should be pure with no defects or flaws.
• You as a pilgrim need to do Damm within Huddod Haram (the boundary of Mecca).
• The meat must be shared with people who are inside Huddod Haram. Be sure the people are eligible to get Zakat.

What Are the Requirements to Fast and Feed Poor or Sadaqa for Kaffara?

• If you are fasting as a Kaffara, it needs to be done in 3 days. You don’t need to fast in a row.
• If you feed the poor as Kaffara, it is required to feed 2 meals to a person who is inside Huddod Haram and eligible to get Zakat.
• If you give Sadaqa as Kaffara, it is required to give charity or Zakat Al Fitr to people who are inside Huddor Haram and eligible to get Zakat.

Wrapping Up

That’s all about the Umrah Masail that most Bengali Muslims look for! From the basics of Umrah to the common queries regarding Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, and Kaffara, it should be a little clearer to you.

Now, you can plan to go to Mecca and do the Umrah properly based on Masails. And if you are planning to perform it this year, you can get ideal Umrah packages from ITS Holidays Ltd. agent.

I hope you find this guide helpful to learn about the basic Masails of Umrah. May Allah bless you!