Question 1

What are the steps of Umrah?

Accepted Answer

Umrah has six steps: Ihram, entering Masjid al-Haram, Tawaf, Maqam Ibrahim and Zamzam, Sa'i, and Halq or Taqsir.

Question 2

How many circuits are there in Tawaf?

Accepted Answer

Tawaf is seven circuits around the Kaaba, walked counterclockwise. Each circuit begins in line with the Black Stone. When you reach the same point from which you started, one circuit is complete.

Question 3

How many laps are there in Sa'i, and where does it end?

Accepted Answer

Sa'i is seven laps between Safa and Marwa. It begins from Safa, and reaching Marwa completes one lap. Seven laps are three and a half round trips, ending at Marwa.

Question 4

Is shaving the head required after Umrah?

Accepted Answer

Shaving or trimming the hair (Halq or Taqsir) is Wajib, and it is required to exit the state of Ihram. For males: shaving the entire head (Halq) or shortening it (Taqsir). Shaving the entire head is more virtuous than a short trim. For females: cutting 1 to 2 cm from the ends of the hair.

Question 5

What is recited between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone?

Accepted Answer

“Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘adhaban-nar.” Reciting it between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone is a sunnah act of Tawaf.

Question 6

What is prayed after Tawaf?

Accepted Answer

After completing Tawaf, pray two rak'ahs behind the Station of Abraham (Maqam Ibrahim). It is sunnah to recite Surah al-Kafirun in the first rak'ah and Surah al-Ikhlas in the second.

Question 7

What are the conditions of Hajj being obligatory?

Accepted Answer

Hajj becomes obligatory on a person when five conditions are met: being Muslim, being of sound mind, being an adult, being free, and being able to do it. If one of them is missing, Hajj is not obligatory. Being Muslim: this is a condition of every act of worship. Being of sound mind and an adult: Hajj is not obligatory on a child. If the parents take a child for Hajj, the child's Hajj is valid, and the child and the parents are each rewarded. Being free: Hajj is not obligatory on a slave. Being able: in body and in wealth. Being able in body means being healthy enough to bear the hardship of travelling to the House of Allah. Being able in wealth means having enough to get there and back, beyond one's basic needs, the spending one owes one's family until returning, and one's debts. Someone who cannot afford both to repay a debt and to perform Hajj repays the debt first, and Hajj is not obligatory on him until he is able. The lender's permission does not change this, because the debt is still owed. Basic needs are things a person truly depends on, such as a student's books, a craftsman's tools, or a car that he needs. These do not have to be sold to pay for Hajj, but what is beyond need, such as a second car, does. Someone who needs to marry puts that first. Someone who has the wealth but not the health waits if recovery is hoped for. If there is no hope of recovery, as with old age or a lasting illness, he appoints someone to perform Hajj on his behalf. For a woman, having a mahram to travel with is part of being able. A mahram is her husband, or a man she may never marry because of blood ties, breastfeeding or ties through marriage, and he must be an adult of sound mind. If she has no mahram who can travel with her, Hajj is not obligatory on her. Her husband's permission is not a condition for the obligatory Hajj. Whoever is able in body and in wealth should not delay Hajj.

Question 8

What are the steps of Hajj?

Accepted Answer

The guide follows ten steps across the days of Hajj: Ihram and intention (8th of Dhul Hijjah), heading to Mina (8th), standing at Arafat (9th), the overnight at Muzdalifah (night of the 9th to the 10th), Rami al-Jamarat (10th), Hady (10th), Halq or Taqsir (10th), Tawaf al-Ifadah and Sa'i (10th onwards), the Days of Mina (11th to 13th), and Tawaf al-Wada'.

Question 9

What is the most important pillar of Hajj?

Accepted Answer

Standing at Arafat on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the Day of Arafah. It is the ultimate pillar: without it, Hajj is invalid.

Question 10

How many pebbles are thrown at the Jamarat?

Accepted Answer

On the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, seven pebbles are thrown at the largest pillar, Jamarat al-Aqabah. On the 11th to 13th of Dhul Hijjah, seven pebbles are thrown every afternoon at each of the three pillars in order: the small, the medium, then the large.

Question 11

What is Tawaf al-Wada'?

Accepted Answer

It is the farewell Tawaf: one final Tawaf of seven circuits around the Kaaba, performed right before leaving Makkah for home. It is mandatory for travelers from outside Makkah.

Question 12

How do you make wudu?

Accepted Answer

Wudu has a minimum that must be done for it to be valid, and a complete way that follows the Sunnah. The obligatory parts Wash the whole face once. This includes rinsing the mouth and the nose. Wash both arms up to the elbows once. Wipe the whole head, including the ears. Wash both feet up to the ankles once. “Once” means that the whole of that part is washed thoroughly. These parts are washed in this order, one after the other, with no long break in between. They come from the verse of wudu in Surah al-Ma'idah (5:6). The complete way Intend in the heart to purify yourself. The intention is not spoken aloud. Say Bismillah. Wash the hands three times. Rinse the mouth three times and the nose three times, blowing the water out of the nose with the left hand. Wash the face three times, from the hairline to the chin and from ear to ear. A man also washes his beard: inside and out if it is thin, or its surface with wet fingers run through it if it is thick. Wash the arms three times, from the fingertips to the elbows. Anything that keeps water from reaching the skin, such as dough, mud or paint, must be removed first. Wipe the head and the ears once with fresh water: pass wet hands from the front of the head to the back and bring them back again, then wipe inside the ears with the index fingers and behind them with the thumbs. Wash the feet three times, up to the ankles. Men and women make wudu in the same way. A woman wipes her hair from the front of her head to the nape of her neck, and does not have to wipe its full length. For wudu to be valid, the person must be Muslim, of sound mind, old enough to discern, and intending wudu. The water must be pure, and anything that keeps water from reaching the skin or nails, such as nail polish, must be removed. After finishing, it is recommended to say: “Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu.”

Question 13

What is the wisdom behind the actions of Hajj and Umrah?

Accepted Answer

The texts point to the general wisdom of Hajj and Umrah: affirming the oneness of Allah, remembering Him, and benefits for the pilgrims in this world and the Hereafter (see Surah al-Hajj 22:27-30). Tawhid: the pilgrim begins with the Talbiyah, “Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk”, declaring that Allah has no partner, and every rite after it is done for Allah alone. Remembrance: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that Tawaf, Sa'i and the stoning of the Jamarat were only ordained to establish the remembrance of Allah. Benefits: Muslims from every land gather in the same clothing, at the same time and in the same place, doing the same acts. They come to know one another, and the poor are fed from the sacrifice. There is also clear wisdom in the order of the rites. Ihram and the Talbiyah announce that the rites have begun. Tawaf comes first on reaching Makkah because the Kaaba is the greatest thing in the Haram, and Sa'i follows because Safa and Marwa are the nearest thing to it. In Hajj, Mina is preparation for standing at Arafah, the greatest pillar; Muzdalifah is on the way back and gives rest before the Day of Sacrifice; the stoning, the sacrifice and shaving the head fall on the day of Eid; then comes Tawaf in gratitude for completing the greatest rites, then the days of Mina for remembrance and sacrifice, and the farewell Tawaf at departure. Scholars have also mentioned wisdom behind particular acts: The Ihram garments: a reminder of the Day of Resurrection, a lesson in humility, and equality between rich and poor. Kissing the Black Stone: an act of worship done in obedience, following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he knew it was a stone that could neither harm nor benefit, and that he kissed it only because he saw the Prophet kiss it. It is not kissed to seek blessing from it. Sa'i: it goes back to Hajar, who went seven times between Safa and Marwa seeking help for her son Isma'il. The pilgrim remembers that his need for Allah is like hers, and that Allah does not forsake those who obey Him. Stoning the Jamarat: following Ibrahim (peace be upon him), who stoned the Shaytan there, and a sign of enmity towards the Shaytan. Most of these details are the scholars' own reasoning and are not stated in a text. Some scholars said that the rites were prescribed in this way as a test of obedience, so a Muslim follows them whether the wisdom is known or not. The pilgrim should keep his time for the remembrance of Allah and honour His symbols as they deserve.

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