What are the steps of Umrah, in order?

Umrah has four parts, done in this order:

1. Ihram at the miqat. Before crossing your miqat you enter ihram: men put on the two white unstitched cloths, women wear ordinary modest clothing, and you make the intention for Umrah. The talbiyah ("Labbayk Allahumma labbayk…") is recited from then until you begin tawaf.
2. Tawaf. Seven anticlockwise circuits of the Kaaba, starting and ending at the line of the Black Stone. After tawaf, pray two rak'ahs — behind Maqam Ibrahim if there is space, otherwise anywhere in the mosque.
3. Sa'i. Seven walks between the hills of Safa and Marwah, starting at Safa and ending at Marwah (Safa to Marwah counts as one).
4. Shaving or trimming. Men shave the head or trim the hair; women trim a small amount (about a fingertip's length) from the end of their hair. With this, Umrah is complete and the restrictions of ihram end.

Practical notes for Indian pilgrims

• Most flights from India to Jeddah cross a miqat in the air, so you need to be in ihram before landing — see "Where do I enter ihram when flying from India?" and our miqat calculator.
• Every Umrah visit needs an Umrah time slot (permit) booked in the Nusuk app, in addition to your visa.
• Learn the duas you want to say beforehand; there is no single required dua for each circuit.

For detailed rulings (for example on doubts about the number of circuits), please ask your scholar — schools of thought differ on some details.

Next step: our step-by-step guide walks through each rite with timings and tips.