al umrah...

[b]`Umrah > Ihram In Miqats > Details

Temporal Miqats [Fixed Times]

The Four Grand Schools have agreed that `Umrah can be performed at any time of the year. However, Hanafi scholars have exempted five days: the Day of `Arafah and four days after it. They maintained that `Umrah is prohibited in these days. .

Location of the Routes [A`lam] Leading to the Sanctuary
Al-Tan`im : It is 6 kilometers away from Mecca in the way to Medina.
Wadi Nakhlah : It is 41 kilometers away from Mecca in the north-east towards Iraq.
Al-Ju`ranah : It is 16 kilometers east of Mecca.
Adah : It is 12 kilometers away from Mecca in the way to Yemen.
Al-Hudaibiah : It is 15 kilometers away from Mecca to the west of Jeddah route. Now, it is called Al-Shumaisi.

The Arabic word "A`lam" refers to the smartly carved stones of about one meter high along all the previous routes.

LOCATIONAL MIQATS [FIXED PLACES]
These Miqats [fixed places for putting on Ihram] are stated by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported, "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) specified Dhul-Hulaifah for the people of Medina; Juhfah for the people of Syria; Qarn Al-Manazil for the people of Najd; Yalamlam for the people of Yemen. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) added, " These (Miqats) are meant for people living at these (places) as well as for others who pass by them on their way to perform Hajj or 'Umrah. People living within these boundaries, should enter upon the state of Ihram at these very places. But people living in the suburbs of Mecca or within Mecca, should enter upon the state of Ihram from within Mecca."
There is an agreement among scholars regarding these places.

Al-Juhfah
It is the locational Miqat [place of Ihram] specified for the people Egypt, Syria and countries farther to them.

Dhul Hulaifah
It is the locational Miqat [place of Ihram] specified for the people of Medina. It is a water place for Banu Jathm. It is the farthest Miqat, for it is 450 kilometers from Mecca. Camels used to take 9 days to cover the distance from Abyar `Ali to Mecca, making 50-kilometer march a day (4 kilometers per hour). The Arabs used to call each 4 kilometers "a stage".

Qarn Al-Manazil
It is a mountain near to `Arafah. It is the place of putting on Ihram for the people of Al-Ta'if and those farther to them.

DHAT `IRQ
It is so called because it has a mountain called "`Irq" close to the Valley of Al-`Aqiq. It is a village 94 kilometers to the north-east of Mecca. Despite the fact that this Miqat is not fixed by the Prophet (peace be upon him), scholars have unanimously agreed on it.

YALAMLAM
It is a mountain in Tuhamah located two stages (8 kilometers) away from Mecca. It is the Miqat for those coming from Yemen.

`Umrah> Arrival Tawaf > Details > Mecca

Merits of the Blessed Mecca
Allah, the Almighty, calls it "The Mother of Cities", for He says, "That thou mayest warn the Mother of Cities and all around her."
Allah, the Almighty, calls it also "The City of Security", for He says, "By the Fig and the Olive, and the Mount of Sinai, and this City of security."
He also says, "I do call to witness this City. And thou art a freeman of this City."
In Mecca there is the Ancient House about which Allah, the Almighty, says, "and circumambulate the Ancient House" and says, "Allah made the Ka`bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of security for men..."
Abraham, the Close One to Allah, invoked Allah for the favor of Mecca saying, "O my Lord! make this city one of peace and security; and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols."
Allah also says, "And remember Abraham said, 'My Lord, make this a City of Peace, and feed its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.' He said, 'Yea,' and such as reject Faith, for a while will I grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment of Fire, an evil destination (indeed)!"
Allah, the Almighty, says, "Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the Station of Abraham as a place of Prayer; and we covenanted with Abraham and Ishmael, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in Prayer)." On the tongue of Abraham (peace be upon him), Allah, the Almighty, says, "O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by the Sacred House."
When the Quraish got the Prophet (peace be upon him) out of Mecca, he stood on a mountain, turned back towards Mecca and its paths and said, "Verily, I know that you are the dearest city to my heart and that you are the dearest city to Allah. If only that the disbelieves drove me out, I would have never left you."
In the Two Sahihs, it is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Verily, Allah made this City sacred on the day He created the heavens and the earth; So it is sacred by the sacredness conferred on it by Allah until the Day of Resurrection."
In the Year of Conquest, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood at Jamarat Al-`Aqabah and said, "By Allah, you (Mecca) are the best spot of Allah's land and the dearest one to me. Unless I have been driven out (by your people), I would have never left you. (Fighting in it) was not lawful for anyone neither before or after me. It was made lawful for me only for an hour of a day, for it is sacred; its thorns are not to be cut, its game is not to be molested, and the things dropped are to be picked up only by one who makes a public announcement of it." Mecca, moreover, is the sanctuary of Allah and of His Messenger (peace be upon him). Therefore, whoever inters it is safe.

Supplication
"O Allah! This is Your sanctuary and secure place, protect my body from Hell Fire. Guard me from Your punishment on the Day You will bring back to life Your servants. Make me amongst Your devotees and obedient ones." Also, the Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say on entering Mecca, "O Allah! Don't let us die there until we complete our rituals." As the houses of Mecca come into sight, the pilgrim should say, "O Allah! Grant me residence and bestow legal sustenance upon me."

Umrah > Arrival Tawaf > Details > The Mosque

Merits of the Sacred Mosque
The Sacred Mosque and the Protected House are interchangeable synonyms for the Ka`bah. Allah called it the Protected House as He kept it safe from any transgression throughout history. When Abrahah wanted to demolish it, Allah sent birds of torture for him and his soldiers. It is also called so because Allah protects its visitors from Hell fire since they would die as monotheists.
It was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael according to Allah's command. Allah says, "And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, they prayed: `Our Lord! Accept from us (this act); You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing,'" Thus, the father of the Prophets [Abraham] built the most venerated mosque in the most venerated spot on earth.
In addition, Allah favored the Sacred Mosque with the privilege that He made it one of the three shrines to which Muslims set out on journeys as religious devotion, along with the Prophet's Mosque and the Aqsa Mosque. He also increased the reward for performing prayer inside it to the extent that a prayer performed in it equals one thousand prayers performed elsewhere.

Entering the Mosque
"I seek refuge with the Mighty Allah. I seek protection with His Generous Countenance and His Everlasting Authority against the cursed Devil. Praise be to Allah. In the name of Allah. O Allah! Bless Muhammad. O Allah! Forgive my sins and open the gates of Your mercy to me."

`Umrah > Arrival Tawaf > Details > The Ka`BAH

Etiquette of Entering the Ka`bah
One should bathe and purify himself. Upon entering the Ka`bah one should refrain from shoving. Also, one should direct his heart to reverence and submission, and his eyes to shed tears (if Allah bestowed that grace upon him). In addition, he should not raise his eyes toward the top of the Ka`bah as a sign of glorification and exaltation of the Almighty Allah. Also, one should adhere to the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. It has been narrated that `A'ishah said, "I wonder at a Muslim, who, upon entering the Ka`bah, raises his eyes toward its top. He should refrain from doing so, as a sign of glorification and exaltation to Allah." The Prophet (peace be upon him) entered the Ka`bah and never did he raise his eyes from the place of prostration till he left.
The Prophet's Entering The Ka`bah
After the first Hijrah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered the House four times. The first was on the Day of Conquest; the second in the second year of the Conquest; the third during the Compensating `Umrah and the fourth was during the Farewell Hajj.
Reward for Entering the Ka`bah
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever enters the House and performs Prayers therein, indeed enters by performing a good deed and leaves forgiven of a sin." In another narration, "He leaves after (his sins) have been forgiven." Regarding entering the House, Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, "It is actually performing a good deed and being redeemed of a sin." `Ata' said, "Performing two rak`ahs in the House (Ka`bah) is dearer to me than performing four rak`ahs in the Sacred Mosque."
Regarding the Qur'anic verse: (Whoever enters it attains security) Yahia bin J`dah bin Hubairah said, "It means that he is guarded from the Hell Fire."
Al-Hafizh Abu Tahir Al-Salafi (may Allah have mercy upon him), upon entering the House, said,
After entering the House with Allah's guarantee,
Is there still a sin or guilt obscure,
By no means and nay. Forgiven are they all,
All men will go home, joyful and secure.

Merits of Looking at the Ka`bah
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Looking at the Ka`bah is pure faith." Also, Hammad bin Abi Salamah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, "The one who looks at the Ka`bah is very much like he who tirelessly worships Allah in any other place." In addition, Mujahid said, "Looking at the Ka`bah is a sort of worship." `Ata' also said, "Looking at the House is a sort of worship." Furthermore, Sa`id bin Al-Musaiyib said, "Whoever looks at the Ka`bah, out of sincere faith, will become free of sins as if he has just been born."

Supplication
1. It has been narrated that pronouncing supplications upon seeing the Ka`bah is surely accepted by Allah. Some narrated supplications are:
* "O Allah! increase this House's honor, sublimity, respect and reverence, and grant all those who come to it for Hajj or `Umrah more honor, respect, dignity and righteousness." And also, "O Allah! You are the Peace and from You is Peace. O Allah! Greet us with Peace."
* "O Allah! This sanctuary is Yours, this city is Yours, the security is Yours and I am Your slave. I have come to You from far away lands, burdened with my sins, and encumbered with misdeeds. I beseech You as those who are in dire need of You, who fear Your punishment, to favor me with Your forgiveness, and cause me to enter Your vast Paradise, the Paradise of Bliss. O Allah! This is Your sanctuary and the sanctuary of Your Messenger, protect my flesh, blood and bones from the Hell fire. O Allah! Guard me from Your punishment on the day You will bring back to life Your slaves."

Umrah > Arrival Tawaf > Details > Al-Multazim

Supplication
"O Allah! Praise be to You equal to Your favors and equal to Your abundant Grace. I praise You with all Your worthy attributes whether I comprehend them or not, for all Your favors, whether I understand them or not, and for everything. O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. O Allah! Provide me with refuge from the cursed devil, and from every evil. Make me satisfied with what You bestowed upon me, and bless it for me.
O Allah! Make me among the most honored ones to come to You, and make me adhere to the ways of righteousness till I come to You, O Lord of the worlds!"

`Umrah > Arrival Tawaf > Details > The BLACK STONE

The Merit of the Black Stone
1. It is a well-known fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) kissed the Black Stone, and so did his Companions; and Muslims will follow him in doing so till the Day of Judgment.
2. `Umar bin Al-Khattab warned the community against the belief that anyone other than Allah can cause harm or good. It has been narrated in an authentic hadith that `Umar said, " By Allah! I know that you are a stone, and that you can cause neither harm nor good; and if I had not seen Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) kissing you, I would have never kissed you."
3. It has been reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Allah will surely resurrect the Black Stone on the Day of Judgment, with two eyes to see, and a tongue to utter, testifying to those who rightly kissed or touched it." Al-Tirmidhi authenticated the Prophet's hadith that says, " The Black Stone was descended from Paradise and was whiter than milk. Yet, the sins committed by human beings have turned it black. (In another narration: Till the polytheists' sins turned it black."

Supplication Said upon Facing the Black Stone
"In the Name of Allah. Allah is the Greatest. O Allah! (I begin this Tawaf) believing in You, affirming the truth of Your Book, fulfilling my covenant with You, and following the Sunna of the Prophet (peace be upon him)." It is desirable to repeat this supplication each time when passing by the Black Stone during each round of Circumambulation.

Umrah > Arrival Tawaf > Details > The Station

The Station of Abraham
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The Corner and the Station are two precious stones from Paradise, whose light has been extinguished by Allah. If it were not for that, they would have lit all that is between the East and the West." Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, "Verily, the Corner and the Station are two precious stones of Paradise. Had it not been for the sins of human beings, they would have lit all that is between the East and the West."

Supplication Said at the Station
1. It is sunnah to recite the Quranic verse" And take the Station of Abraham as a place of Prayer."
2. It is sunnah to perform two rak`ahs, reciting Surah Al-Kafirun in the first rak`ah and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second, after reciting Al-Fatihah in each.
3. Then one starts to supplicate by saying, "O Allah! I am Your slave, and the son of Your slave. I have come to You burdened with many sins and encumbered with misdeeds. This is the place for he who seeks Your refuge from the Fire. Forgive me, for You are the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."

`Umrah > Arrival Tawaf > Details > Al-Hijr

Supplication Said at Al-Hijr
"O Lord of the Worlds! I have come to You from far away, with the hope of receiving Your favor. Grant me Your favor so as to ask no one else. You are well-known for granting favors."

Umrah > Arrival Tawaf > Details > Zamzam

Zamzam Water
Regarding Zamzam water, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "It is food for the hungry, and a cure for the sick."
1. Ibn `Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The water of Zamzam is (good) for whatever intention it is drunk."
2. Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) also reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, " The best water on earth is that of Zamzam. It is food for the hungry, and a cure for the sick."
3. When Mu`awiah bin Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with them) performed Hajj, and drank from Zamzam water, he said, "Zamzam (water) is a cure, and it is (good) for whatever intention it is drunk."
4. Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) also said, "We called it (Zamzam water) as the most satisfying and we found it to be the best aid to nourish the children."
5. He also said, "Drink form the water of the righteous (i.e. Zamzam)."
6. He also said, "Whenever Allah's Messenger wished to make a valuable gift to anyone, he would offer him the water of Zamzam."

`Umrah > Sa`I > Details

Supplication Said During Sa`i
"O Allah! O Controller of hearts, make my heart firm in Your faith. O Allah! I beseech You for what deserves Your Mercy, Your Forgiveness, and Safety from every sin. Grant me admission to Paradise and protection from the Hell Fire. O Allah! I beseech You for guidance, virtue, chastity, and self-sufficiency. O Allah! Help me to remember You, to offer thanks to You, and to worship You properly. O Allah! I seek from You all goodness, whether I comprehend it or not, and I seek from You admission to Paradise, and every deed or words that make this possible. I seek Your protection from entering the Hell Fire, and from every deed or words that make this possible."

Supplication Said at Al-Safa
It is preferable to climb Al-Safa and to recite the following Qur'anic verse: "Behold! Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So if those who visit the House in the Season or at other times should compass them round, it is no sin in them. And if anyone obeyeth his own impulse to Good, be sure that Allah is He Who recognizeth and knoweth."
Then, one faces the Ka`bah and says, "Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and Exalted High (beyond measure). Praise be to Allah and Glory be unto Him, the Mighty in the morning and the evening. There is no god but Allah alone, Who has fulfilled His promise, brought victory to His servant and defeated the Confederates, all alone. Truly! There is no god but Allah. There is no god but Allah and we are His devoted worshipers and servants. There is no god but Allah and we worship none but Him, with sincere devotion to Him in religion."

Supplication Said at Al-Marwah
It is preferable to climb Al-Marwah and to recite the following Qur'anic verse: " Behold! Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So if those who visit the House in the Season or at other times should compass them round, it is no sin in them. And if any one obeyeth his own impulse to Good, be sure that Allah is He Who recognizeth and knoweth. "
Then one faces the Ka`bah, and says, "Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and Exalted High (beyond measure). Praise be to Allah and Glory be unto Him, the Mighty in the morning and evening. There is no god but Allah alone, Who has fulfilled His promise, brought victory to His servant and defeated the Confederates, all alone. Truly! There is no god but Allah. There is no god but Allah and we are His devoted worshipers and servants. There is no god but Allah and we worship none but Him, with sincere devotion to Him in religion."

`Umrah > Shaving Or Haircut > Details

Having One's Hair Shaved or Cut
It is desirable for men to hold their forelocks with their own hands while shaving their hair, and to glorify Allah (saying "Allah-u-akbar) three times, and then to say: praise be to Allah as He has guided us, and as He has granted (so many graces) to us. O Allah! this is my forelock, I beg you to accept what I am doing, and to forgive my sins. O Allah! forgive me and both those who got their hair shaved and those shortened. O You! who forgive every thing. Amen. And when he finishes shaving, he would glorify Allah (say "Allah-u-akbar") three times, and would say: "Praise be to Allah who fulfilled - for us - our rituals. O Allah! increase our Faith, certainty (about You), success and aid (received from You). And forgive us, our fathers, mothers, and all Muslims[/b