Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage)
The lesser pilgrimage to Mecca, which can be performed at any time of the year.
Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca, which unlike Hajj can be performed at any time of the year. It consists of four main rituals: ihram (entering the state of pilgrimage), tawaf (seven circumambulations of the Kaaba), sa'i (walking between Safa and Marwa), and halq/taqsir (shaving or shortening the hair).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "An Umrah to the next is an expiation for what is between them, and the accepted Hajj has no reward other than Paradise" (Sahih al-Bukhari). Prayer at Masjid al-Haram during Umrah has a special virtue — the Prophet said: "One prayer in my mosque is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere, except Masjid al-Haram" (Sahih al-Bukhari).
The four Sunni schools of law disagree on whether Umrah is obligatory (wajib) or merely strongly recommended (sunnah mu'akkadah). The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools consider it obligatory at least once in a lifetime, while the Hanafi and Maliki schools regard it as strongly recommended.
Related terms
Madhhab (School of Law)
An Islamic school of law with its own methodology for legal derivation from the sacred sources.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Tirmidhi's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its classification of narrations by strength.
Tashahhud (Declaration of Faith in the Seated Position)
The specific recitation during the seated position in prayer, with greetings to the Prophet.
Adab al-Salah (Prayer Etiquette)
The recommended norms and inner attitudes that enrich the prayer.
Khushu (Humility in Prayer)
Inner humility, focus and devotion during prayer.
Bismillah (In the Name of Allah)
The formula "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," which opens prayer and action.