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
Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice)
The greatest Islamic holiday, celebrated in remembrance of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son.
Sunnah Mu'akkadah (Emphasized Sunnah)
Voluntary prayers that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed regularly and rarely omitted.
Sunan al-Nasa'i (Nasa'i's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its strict authenticity criteria.
Sunan Ibn Majah (Ibn Majah's Hadith Collection)
The sixth of the canonical hadith collections in Sunni Islam with unique narrations.
Niyyah (Intention)
The conscious intention in the heart to perform a specific prayer.
Tayammum (Dry Purification)
Ritual purification with clean earth, when water is not available.