Umrah is the most sacred journey in Islam ad Muslims try to perform this once in a lifetime. It consists of a series of Rituals that have to be completed with full intention to fulfill a dream journey. Every step of umrah, from entering ihram to Halq and Taqsir have a great spiritual value and Muslims try to increase this value by reciting some Surahs and Quranic verses. In this guide we discuss the Quranic Surahs and verses that help in increasing the spiritual reward of this journey. Plus, pilgrims who go through some umrah packages also have an Islamic guide who provides guidelines about the recitation of Surahs and verses during every ritual.
Before Beginning Umrah: Niyyah and Ihram
Niyyah and Ihram- this is the first step of Umrah to make a pure intention to enter in ihram. Your Intention must be pure and just remember one thing that all the worships are only for Allah.
Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:196):
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ
“And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah…”
This verse reminds you to perform Umrah only to please Allah, not to show off or feel superior to others.
At this point, the pilgrim says:
لَبَّيْكَ اللّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ
Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk
(O Allah, here I am to perform Umrah.)
There is no need to say any Surah in ihram clothes. But you can offer two rak’ahs prayers. In the first rak’ah you can say Surah Kafirun and in the second, Surah ikhlas. This shows the great value of this act.
Talbiyah
In Ihram, recite Talbiyah continuously, which shows your intention and faith towards Allah.
Pilgrims say!
لَبَّيْكَ اللّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكُ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ
“Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk, Labbayka la sharika laka Labbayk. Innal-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.”
(Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner. Truly, all praise, favour, and kingdom belong to You. You have no partner.)
These lines are not directly from the Quran but sunnah. Its recitation increases spirituality.
Allah mentions in Surah Al-Hajj (22:27-28):
وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ ۖ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ
“And proclaim to the people the Hajj… so that they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah…”
Tawaf
Tawaf means walking around the Kaaba seven times. You can do prayers and make dua’s. If you want then these are following some Surahs and verses to recite.
- Surah Al-Fatiha
- Ayat-ul-Kursi (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255)
- Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas
Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone, it’s a Sunnah to say:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
“Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil-akhirati hasanah, wa qina ‘adhaban-nar.”
(Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.) – Surah Al-Baqarah (2:201)
Two Rak’ahs at Maqam Ibrahim
You can pray two rak’ahs after tawaf to find the love of Allah at Muqam Ibrahim. You can recite.
- Surah al Kafirun in the first rakat
- Surah al Ikhlas in the second rakat
Sa’i, Walking Between Safa and Marwah
Sai means walking between Safa and Marwa. Which reminds a great struggle of the water of Hazrat Hajar for her son. This shows her patience and a strong faith in Allah.
At the Sa’i, it’s a Sunnah to say:
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ
“Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah…”
– Surah Al-Baqarah (2:158)
You can recite this verse one time at the start of the Sai.
During the walk, Muslims can recite!
- Any short Surahs
- Personal duas
- General dhikr, such as:
- SubhanAllah
- Alhamdulillah
- La ilaha illallah
- Allahu Akbar
Hair Cutting/Shaving, Tahallul
This is the last step of umah. Men cut their hair, and women cut a small part of their hair. This thing purifies their heart and soul.
Allah says in Surah Al-Fath (48:27):
إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفَعَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْحَقِّ لِيُدْخِلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ أَمْنًا وَإِن يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ يَدْخِلُهُمْ حَلِقِينَ رُؤُوسَهُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ
“Certainly has Allah shown to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened…”
This indicates your bond with Allah.
You can also do Dhikar!
- Morning and evening azkar
- Surh Al Mulk at night
- Surah Al kahf at Friday
Conclusion
Umrah is a journey of the heart and soul. This creates a strong bond with Allah. While performing rituals, Muslims learn great lessons. Also, reciting the Quranic Surahs increases spirituality. These Surahs are recited by the Prophet ( s.w), and now we follow them and try to improve our link with Allah. With this guide and the best umrah travel agency, this journey is not only a physical one but also a spiritual one, with many blessings from Allah.