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Umrah Guide

Umrah Step by Step

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Step 2: Tawaf

3 min readLast updated August 29, 2026

As soon as you reach the Ka‘bah, stop reciting the Talbiyah. After approaching the Black Stone, face it and, if possible, touch it with your right hand and kiss it. Do not cause people hardship by crowding. When touching the Black Stone, say:

بِسْمِ اللهِ، وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ

(Bismillahi wallahu akbar)

Or say:

اللهُ أَكْبَرُ

(Allahu akbar)

If it is difficult to kiss the Black Stone, touch it with your hand or a stick, then kiss the object with which you touched it. If it is also difficult to touch it, gesture towards the Black Stone and say:

اللهُ أَكْبَرُ

(Allahu akbar)

However, in this situation, do not kiss your hand or whatever you used to gesture towards it.

Remember, a condition for the validity of Tawaf is to be in a state of purity from all forms of minor and major ritual impurity, because Tawaf is like Salah, except that speaking is permitted during Tawaf.

5. While performing Tawaf, keep the House of Allah, the Ka‘bah, on your left and perform seven circuits around it. When you reach the Yemeni Corner, touch it with your right hand if possible. However, do not kiss the Yemeni Corner. If it is not possible to touch the Yemeni Corner, leave it and proceed ahead, continuing your Tawaf. Do not make any gesture or say the Takbir, because this has not been narrated from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. But whenever you reach the Black Stone, touch it, kiss it and say the Takbir, as mentioned previously. If touching it is not possible, gesture towards it and say the Takbir.

In this Tawaf, it is Sunnah for men to perform Idtiba‘, meaning to pass the middle of the upper garment beneath the right armpit and place its two ends over the left shoulder. It is also Sunnah for men to perform Ramal during the first three circuits of Tawaf. Ramal means walking briskly with short steps.

There is no specific du‘a or dhikr for Tawaf. In every circuit, it is recommended to recite whatever prescribed dhikr and du‘a one wishes. However, it is Sunnah to recite the following du‘a between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone during every circuit of Tawaf:

﴿رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ حَسَنَةٗ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٢٠١﴾ [البقرة:201]

(Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘adhaban-nar)

“Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the Fire of Hell.” [Surah al-Baqarah: 201]

If possible, complete the seventh circuit by touching and kissing the Black Stone while saying the Takbir. If that is not possible, it is sufficient merely to gesture towards it and say the Takbir, as before.

After completing Tawaf, properly arrange your upper garment, meaning that you should cover your shoulders and chest with it. Do not remain in the state of Idtiba‘. Then, if possible, perform two rak‘ahs of Salah behind Maqam Ibrahim, even if at some distance. If that is not possible, perform Salah wherever possible in the mosque. It is preferable to recite قل يا أيها الكافرون (Surah al-Kafirun) after Surah al-Fatihah in the first rak‘ah, and قل هو الله أحد (Surah al-Ikhlas) in the second rak‘ah. There is no harm in reciting any other surah. After these two rak‘ahs of Salah, kiss the Black Stone if possible.

6. Thereafter, upon completing the Salah, drink Zamzam water and proceed towards Mount Safa to perform Sa‘i. (Addition from HadithBD)

How to Perform Umrah in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah — Dr. Abu Bakr Muhammad Zakaria