Sunnahs of Hajj & Umrah in the Quran & Sunnah

1. Pilgrimage to the House is owed to Allah by whoever can make his way there.

Allah says:

فِيهِ ءَايَـٰتٌۢ بَيِّنَـٰتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۖ وَمَن دَخَلَهُۥ كَانَ ءَامِنًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ حِجُّ ٱلْبَيْتِ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

In it there are clear signs: The Station of Ibrāhīm! Whoever enters it is secure. As a right of Allah, it is obligatory on the people to perform Hajj of the House - on everyone who has the ability to manage (his) way to it. If one disbelieves, then Allah is independant of all the worlds. (Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:97)

Lesson: In it are clear signs and the station of Ibrahim; whoever enters it is safe — and the duty falls on the one who is able, so ability is itself part of the etiquette.

2. Take provision for Hajj — and the best provision is taqwa.

Allah says:

ٱلْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَـٰتٌ ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ ٱلْحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يَعْلَمْهُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَتَزَوَّدُوا۟ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَـٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ

The Hajj is (to be performed in) the months that are well-known. So whoever undertakes Hajj in them, there should be no obscenity, no sin, no quarrel in the Hajj. Whatever good you do, Allah will know it. Take provisions along, for the merit of (having) provision is to abstain (from begging), and fear Me, O men of understanding! (Surah al-Baqarah 2:197)

Lesson: Allah defines the manners of the season in the same breath: no rafath (obscenity), no fusuq (sinning), no jidal (disputing) during Hajj — and the finest luggage is God-consciousness.

3. Whoever honours the rites of Allah — it is from the taqwa of the hearts.

Allah says:

ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَـٰٓئِرَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى ٱلْقُلُوبِ

Having said that, if one observes the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, then such things emanate from the piety of the hearts. (Surah al-Hajj 22:32)

Lesson: Reverence for the sha‘a’ir (the sacred rites and landmarks) is not outward show; Allah traces it back to the piety inside the heart.

1. Umrah to Umrah expiates what is between them — and the accepted Hajj is rewarded only with Paradise.

“The ‘Umrah to the next ‘Umrah is an expiation for whatever is between them; and the Hajj that is accepted (mabrur) has no reward but Paradise.”

2. Guard the Hajj from obscenity and sin — and return home as the day you were born.

“Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s sake and does not utter obscenity and does not commit sin will return as he was on the day his mother bore him.”

3. Hajj is ‘Arafah — do not miss the standing.

“Hajj is ‘Arafah. Whoever comes (to ‘Arafah) before the dawn prayer of the night of gathering (the 10th) has caught the Hajj.” The whole journey gathers into one afternoon of standing and dua.

4. Raise your voice with the talbiyah — it is the pilgrim’s anthem.

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ

Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak — Jibril came to the Prophet ﷺ and told him to command his companions to raise their voices with the talbiyah, for it is among the rites (sha‘a’ir) of Hajj.

5. Follow Hajj with Umrah and Umrah with Hajj — they erase poverty and sins.

“Make the Hajj and the ‘Umrah follow one another, for they remove poverty and sins just as the bellows removes the dross of iron, gold and silver.”

6. For women, the jihad without fighting is the accepted Hajj.

‘Aishah asked: “O Messenger of Allah, we see jihad as the best of deeds — should we not go out for jihad?” He said: “No — the best jihad is a Hajj that is accepted (hajj mabrur).”

7. The sacred journey is to three mosques only.

“Do not set out on a journey (for worship) except to three mosques: this mosque of mine, the Sacred Mosque, and al-Masjid al-Aqsa.” Pilgrimage journeys keep their direction by revelation, not by custom.

8. Let your last act in Makkah be the farewell tawaf.

The people were commanded that the last of their (stay) should be with the House — except that it was lightened for the menstruating woman. No one leaves the city before bidding its House farewell.

9. Fill the days with remembrance, and keep the tongue from every quarrel.

Lesson: The Quran’s three prohibitions of the season — obscenity, sinning, disputing — turn the largest gathering on earth into the most peaceful: millions moving as one body, their only slogan the talbiyah.

10. The pilgrims are the delegation of Allah.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The one who fights in the cause of Allah, and the pilgrim performing Hajj and ‘Umrah, are a delegation to Allah: He invited them, so they responded to Him; and they ask Him, and He gives to them.”

11. Shave the head at the release — he prayed mercy for the shavers three times.

On the day of sacrifice the Prophet ﷺ said: “O Allah! Be merciful to those who have their heads shaved.” The people said: “And those who get their hair cut short, O Messenger of Allah!” He repeated his prayer for the shavers a second and a third time — and only then added: “...and to those who get their hair cut short.”