Entering Mecca

The Muhrim who declared his state of Ihram for Hajj or Umrah or even both should do the following actions:  

1. In the months of Hajj, he should go to Mecca after he declares the state of Ihram for Umrah, Hajj or both. He should then follow the Sunnah and go to Arafah because going directly to Mina without going first to Arafah results in overlooking many Sunnahs such as: the arrival Tawaf (Circumambulation) around Ka'bah or Tawaf Al-Qudum, the performance of Sa'i immediately after Tawaf offering as many prayers as one can in the Sacred Mosque, and the attendance of the Khutba on the 7th day in Mecca. If the rites of Hajj are in progress, the Muhrim must not go to Mecca after he declared the state of Ihram. He may also cancel going to Mecca at this point if he arrived on the Day of Arafah or arrived to the Hajj venue while people are heading to Mina to spend the night then go to Arafah early in the morning for it might be difficult for him or even impossible for him to go to Mecca first. Moreover, he might have declared the state of Ihram for Hajj only or for both Umrah and Hajj (Muqrin). 

2. It is preferred for a Muhrim to take a bath (perform Ghusl) before entering Mecca. This applies to both men and women, including the women in menstruation period or post-birth bleeding. This Ghusl should be performed with the intention of entering Mecca. It is preferred to perform Ghusl in Dhi Tuwa which is a valley in Zahir downhill from Mecca near A'isha Mosque. It is desirable that a Muhrim enters Mecca from its high side which overlooks Al Hajoun. 

3. It is preferred that the Muhrim should be merciful to the young, the elderly and women. He should always keep in mind the sanctity of the holy lands. He should humble himself out of fear of Allah and in submission to Him for he is in His Sanctuary. He should supplicate to Allah for whatever he wishes. It was narrated that the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said, on entering Mecca, O Allah! The country is Yours, and the House is yours. O I am asking for Your Mercy, and obeying Your orders I submit myself to Your Ordinance and Will. I implore You as weak, humble and fearful of Your torture as I am, to accept me among Your slaves, forgive my sins and let me enter Paradise.  

4. It is preferred that the Muhrim hurries to the Sacred Mosque as soon as he arrives Mecca then he can go and rent a flat or book a room and unpack. Women of exceptional beauty should not perform Tawaf until darkness falls, if this is possible. The Muhrim must enter the Sacred Mosque from the gate known as Bab Bani Shayba (Bab Assalam). He should take the first step inside with his right foot and say humbly and sincerely: 'I seek refuge with Allah the Supreme, I seek refuge with His Honor and Eternal Glory, with His Everlasting Authority, from the cursed devil. Peace and prayer be upon Muhammad the Messenger of Allah. O Allah! forgive my sins and open Your doors of mercy for me'. He should not pray two rak'at in salutations to the mosque, instead, he should hurry immediately to perform Tawaf (Circumambulation around Ka'bah). On the first sight of the Ka'bah, the Muhrim should raise his hands and say, "O Allah! increase this House's honor, dignity, respect, and grant all those who come to it for Hajj or 'Umrah honor, dignity, respect and righteousness". Then he should say, 'O Allah! You are the Peace, from You is the peace. O Allah! Greet us with the peace. Then he should supplicate Allah for whatever he craves of the world or the Hereafter. Then he should begin Tawaf (Circumambulation) because it is preferred for both Muhrims and non-Muhrims to perform Tawaf on entering Mecca. However, if the Muhrim enters Mecca when the time of an obligatory prayer or a Sunnah or Ratibah (specific Nawafil prayer) or the congregational obligatory prayer is about to elapse, he should firstly pray two rak'at in salutation to the mosque. He should also do this if he entered Mecca and found it too crowd or he was afraid lest he should push his way through a crowd of women or he was prevented by any other reason.  

5. As I have already said, the Muhrim should hurry immediately to perform Tawaf on entering the Sacred Mosque. If the Muhrim declared the state of Ihram for Umrah, his Tawaf is called Tawaf 'Umrah. This is an obligation for the Muhrim who declared the state of Ihram for 'Umrah alone in any time of the year besides the months of Hajj. This Tawaf is also an obligation for the Mutamatti' who declares the state of Ihram for Umrah then terminates his Ihram and enjoys normal life for a while until the time of Hajj then he puts on the garb of Ihram once again. Needless to say, the Mutamatti' should perform both Umrah and Hajj of the same year. As for the Mufrid who declares the state of Ihram for Hajj only and the Muqrin who declares the intention to perform both Hajj and Umrah together with no break in between, their Tawaf is judged as a Sunnah. Imam Malik is the only one of the four Imams to judge it as an essential condition accordingly, if the Muhrim, for one reason or another, can not perform Tawaf, this does not affect the validity of his Umrah and Hajj, still he must atone.

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Hajj And Umrah Guides, Pilgrimage Essentials, Mecca & Medina Topics Links:

Advice To Pilgrims | A Step by step Hajj and 'Umrah | Adhkar (Pertaining to the remembrance of Allah) | A Lasting Word For Hajj And 'Umrah | An Account of the Miqat | An Account of visiting the Prophet's Mosque | Ayaam at-Tashreeq | Binding on the pilgrim to refrain from sins | Command about the Menstruating and similar women | Conditional Ihram | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day One | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Two | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Three | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Four | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Five | Day by Day Rites of Hajj - Day Six | Day of Arafah | Day to Day Activities of Hajj | Dhabh | Duties of pilgrims at 'Arafah | Entering Mecca | Entering Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) and Tawaf | Errors Often Committed by Pilgrims | Etiquette of Ihram | Etiquette of Visiting the Prophet's (P.B.U.H) Grave | Farewell Pilgrimage of the Messenger of Allah | Farewell Tawaf | Farewell Tawaf is binding on everyone except the menstruating and women with post childbirth bleeding | Fixed time for Hajj | Fixed time for Hajj | Four Khutbahs in Hajj | Hajj in Pre-Islamic Times | Hajj of a woman | Hajj, Umrah & Ziyarah At a Glance | Halq or Qass | Halq or Qasr: Shaving or Clipping | Ihram | Ihram for youngsters | Ihram: Introduction And Significance | Innovations of `Arafah | Innovations Before Ihraam | Innovations of Hajj, `Umra and Visiting Madinah | Innovations of Ihraam and Talbiyyah, etc. | Innovations of Muzdalifah | Innovations of Sacrifice and Shaving the Head | Innovations of Sa'y Between Safaa and Marwah | Innovations of Stoning | Innovations of Tawaaf | Innovations of Visiting Madinat-ul-Munawwarah | Innovations of Visiting Bait-ul-Maqdis | Innovations: Various Innovations | Istilaam | Kinds of Ihram | Leaving Arafah to spend night in Al Muzdalefah | Many `Umrahs after Hajj is not encouraged by the Shari`ah | Maqaam Ibraaheem | Meeqaat | Merits of Hajj | Merits of 'Umrah | Minaa | Neglecting and delaying the throwing of pebbles | No Specific Supplication for Tawaf and Sa'y | Not allowed to shave the beard | Not obligatory to visit the Prophet's Mosque | Objective of Hajj - To seek the Divine Pleasure | Obligations during Hajj and Umrah | Performing Hajj on behalf of others | Permitted and Forbidden things in the State of Ihram | Pilgrim with Sacrificial Animal in the month of Hajj should intend Qiran (accompanied Hajj) and the one | Pillars of Hajj | Prayers at Arafah | Preparations for Hajj, Umrah and travelling to the holy lands | Preparing for Hajj or 'Umrah | Prerequisites and Sunnahs of valid Tawaf | Ramy | Reaching Miqat at a Time other than the Hajj Season | Regulations Concerning Hady (Sacrificial animals) | Restrictions of Ihram | Rites, obligations and Sunnahs of Umrah | Sa'y | Sa'y between Safa and Marwah | Sa'y and its rituals | Sacrificial animals | Shaving or clipping hair | Sunnah and allowed throwing | Sunnahs of Tawaf | Supplication at the beginning of the journey | Supplication on entering the Mosque | Supplications at Arafah | Supplications: Some All-Inclusive Supplications | Supplications: Some Supplications which may Be Recited At 'Arafat, at the Sacred Sites, and at Other Places of Supplication | Talbeeyah | Tawaaf | Tawaaf al-Ifaadah | Throwing Al Jemar | Throwing pebbles on behalf of other people | Types of Hajj | Umrah | Veiling and giving up the display of beauty is compulsory for women | Verdict on spending the night at Mina | Visitation of the Prophet's Mosque | Visiting Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi | Visiting Quba Mosque and Al-Baqi' cemetery | What a Pilgrim should do when he reaches the Miqat | What Is Required of the Pilgrims | What is allowed to a Muhrim | Where to pick the pebbles from and the number and size of pebbles | Woman's Hajj with Mahram, expenses of Hajj, taking husband's permission | Woman may enter into the Ihram in any dress | Wuqoof 'Arafaat | Wuqoof Muzdalifah | Zamzam