The Manner of 'Umrah

Question:
In the last of this questioner's (E.M.A) questions, she asks: What is the manner of 'Umrah?

Answer:
If one is in Makkah, he goes out to the non-sacred area (al-Hal); to at-Tan'eem, or to 'Arafah, or to al-Ja'ranah, or similar places in al-Hal, meaning. Then he declares his intention for 'Umrah, intending it in his heart and saying: "O Allah, here I am for 'Umrah." Then he enters and performs tawaf around the House seven times, and prays two rak'ahs. Then he performs sa'y between al-Safa and al-Marwah seven times, starting with al-Safa and ending with al-Marwah. Then he shortens his hair, or shaves it. This is the 'Umrah. The woman only shortens her hair.
And if he is far away... not in Makkah, he declares his intention from his location, if he is within the boundaries, within the boundaries of the miqats, like the people of al-Masjid al-Haram, or ... or Jeddah, he enters the state of ihram from his location, from his house, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) when he defined the boundaries, he said: He enters ihram from Jeddah, from al-Masjid al-Haram, from... he enters ihram for 'Umrah, saying: and intending it in his heart, and declaring: He declares in the path until he reaches the mosque, then he puts his right foot forward when entering, and says: like the other mosques.
Then he performs tawaf, and sa'y, and shortens his hair. This is the 'Umrah. He performs tawaf seven times around the House, and prays two rak'ahs behind the Maqam, or in any part of the Sacred Mosque. Then he performs sa'y seven times, starting with al-Safa, and ending with al-Marwah. He makes du'a in his sa'y, and says takbir when entering ihram, saying: Allahu Akbar. He faces the Black Stone, or touches it with his hand, and kisses it, or with a stick, and kisses the end of the stick. If it is not possible, he points to it and says takbir. And so every time he passes it, seven times.
And the best is that at the end of every lap he says: [al-Baqarah:201] And when he reaches the Yemeni Corner, he touches it with his right hand, saying: In the name of Allah, and Allahu Akbar, if it is possible. If there is a crowd, he passes by, and does not touch it, and does not push, and does not say anything at the Yemeni Corner. When he reaches the Black Stone, he touches it, and kisses it if possible. If it is not possible; he touches it with his hand, and kisses his hand, or with a stick, and kisses its end. If that is not possible; he points from afar and says takbir.
All of this was done by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until he completes seven laps, making du'a in every lap.. remembering Allah.. making du'a.. sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until he completes the seven laps, and ends every lap of tawaf with his saying: [al-Baqarah:201] following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the best.
Then he prays the two rak'ahs behind the Maqam if possible, or in any part of the mosque. Then he recites in them: [al-Kafirun:1] and [al-Ikhlas:1] after al-Fatihah. In the first: [al-Kafirun:1] and in the second: [al-Ikhlas:1] after al-Fatihah. Then he goes to al-Safa, and performs sa'y seven times, starting with al-Safa, and recites at the start: and recites the verse: [al-Baqarah:158] as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. Then he climbs it, and says takbir to Allah, and says tahlil, and calls upon Him raising his hands three times. He repeats this three times raising his hands. He praises Allah and says takbir, and makes du'a, and praises Allah three times. and makes du'a with whatever du'a is easy for him. Then he repeats the dhikr and du'a three times. This is the Sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did, facing the qiblah, facing the Ka'bah, raising his hands when standing on al-Safa.
And so on al-Marwah, on al-Marwah just as he did on al-Safa. He does what he did on al-Safa. He remembers Allah in the path in his laps. He remembers Allah, and makes du'a in his path between al-Safa and al-Marwah, until he completes the seven. He starts with al-Safa, and ends with al-Marwah. He praises Allah, and says takbir, and says tahlil, and makes du'a three times on al-Safa, and on al-Marwah, at the beginning and the end, at the start of sa'y, and at the end of sa'y until he ends with al-Marwah. And he says on al-Marwah at the end what he said on al-Safa at the start, exactly the same.
And so in tawaf, he starts with takbir, and ends with takbir; the seventh lap. He says: (Allahu Akbar) at the start, and so at the end, he ends with takbir, then he finishes. This is how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did it. And he makes du'a in tawaf, and sa'y, with whatever du'a Allah makes easy, and dhikr and takbir, and praise of Allah; because tawaf, and sa'y, and stoning the pillars, were legislated by Allah to establish His remembrance, as came in the hadith: Tawaf, sa'y, and stoning the pillars were only legislated to establish the remembrance of Allah.

The presenter: The rest of shaving, and shortening, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh: Yes?

The presenter: Shaving, and shortening?

The Shaykh: ... in Hajj and 'Umrah, the man shaves and shortens, either shaving, or shortening. But the best in 'Umrah is shortening, so that shaving is available for Hajj if he performs 'Umrah in Dhul-Qa'dah, or in the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. So the best is shortening so that shaving is available for Hajj.
As for the woman, she has only shortening in her 'Umrah and her Hajj; because the head is part of her beauty. So it is prescribed for her to shorten in Hajj and 'Umrah, and she does not have the right to shave. Rather, she shortens a little from the ends of it ... in her Hajj, and in her 'Umrah. And this is the completion of 'Umrah. 'Umrah is completed by shortening, or shaving. So the man shaves, or shortens. And the best is shortening for the man if he is in the days of Hajj; so that shaving is for Hajj. And as for the woman, the Sunnah for her is shortening. She does not have the right to shave in her Hajj and 'Umrah.
And as for in Hajj, when he stones the pillar, he shaves, or shortens on the day of 'Id. This is the best. And the woman when she stones, she shortens, and does not shave. And tawaf is the last. And if he has sa'y remaining, sa'y remains with tawaf after that, either on the day of sacrifice, or after that. If he performs tawaf on the day of sacrifice, this is better, and he performs sa'y. And if it is not possible due to the crowd, and he delays it; there is no harm. He delays tawaf and sa'y. And he has exited the first state of ihram. He wears sewn clothes, uncovers his head, and uses perfume. When tawaf becomes possible on the second day.. the third.. the fourth.. after that; he performs tawaf and sa'y if he is a mutamatti', or a mufrid, or a qarin, and did not perform sa'y with tawaf al-qudum; he performs sa'y with tawaf al-Hajj.
As for if he performed sa'y with tawaf al-qudum and he is a qarin or a mufrid; the first sa'y suffices him. As for the mutamatti', he performs sa'y for his 'Umrah, and shortens and exits ihram. Then he performs sa'y in the days of Hajj for his Hajj. Yes.

The presenter: Thank you, Your Eminence, and may Allah bless you, your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.