By OYEWUNMI KAFAYAT OLASEYI
The two most important Islam pilgrimages are Hajj and Umrah. Hajj is sometimes referred to as the big pilgrimage or the Pilgrimage, whereas ‘Umrah is referred to as the minor pilgrimage. Hajj and ‘Umrah both entail a pilgrimage to Makkah that includes rituals such as ihram, circumambulating the Ka’bah, trekking between the hills of Safa and Marwah, and shaving or cutting the hair.
The following are the primary ‘Umrah rituals, while Hajj includes these and other rituals, such as spending days and nights at ‘Arafah, Mina, and Muzdalifah, which are all located near Makkah. Another distinction between the major and minor pilgrimages is that Hajj must be undertaken at a specific time each year, but ‘Umrah can be performed at any time throughout the year. Some of the most effective du’a to memorize and recite at various stages while performing hajj and umrah are mentioned below.
Remember that dua is highly personal, so make a list of your own personal dua for yourself, your family, friends, and anything else that matters to you. In the interim, you can use the Hajj du’as below to help you along your trip.
Saving up for Hajj or Umrah
You can recite this du’a even before you’re ‘technically’ ready to travel to Makkah (searching for packages), as part of your preparation to save enough money to undertake Hajj
اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ، وأَغْنِني بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ
Allāhumma k-finī bi ḥalālika ‘an ḣarāmika wa gh-ninī bi faḋlika ‘amman siwāka
O Allah! Suffice me with what You have made lawful instead of what You have made unlawful, and make me independent of all others besides You. (Al-Tirmidhi)
Du’a for Leaving Home
You’ve packed your bags and said your goodbyes to friends and family, so here’s the du’a to say as you prepare to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime voyage.
بِسْمِ اللهِ، تَوَكَّلْـتُ عَلى اللهِ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُـوَّةَ إِلاّ بِالله
Bismillāhi tawakkaltu ‘ala l-lāhi wa lā ḣawla wa lā quwwata illā bi l-lāh
In the name of Allah, I have placed my trust in Allah, and there is no power or might except by Allah. (Abu Dawud)
Du’a before Entering Ihram
Ihram can be performed at an airport in your home nation, on a plane, or while traveling from Madinah to Makkah. Ihram is an important component of your Umrah, and here’s a du’a to recite as you enter this stage.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أُرِيْدُ الْعُمْرَةَ فَيَسِّرْهَا لِيْ وَتَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِّيْ
Allāhumma innī urīdu l-‘umrata fa yassirhā lī wa taqabbalhā minnī
O Allah, I intend to perform Umrah, so accept it from me and make it easy for me. Same for hajj as well
The Talbiyah
Recite the Talbiyah as much as possible on your walk to the Haram after entering the state of ihram. Try to memorize this because you’ll be saying it a lot during your Hajj.
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ
Labbayka allāhumma labbaik, labbaika lā sharīka laka labbaik, inna l-ḣamda wa n-ni’mata laka wa l-mulka lā sharīka laka
I am present! O Allah I am present! There is no associate with You. I am present! All praise and grace is due to You, and the dominion. There is no associate with You! (ALLAH)
Du’a when Entering the Masjid
You may be surprised and amazed by the beauty of the masjid architecture and massive gates when you arrive in Makkah for your Umrah or Hajj, but don’t forget to say the du’a for entering the masjid as you make your way inside.
اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Allāhumma f-taḣ lī abwāba rahmatika
O Allah! Open the doors of Your mercy for me. (Al-Nasai)
Du’a when Seeing the Ka’abah
Seeing the Ka’abah for the first time is an unforgettable experience, and many scholars have taken this opportunity to make du’a while still feeling spiritually elevated.
اللَّهُمَّ زِدْ هَذَا البَيْتَ تَشْريفًا وَتَعْظِيمًا وَتَكْرِيمًا وَمَهَابَةً، وَزِدْ مِن شَرَّفَهُ وكَرمَهُ مِمَّنْ حَجَّه أو اعْتَمَرَه تَشْرِيفًا وَتَكْرِيمًا وَتَعْظِيمًا وَبِرًّا
Allāhumma zid hādha l-bayta tashrīfan wa ta’żiman wa takrīman wa mahābatan, wa zid man sharrafahū wa karramahū mimman ḣajjahū wa’tamarahū tashrīfan wa ta’żiman wa takrīman wa birran
O Allah! Increase this House in honour and reverence and nobility and awe, and increase those who honour and revere it as pilgrims for Hajj and Umrah in nobility and goodness and status and righteousness (Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Ibn Taymiyyah)
Du’a after Every Prayer
You will be performing many salah in the Haram throughout your Hajj or Umrah in the hope of receiving more rewards. It’s critical that you strive to improve the quality of your salah on a regular basis, and this du’a eloquently asks Allah for guidance in doing so.
اللَّهُمَّ أعِنَّيْ عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ، وَشُكْرِكَ، وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
Allāhumma a’innī ‘alā dhikrika wa shukrika wa ḣusni ‘ibādatika
O Allah! Help me to remember You and thank You and help me to the best manner of worshipping You. (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)
Du’a when Beginning Tawaf
Tawaf is an important component of your Umrah or Hajj, and you will most likely do it several times. You can say this du’a as you begin this magnificent ritual.
اللّهُمّ إيْمَاناً بِكَ، وَتَصْدِيْقاً بِكِتَابِكَ وَسُنّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Allāhumma īmānan bika wa taṣdīqan bi kitābika wa sunnati nabiyyika ṣalla l-lāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam
O Allah! Out of faith in You, conviction in Your book and Your Prophet’s way. (Sunan al-Kubra)
Du’a Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone
During your tawaf, it’s from the sunnah to recite the following du’a in the last straight of each round.
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanā ātinā fi d-dunyā ḣasanah wa fi l-ākhirati ḣasanah wa qinā ‘adhāba n-nār
Our Lord! Grant us success in this life, and success in the next life, and protect us from the Fire! [Q, 2:201]
Du’a when Drinking Zamzam
During your Hajj or Umrah, you will have many opportunities to drink zamzam water, and we know from hadith that zamzam is for what it is drunk for, so make plenty of du’a when drinking this water.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا
Allāhumma innī as’aluka ‘ilman nāfi’an wa rizqan ṭayyiban wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan
O Allah! I ask you for beneficial knowledge, and pure sustenance, and accepted actions. (Ibn Majah)
Du’a during Arafah
Arafah Day is one of the most well-known days of the Hajj. Thousands upon thousands of pilgrims stood and prayed all day, offering du’a to Allah for all good things in this world and the next. Make sure you have your du’a list ready for today, as well as the following recitations:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Lā ilāha illa l-lāhu waḣdahū lā sharīka lahū lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-ḣamdu wa huwa ‘alā kulli shay’in qadīr
There is no God but Allah alone, with no partner or associate, His is the dominion, to Him all praise is due, all goodness is in His hand, He grants life and death and He has power overall things. (Al-Tirmidhi)
Du’a when Greeting other Pilgrims
You can say the following du’a after completing the Hajj and congratulating others, or after meeting a Hajji who has returned home:
قَبِلَ اللهُ حَجَّكَ وَكَفَّرَ ذَنْبَكَ وَأَخْلَفَ نَفَقَتَكَ
Qabila l-lāhu ḣajjaka wa kaffara dhambaka wa akhlafa nafaqata
May Allah accept your Hajj, and erase your sins, and replenish your provisions. (Al-Tabarani)
Du’a when Entering Madinah
People often visit Madinah before or after Hajj or Umrah to worship in Masjid Nabawi, say salam to the Prophet (SAW), and enjoy the calm felt in this city.
اَللهُمَّ هَذَا حَرَمُ نَبِيِّكَ فَاجْعَلْهُ وِقَايَةً لِيْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَآمِنَّا مِنْ الْعَذَابِ وَسُوْءِ الْحِسَابِ
Allāhumma hādhā ḣaramu nabiyyika fa j-‘alhu wiqāyatan lī mina n-nāri wa āminnā mina l-‘adhābi wa sū’i l-ḣisābi
O Allah! This is the Sacred Precinct of Your Prophet, so make it a protection for me from the Fire and a security from punishment and a bad reckoning. (Al-Ikhtiyar)
Du’a when Returning Home
At the end of your Hajj or travels you can recite the following as you return home:
آيِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ
Āyibūna tā’ibūna ‘ābidūna li rabbinā ḣāmidūna
(We are those) who return, who repent, who worship our Lord, who praise. (ALLAH)
