Planning your first Umrah this year? It's a great spiritual opportunity to escape from worldly things. If yes, knowing how long is Umrah is important to plan all the rituals properly. Well, an Umrah is a minor pilgrimage so, it takes 2 to 4 hours to complete unlike Hajj which takes days to complete.
But can you manipulate this Umrah time duration? Or if you can complete Umrah in just 2 hours? Similarly, what are the factors that can influence this Umrah duration? This post is all about such concerns of pilgrims and a guide to plan your Umrah duration too. So, let's read.
How Long Does Umrah Take on Average?
There's nothing like a fixed time duration that Umrah takes to complete. However, it takes 3 hours on average to complete all the Umrah rituals. And this time duration keeps varying based on the surroundings of Haram and also with the personal factors of pilgrims.
For example, adults or healthy individuals can complete Umrah earlier while elderly pilgrims take longer to complete it. Similarly, peak pilgrimage times increase the Umrah duration even for physically fit individuals. So, it turns out that the answer to how long is Umrah differs for everyone. However, one can still anticipate it by breaking down the duration that each ritual takes.
Complete Umrah Time Breakdown (Step by Step)
A complete breakdown of Umrah time duration is important to plan the entire journey of performing Umrah step by step. This is because each ritual of an Umrah journey takes its time that every pilgrim should know to perform it better. So, here's all the rituals of Umrah and how much time each takes normally.
Ihram and Niyyah Time Required for Umrah
Wearing Ihram clothes and making niyyah of an Umrah journey is the first step of a pilgrimage. So, wearing Ihram before boarding an Umrah flight takes 15 to 25 minutes. But it doesn't impose any Ihram restriction on pilgrims yet.
After that, making niyyah of the journey and reciting Talbiyah upon reaching Meqat takes almost 5 minutes. And this is the moment when pilgrims enter the Ihram state and thus have to follow the restrictions of Ihram.
How Long Does Tawaf Take During Umrah?
Tawaf is an important ritual of Umrah that includes seven circuits around the Kaabah. In general, completing seven circuits of Tawaf takes about 30 minutes on average. However, this duration increases as the crowd of pilgrims builds in Haram.
Therefore, it takes 45 to 90 minutes on average to complete Tawaf mindfully while navigating the crowd. And performing tawaf on upper floors even takes longer than 90 minutes during peak times.
Sa’i Duration Between Safa and Marwah
Sa'i is another important ritual of Umrah that also involves seven circuits between Safa and Marwa hills. And it turns out to be 3.15 kilometers that pilgrims cover in seven rounds. So, it takes 50 minutes on average to complete even when the crowd of pilgrims is manageable.
However, the duration of performing Sa'i also increases during peak times when Safa and Marwah are crowded. Similarly, the choice of ground floor or upper floors to perform Sa'i also makes a difference of duration. And thus it can take up to 75 minutes.
Halq or Qasr Time Required to Complete Umrah
Halq or Qasr is the last ritual of Umrah that's basically a ritual of exiting Ihram. Men have to shave their heads or trim hair while women have to cut tips of hair of about a fingertip length. So, it takes 10 to 15 minutes on average. For men, it depends on the crowd at salons or barber shops.
How Many Hours Does Umrah Take for First-Time Pilgrims?
Performing Umrah for the first time is a unique experience which can be a challenge too. However, the Umrah duration almost remains the same within the range of 2 to 3 hours for first-time pilgrims. This is because Tawaf and Sa'i are two major time taking rituals of Umrah that takes time.
But proper understanding and knowledge of rituals is the key here. It's the proper planning and understanding that benefits first-time pilgrims and they can complete Umrah in 2 to 3 hours. So, get in touch with scholars, online lectures and tutorials to understand the rituals and locations within Haram that can confuse first-time pilgrims. This way, it will not impact the Umrah duration much.
How Long Does It Take to Do Umrah During Busy vs Quiet Times?
The time duration that an Umrah takes to complete is nothing like fixed hours. In fact, there are many things that keep influencing Umrah duration. And peak or off-peak times are prominent in this regard. So, it's completely up to the pilgrims which one they choose as the best time to perform Umrah. Here's how busy vs quiet times makes a big difference when it comes to calculating how much time does Umrah takes to complete.
Umrah Duration During Ramadan vs Off-Season
Ramadan is a peak time for Umrah pilgrimage that sees massive crowds of pilgrims in Haram. At this time, performing tawaf and Sa'i at normal pace is near to impossible. Even many of the pilgrims have to perform tawaf on upper floors which takes even more time. In this case, an Umrah can take 4 to 6 hours to complete.
On the other hand, days immediately before or after Hajj are off-peak times when there's nothing like a crowd in Haram. It's the time when Umrah duration becomes less than 2 hours for healthy and adult individuals.
Night vs Daytime Umrah Duration
There are some peak and off-peak hours in daytime and nighttime for pilgrims. For example, hours after Fajr Salah or after sunset and hours after Zuhr prayer are off-peak times when the crowd of pilgrims is easily manageable.
On the other hand, midnight or sometime after Isha prayer are off-peak hours when completing Umrah rituals takes less time than usual. However, the remaining times are peak hours that increase the Umrah duration.
Factors That Affect Umrah Duration
As you see, an Umrah time duration isn't fixed at all. And largely it depends on the crowd level and individual factors. So, here are things that affect how much time an Umrah takes. And by keeping all these in mind or adjusting these a bit, pilgrims can easily complete Umrah in a reasonable time span.
Crowd Density in Masjid al-Haram
Higher the crowd level in Haram, more time it takes to complete Umrah rituals. And if it's the crowd of Ramadan Umrah, the Umrah duration increases more than average. So, choose offpeak times or at least off-peak hours of the day to perform rituals comfortably.
Prayer times
Congregational prayers in Haram also increase the time that Umrah rituals take to complete. So, it's better to perform Umrah after Isha or after Fajr prayer when one can easily manage Umrah rituals within time.
Physical Fitness and Age of Pilgrims
Adults take less time to perform Umrah while elderly pilgrims take more time. And it's because of physical fitness and wellness that's important to bear the crowd and extensive walk in Haram.
Experience Level of the Pilgrim
First-time pilgrims take more time to complete Umrah while regular pilgrims take shorter time. This is because of the experience of how things work in Haram. If going for Umrah first-time, choose from the best Umrah packages from USA to get personalized assistance.
Final Thoughts on Umrah Duration and Time Required
In conclusion, an Umrah takes a few hours to complete and the pilgrims can perform it anytime of the day. Even one can complete Umrah in 2 hours by choosing off-peak hours. However, it's also completely okay to perform Umrah in 3 to 4 hours as the only thing that matters is the intention and sincerity. So, understand the Umrah journey beforehand, plan your Umrah duration, choose off-peak hours and give your best.
Frequently Asked Questions About How Long Umrah Takes
Can Umrah be completed in 2 hours?
Yes. One can complete Umrah in 2 hours and it's enough time to perform rituals comfortably. But this doesn't work the same every time. Sometimes, the crowd of pilgrims is the main reason that delays the Umrah time duration. Similarly, physical health, time of the day and even fellow pilgrims in a group also affect this duration. So, manipulate all these factors and it will be easier to complete Umrah in 2 hours.
How long is Umrah for elderly pilgrims?
Umrah takes much longer time for elderly pilgrims who can walk their own selves. So, it can take 4 to 6 hours for elder pilgrims who can still manage longer walking. However, it's also time taking for elders who have to perform rituals on wheelchairs. This way, they have to perform tawaf on upper floors which are crowded and long at the same time. So, it can take up to 2 hours in such a situation.
However, performing Sa'i in a wheelchair is much easier and quicker that can take less than one hour. So, it depends on the individual choices of elderly pilgrims or their caretakers that decide the Umrah duration.
Is Umrah duration different during Ramadan?
Yes. An Umrah in Ramadan takes much longer to complete than Umrah during any other time in a year. And the reason is the crowded surroundings and relatively lower energy due to fasting. So, an Umrah during Ramadan can take up to 4 hours for pilgrims.
Can Umrah be done in one day?
Yes. Unlike Hajj which takes 5 to 6 days to complete, an Umrah takes 3 to 4 hours of the day to complete. So, pilgrims can perform Umrah anytime of the day as it takes a little time of the day to complete.
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