Etiquette, the Kaaba and the duas
Visiting Masjid al-Haram: a Makkah Live guide
What to do as you enter, where tawaf begins, and the words to say on the way round, each with its source.
Entering the mosque
Right foot first, phone on silent. Enter with your right foot and say the dua for entering a mosque (Sahih Muslim 713). Be patient in the crowds: everyone around you has travelled far to be there.
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A‘udhu billahil-‘azim… Allahummaftah li abwaba rahmatik
(يَبْدَأُ بِرِجْلِهِ الْيُمْنَى) ، وَيَقُولُ: ((أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ العَظِيمِ، وَبِوَجْهِهِ الْكَرِيمِ، وَسُلْطَانِهِ الْقَدِيمِ، مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ)) [بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، وَالصَّلَاةُ] [وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ] ((اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ)).
A‘udhu billahil-‘azim, wa biwajhihil-karim, wa sultanihil-qadim, minash-shaytanir-rajim. [Bismillah, was-salatu] [was-salamu ‘ala rasulillah.] Allahummaftah li abwaba rahmatik.
I seek protection with Allah, the Almighty, with His generous Face and His everlasting power, from the outcast devil. [In Allah’s name, and blessings] [and peace on Allah’s Messenger.] O Allah, open the doors of Your mercy to me.
Go in with your right foot first, then say it.
The Kaaba and Maqam Ibrahim
Raised by a father and his son. The Kaaba was built by Ibrahim and his son Isma‘il (Quran 2:127). Near it is Maqam Ibrahim, the stone Ibrahim stood on while building, and the Quran tells pilgrims to take it as a place of prayer (Quran 2:125); many pray two rakats behind it after tawaf.
وَإِذۡ جَعَلۡنَا ٱلۡبَيۡتَ مَثَابَةٗ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمۡنٗا وَٱتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلّٗىۖ وَعَهِدۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسۡمَٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيۡتِيَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلۡعَٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ١٢٥
wa-idh jaʿalnā l-bayta mathābatan lilnnāsi wa-amnan wa-ittakhidhū min maqāmi ib'rāhīma muṣallan waʿahid'nā ilā ib'rāhīma wa-is'māʿīla an ṭahhirā baytiya lilṭṭāifīna wal-ʿākifīna wal-rukaʿi l-sujūdi
And [mention] when We made the House [i.e., the Kaʿbah] a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], "Purify My House for those who perform ṭawāf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer]."
The Black Stone
Where each circuit of tawaf begins. The Prophet ﷺ, going round on a camel, pointed to it each time he passed and said “Allahu akbar” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1613), which is what most pilgrims can do in the crowds. Umar kissed it, saying he knew it was only a stone that could neither harm nor benefit, and that he kissed it only because he had seen the Prophet ﷺ do so (Sahih al-Bukhari 1597).
Allahu akbar at the Black Stone
((طَافَ النَّبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْبَيْتِ عَلَى بَعِيرٍ كُلَّمَا أَتَى الرُّكْنَ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ بِشَيْءٍ عِنْدَهُ وَكَبَّرَ)).
The Prophet ﷺ went round the House on a camel. Every time he came to the corner of the Black Stone, he pointed to it with something he was holding and said “Allahu akbar”.
Between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone
The last stretch of every circuit. Here the Prophet ﷺ used to say the dua for good in this world and the next (Sunan Abi Dawud 1892):
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah
((﴿رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ﴾)).
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘adhaban-nar.
Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Said between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone. The words are from the Quran (2:201).
For Umrah and Hajj
From ihram to the last cut of the hair. The talbiyah, “Labbayk Allahumma labbayk”, is said from ihram until tawaf begins (Sahih al-Bukhari 1549). For every step of Umrah in order, see the Umrah guide from Muslims Around the World.
Labbayk Allahumma labbayk (the talbiyah)
((لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ، وَالنِّعْمَةَ، لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ)).
Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.
At Your service, O Allah, at Your service. At Your service; You have no partner; at Your service. All praise and all blessings are Yours, and all dominion. You have no partner.