Last year I visited Mecca and performed Umrah. Frankly I was not that prepared, so I felt my Ibada (worship) was not quite proper, especially during Tawaf and Sa'i. I also noticed many people making I'tikaf during the day and night while my friends and I didn't. After returning home and thinking back I now realise that I should have done more than I did during my 7 days in Mecca. I would like advice on the best way of performing Umrah and acts of worship in Mecca.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

There are three basic elements for Umrah which without them the Umrah will not be correct. These are:

First, Al Ihram: intention to perform Hajj or Umrah or to perform both.

Second, Al-Tawaaf: circumambulation around Kaaba.

Third, Sai'yi: walk between Safa and Marwah. The obligatory deeds are:

1) To wear the Ihram garb from the Meeqaat (appointed location) for the non-resident of Makkah; or perform Ihram from Al-Hil (Tani'm) for a resident of Makkah.

2) To avoid wearing any tailored (stitched) clothes (for men only).

3) To shave hair or cut it short after completing the required rituals.

These are the obligations of the Umrah. Anyone who misses any of the above must slaughter (make sacrifice). The preferable deeds when performing Umrah are as following:

Before Al-Ihram:

1. To cut short the fingernails and remove the pubic hair.

2. To have a bath.

3. To perfume one's body.

After (wearing) Al-Ihram:

1. To pronounce Al-Talbiyah which men should say loudly.

2. To (make a) condition that if prevented or blocked from performing the Umrah rituals, she/he will terminate Ihram and resume normal course of life.

3. To pronounce one's intention, in saying: Labbayka Allahumma Umrah.

During the Tawaaf:

1. To kiss the Black Stone (Al-Hajr Al Aswad) if you are able and not prevented due to large crowds.

2. To put the Ihram garment under the right armpit and uncover the right shoulder (this is for men only).

3. To walk fast (Al-Raml) for the first three rounds of Tawaaf (for men only).

4. To make many supplications, and glorifications of Allah.

5. To pray two Rak'ah behind Maqam Ibrahim, or elsewhere in Al-Masjid al-Haram.

(During) Al-Sai'yi:

1. To climb Al-Safa (hill) and say: I shall start with that Allah has started with.

2. To say more Du'a and Zikr.

These are the basic elements (obligations) of Al-Umrah with some preferred deeds. In conclusion, the person who wants to perform Al-Umrah should enter Ihram from the location (Meeqaat), or the location corresponding to it. That is, if the person is still outside Makkah, he performs Ihram from the Miqat which is between him and Makkah. As for Makkah residents they perform Ihram from Al-Tani'm. Al-Talbiyah will be commenced immediately after putting on the Ihram and continued until the mosque appears on sight. Then, he should start the Tawaaf - and having ablution is a condition for the Tawaaf. After that he has to pray two Rak'ah behind Maqaam Ibrahim; then he has to go and walk in between Al-Safa and Al-Marwa. Then he shaves or cuts the hair short. That is the end of the Umrah, and all that was forbidden before becomes permissible. The above concerns the performance of Al-Umrah; but the Muslim is always required to seize the opportunity of being in Makkah, specially in the month of Ramadan, to perform many good deeds; because the reward is doubled in such areas (as Makkah). Of these good deeds, there are the opportunities for:

· Reading the Qur'an in a thoughtful and consider manner.

· Glorification of Allah (Dhikr and Du'a).

· Doing I'tikaaf in the mosque.

· Donating to poor people

· Doing as much supererogatory acts as possible, like prayers and Tawaaf.

· Performing Umrah again and again.

·Lastly, about the words of the inquirer: "So I felt my Ibada is not quite proper, especially during Tawaaf and Sai'yi …", this could mean that he was not making supplication, glorification with proper consideration, but the Umrah is correct though he may have been negligent. But if he means that there were some faults in performing the Tawaaf and /or the Sai'yi, then in this case the Umrah is incorrect and should be repeated and done properly.

Allah knows best.