Travelling to the holy place of Makkah is the main step to perform the annual pilgrimage. Muslims head towards Makkah for mainly two types of pilgrimages which are Hajj and Umrah. Hajj is known as the major pilgrimage and Umrah is known as the minor pilgrimage. Despite all the difference between both, there are a lot of similarities in them. The bookings, travel, accommodation and health insurance are required for both the pilgrimages.
Now is the best time travel for performing Umrah as Saudi Arabia has made things a lot easier regarding the application of visa. Now you can apply for visa online and attain it without waiting for too long. People who are travelling for Umrah from UK can seek assistance and apply for visa via agency. Islamic travel agency UK is a travel agency based in UK that assists the Muslims living in UK about the process, documents required and precautionary measure that are required in order to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. Apart from guiding and assisting, they are also known for providing amazing all-rounded Affordable Umrah Packages for Muslims that are residing in UK.
Significance of Umrah in Islam:
Umrah is a beloved Sunnah of our holy Prophet (PBUH), which holds immense significance in the heart of every Muslim. The ritual of Umrah gives Muslims the opportunity to seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty and wash away their sins. The ritual of performing Umrah helps to cleanse one’s mind and soul and revives one’s heart by strengthening their belief in Allah’s plan. Sometimes we as human beings drift away from our origin as life throws unpredictable situations on us, but reviving our faith in that very moment and being hopeful about the mercy of Allah is vital. By practicing this ritual we remind ourselves that nothing is impossible for Allah and our heart feels at peace.
Importance of Sa’I:
The rituals like Sa’i tells us about the patience, perseverance and faith of Muslims since the advent of Islam. It is a mandatory practice for the revival of one’s faith, and if possible, should be performed several times.
Assuming Ihram and making Niyyah
- Before assuming Ihram, according to Sunnah it is recommended to perform Ghusl. It is also recommended to clip your nails and remove the excess body hair. It is recommended to perform Ghusl before you leave for the airport.
- After this men are supposed to change into Ihram which are two white sheets. One sheet must be wrapped around the waist while the other one is supposed to cover the upper half of the body.
- After this you are supposed to make intention of the Umrah by reciting its dua. The intention of Umrah must be made almost 20-30 minutes before the landing.
Entering Masjid al-Haram
- It is recommended to enter the masjid from Baab Salam and the Sunnah is to enter with the right foot and recite the dua of entrance.
- Upon seeing the Holy Ka’aba, one must raise their hand and make any dua with sincerity, as here any dua that is made will be accepted there and then.
Performing Tawaf
- One must be in the state of Wudu before performing Tawaf.
- Make the Niyyah of performing Tawaf, only for the sake of Allah. This can be done either silently or verbally.
- If it is possible for you, make sure to touch Hajar al- Aswad, also known as black stone. This black stone is engraved in one of the walls of Ka’aba. Muslims touch it and then kiss it while placing their forehead on the Hajar al aswad.
- The Tawaf should be completed in continuous manner with no interruptions between circuits.
- After Tawaf perform two Rak’ah between Maqam Ibrahim and Ka’aba.
Sa’i
- Upon reaching the location of Safa, you must raise your hand while facing the Ka’aba and make a dua and repeat the same process when you reach Marwa, this process is supposed to be continued like this until the Umraah is completed.
The last step is to shave the heads for men, and women are supposed to trim a small length of their hair, after this the Umrah is complete.
Why Ramadan Is the Best Time for UK Residents to Perform Umrah?
People who are travelling from UK for the first time or have kept specific budget want to get more significance from the Umrah, they must travel in Ramadan, as the rates are lower for accommodation, flights and travelling and the weather is also pleasant. The Umrah crowd is fewer than the peak time but during Ramadan the weather is rather pleasant. One can decide their itinerary and explore different places. All the bookings can be made by the Ramadan umrah packages UK, being offered by Islamic travel agency in UK. They also offer specific packages for each region UK, for example they offered Umrah packages from allover UK (London, Manchester, Birmingham and England) which was an affordable Umrah Deals specifically for people living in Birmingham.
There are certain rituals in Umrah that must be followed as the Sunnah elaborates. This article describes those rituals of Umrah and the method of performing each of them.