Paying a visit to Kaabah, which is considered the House of Allah in specified days of the month of Zillhaj is called Hajj while this holy journey can be performed otherwise to these days as well and is called Umrah. Both forms of this sacred journey fulfill the same holy crave of believers in Islam. The major distinction between Hajj and Umrah is that the former one is declared obligatory for financially stable Muslims while the latter is an optional supererogatory prayer. The step by step guide while performing Umrah is given below:
1. Wearing Ihram-the uniform holy attire of the pilgrims
o Reaching Meeqat:
Unlike Hajj, the holy travelers cannot travel to Kaabah directly in the case of Umrah. Pilgrims are required to keep in mind the Meeqat, which are five prominent spots marked around the radii of Kaabah at a specific distance and before crossing these principal spots, the holy traveler needs to be in a physical and mental state of purification particularly by wearing Ihram. If a pilgrim crosses Meeqat without considering this ritual of purity, he/she is supposed to begin Umrah again to attain purity. In the case of residents of Saudi Arabia, a special spot called Taneem can be considered as Meeqat, which is approximately 5 miles (8 km) away from Kaabah. Most Muslim scholars recommend assuming Ihram at Jeddah, which is 53.5 miles (86 km) away from Kaabah and is Arabia’s most hectic airport where the majority of flights for Hajj and Umrah land. In the case of wearing Ihram at Jeddah, the sacrifice of a small animal is considered mandatory.
Apart from Jeddah and Taneem, the main five spots which are actually called Meeqat are Dhu'l-Hulayfah, which lies 280 miles in North of Makkah; Jhufah, which is about 118 miles away from Makkah and is present in North-west; Qarn al Manazil, which lies 56 miles East of Makkah; Dhat Iraq, which is 53 miles away and is in North- East of Makkah; Yalamlam, which is 31 miles away and is in South-East of Makkah.
Assuming Ihram: After reaching Meeqat, the holy travelers are required to assume a particular state of purity which is called Ihram. This is expressed by putting on special clothing which is a loose white attire. For men, only the exposure of right arm is required and this two-piece costume should go over their left shoulder. Covering of head is prohibited for men. While for women, Ihram comprises of the loose white cotton dress. When a pilgrim is in the state of Ihram, he/she should keep in mind certain things that are forbidden for the holy travelers. These include behaving badly to someone or using impolite language, showing intimation to one’s spouse, slaughtering animals, shaving any body part or clipping one’s nails, covering the head in case of men and wearing the veil by women or using any fragrance or cologne.
Reciting Talbiyyah: A short prayer called Talbiyyah is recited at Meeqat. This prayer is an oath of submission in front of Allah Almighty’s unique presence and is recommended to be repeated throughout the Umrah.
It is advised to assume Ihram during or before travel so there might not be any chance of crossing Meeqat boundary in impure state accidentally.
2. Rituals of Umrah
Arrival at Kaabah: The holy travelers are supposed to reach Kaabah once they have assumed Ihram while reciting Talbiyyah. It is recommended to recite Talbiyyah or short prayer to Allah or verses from the Holy Quran. However, the most important thing is to maintain a humble and modest composure.
Performing Tawaf around Kaabah seven times: After reaching Kaabah the most important and principal task is to perform Tawaf around Kaabah seven times in counterclockwise direction. Each circulation is started and completed when the pilgrim has left the side of the Black Stone.
Praising Almighty while performing Tawwaf: During this special ritual, the holy travelers are supposed to express praise to Almighty by focusing one’s thoughts completely on Allah Almighty and declaring Him the Unique Creator without any partners.
Sayee- A walk from Mount Safa to Marwa: Pilgrim is completed after tawaf around Kaabah. Then begins another important ritual is basically a walk from Mount Safa to Marwa seven times called Sayee. After reaching either of the Mount, the pilgrim declares Allah Almighty’s uniqueness without being associated with any partners, offering small prayers or reciting verses of the Holy Quran and abstaining from talking to others.
Trimming of hair and leaving state of Ihram: After the completion of the seventh circuit, the holy travelers are supposed to trim their hair and leave the state of Ihram to reflect their rejuvenation after the holy rituals. In the case of men, it is recommended to get their head shaved and for women trimming the hair is even alright. After the trimming of the hair, Umrah is completed and the pilgrims can start wearing their normal clothes while maintaining a humble mindset is necessary during the state of Makkah.
3. Preparation for Umrah
Consulting an authenticated travel agency: While traveling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, it is recommended to consult an authenticated Umrah or Hajj travel agency to book your Umrah arrangements in advance to avoid any unforeseen circumstance. The believers look for cheap Umrah packages to perform this sacred optional prayer. They are the search for such a package that covers travel to various holy spots in both Makkah and Madinah apart from flight to Makkah.
Obtaining Umrah visa: Pilgrims from all over the world are supposed to obtain a valid Umrah visa from the Saudi government which is issued for free, however, it requires a valid passport, complete and up to date documents of vaccination and authenticate travel agency.
Attend sermons or ceremonies in your community regarding Umrah: Traveling to the House of Allah is the holiest and the only desire of majority Muslims. So if you get a chance to attend any sermon guiding about performing Umrah, do go for detailed guidance. For those who don’t prefer to travel alone, they are in search of Umrah packages 2020 which provide Umrah services in the form of groups.
Preparing for foreign climate: Arabia is mainly and deserted land and except a few outlying areas, it is generally very hot and dry due to excessive use of air conditioning. Therefore, be very mindful when packing for your Umrah.
Cultural differences as a foreigner: Despite being an advanced country in many aspects, still there are many prominent cultural differences between the Saudi environment and many other Muslim countries around the world. The most important one is the open contact between men and women.
Special challenges to women while performing Umrah: The life of women in Saudi Arabia and other countries is significantly different. Women are not supposed to meet men without the presence of another man with them. They are also supposed to observe proper dress code their elbows’ head and collarbones, particularly abaya when in public. The most important thing to keep in mind is that women are not supposed to perform Umrah in certain days when it is generally considered the state of impurity for them.
