“—Accomplish Hajj and Umrah to please Allah”. (Al-Baqrah, 196)
Umrah is a mini Hajj that can be performed at any time of the year. It can be performed along with Hajj and on other days as well. Holly Prophet PBUH says! “The people who come to perform Hajj or Umrah are the guests of Allah because they visit His House on His Call; therefore, Allah grants them what they ask for”. Performing Umrah during Ramadan is most commendable and equal to Hajj in merit and excellence. Performing Umrah, makes much easier by the several travel agents who are offering Umrah packages UK. Umrah is Sunnat-e-Mu’akidah it is neither imperative nor obligatory. Executing Umrah even once in a life time is Sunnat Mu’akidah. However, whenever it is performed, it bring great rewards. There is no fixed time for Umrah as it is for Hajj. The station of Ihram (Miqat) for Umrah is Hill for the residents of the Haram of Mecca and the people of Hill. Who come to Mecca for Hajj and Umrah should already be in Ihram before entering into Mecca. The only rites of Umrah are, Entering the state of Ihram, Tawaf of Ka’bah, Sa’yee between the hills of Safa and Marwah, Shaving or clipping of the hair. In Umrah, pilgrims do not go to Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa or throw pebbles on the Jamrahs (stone pillars representing devils) or offer animal sacrifice. These rites are performed during Hajj. Umrah is said to clean the pilgrim from the last or previous sins. The Pilgrims assumes ritual purity, Ihram, in a place, which can be in Mecca if Pilgrim intends to perform both Umrah and the Haj in one go.
For the residents of Makkah meeqat is Masjid Al-Ayesha. Uttering of Niyah for Umrah is much valuable before Umrah. Uttering of Labbaik, which is Arabic and normally translated “at your service”. The Pilgrim enters in the Harram through Bab-Al-Umrah, pass through the port of Banu Shaqiba they arrive up to the Black Stone in Ka’aba. Then make three fast and then four moderate circles around the holy Kaa’aba, which are known as the Tawaaf-e-Ka’aba. Saying a short prayer, Wajib-Al-Tawaf, at a point midway between the Black Stone and the door of Ka’aba, is highly blessed. Pilgrims drunk water out of the well of ZamZam. Then the Pilgrim leaves the mosque courtyard of the Ka’aba, enters the lane that runs between two points right outside, called Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. Walking between these two hills forward and backward seven times makes complete the step of making Sa’ee. After making the Sa’ee the Pilgrims went for the shaving of the head, whereas, the females are allowed to cut only an inch on their hair. You may perform Umrah as often as you want according to the said procedure. And if you want to perform just a nafl Tawaf, follow the same procedure, however, in a nafl Tawaf there is no Ihram, no Ramal, no Iztaba and even no Sa’ey.
By using the Umrah package services from any best umrah travel agency UK, one who is ignorant, may easily perform Umrah now. These service providers arrange each part of Umrah from your Visa service, to your safe arrive back to your place. For those who are with short budget, there is an opportunity to take a cheap Umrah package as well.
