Umrah is the sacred spiritual pilgrimage Muslims make in Mecca’s revered city. Usually, pilgrims list the most important things to do before booking Umrah packages 2023 to ensure they catch everything during their pilgrimage to the house of Allah. Umrah is practised in Makkah because the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received his vision to examine the Quran here. It is the most pious journey for pious Muslims after Hajj. Travel is voluntary and can be done throughout the year. All Muslims aspire to take this spiritual journey once in a lifetime. The main purpose of the pilgrimage is to seek forgiveness from Allah and purify deadly sins. Early pilgrims should be aware of a lot of prep work and things to do before Umrah. A little starting can go a long way toward making your journey to the House of Allah memorable.

How to prepare for Umrah? – Prepare for the holy pilgrimage

To ensure a fruitful journey, pilgrims can prepare by:

  1. Understanding the rules of Ihram

The holy state that pilgrims must enter before they can perform Umrah is the most important of the various things to do before Umrah. In addition, there are various Ihram rites and rituals – slightly different for men and women – that pilgrims should know before going to Umrah.

  1. Understand the different Duas and Suras and their interpretation.
  2. Perform Salat al-Tawbah – a prayer of repentance, asking Allah for forgiveness with a pure heart.
  3. Understand how to worship Salatul Janaza – the ceremony to pray for souls.
  4. Forgive and ask forgiveness from those who have been offended.
  5. Learn the history of Umrah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
  6. Create a dua list for loved ones

Performing these duos in the holiest places is the best chance for them to be accepted. However, duos should be provided with pure intentions and a heart free of malice.

Things to Do Before Umrah; Tips to Make it Memorable

Most people just starting out on the Umrah journey need to figure out what to do before Umrah. A few important things must be done in advance to make the spiritual pilgrimage memorable.

After completing the Umrah, pilgrims can visit other revered sites in Medina and Mecca. In addition, Muslims consider many ziyarat or pilgrimage sites sacred and holy. Some of them are:

  1. Saur Cave, also known as Ghar-e-Saur, is the place where the Holy Prophet and Hazrat Abu Bakar spent three days and three nights. It was at the time of the journey from Mecca to Medina
  2. The Hira Caves in Mount Nour are particularly important in the Islamic tradition. There, the Prophet received Allah’s message through the angel Jibreel.
  3. The house of Abu Jahal, although it no longer exists, is still frequented by pilgrims. Abu Jahal, whose original name was Amr ibn Hisham, was a fierce opponent of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). As a result, he was called the Pharaoh of Ummah by the Prophet.
  4. Ayesha Mosque acts as a miqat where one can wear Ihram clothes to initiate Umrah or Hajj. Also known as Tasneem Mosque, it is where Aisha, wife of Muhammad (PBUH), entered the Ihram to initiate Umrah.
  5. Jabl-e-Rehmat, also known as Mount Arafat or Mount Mercy, is actually a hill in the Arafat Valley. It is located just outside Mecca and is where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave his last sermon after the Hajj.
  6. Booking in advance helps avoid last-minute chaos.

The pilgrimage is performed by millions of Muslims every year. However, due to its great religious significance, there are seasons when it becomes difficult to find hotel rooms in Makkah.

7. Focusing on fitness: It is important for pilgrims to successfully perform Umrah. But first, you must take at least 4.2 km on foot. So one of the most important things to do before Umrah is to start hiking and focus on breathing techniques. Walking such long distances in wet conditions requires much stamina and determination.

Prepare Umrah for Women

The preparation of Umrah for women is slightly different than for men. There are many guides on what to do before going to Umrah for women. Please read them and talk to scholars about best practices. Some common but important things to keep in mind are

  1. . Know how to dress appropriately. You will need two types of clothes – one to perform Umrah and another to wear on other days while you are still in Makkah. 12. Be aware of Ihram-breaking activities.
  2. Learn all about Umrah rules and rituals for women.
  3. Know Masjid Ayesha as miqat for menstruating women.
  4. Know all the legal requirements and paperwork if you travel without the mahram.

Extra points

Preparing for Umrah involves focusing on your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. All the things to do before Umrah prepare you for an experience that will change your life.

 Pay Zakat

Zakat, or charity, is one of the important pillars of Islam. If you are preparing for Umrah, completing all the tasks expected and required for the future pilgrim is important. Helping those in need through donations and food is one of the important things to do when you intend to be invited to the house of Allah at the Kaaba in Mecca.

 Perform Salah and read the Coconut

Salah and duas are said to have many purposes and different intentions. For those leaving Umrah, praying for their safety during the journey is advisable. Pilgrims must perform two rak’ah salah when leaving home. Scholars suggest choosing from several surahs for the welfare of the pilgrims on the journey to and from the Umrah pilgrimage.

Prayer on the Umrah Journey:

If you pray alone, you can shorten Asr, Isha and Maghribsalah from four Rakat to two rak’at. However, that is not true of Maghrib and Fajr Salah. As a result, unless they are in the city for more than 15 days, pilgrims should continue to perform salah during Hajj or Umrah.

You can also combine prayers. The practice of combining two prayers in one prayer is called Jama’. This is valid in the Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools of thought. This does not apply to Hanafis.