Umrah is a religious pilgrimage for Muslims. Though a sunnah pilgrimage and not obligatory like a hajj, millions travel for it throughout the year with their Umrah packages and arrive in Makkah to offer the holy rituals. The reason why Umrah is also referred to as the minor pilgrimage is that it holds equivalent rewards to performing hajj for the pilgrims. Additionally, this is such a pilgrimage that can be performed in a few hours! So, the great rewards and short duration both make it a ‘Minor or Lesser Pilgrimage’ to Hajj.
Requirements for umrah travel
Just like the Hajj travel, traveling for Umrah also requires all of the international travel requisites to be fulfilled. That includes;
- Obtaining an Umrah visa.
- Arranging for your flights and hotels in the kingdom.
- Booking transportation.
- Preparing a budget.
- Packaging Ihram clothes and other necessary supplies for pilgrimage travel, etc.
Minimum time required for Umrah performance
For any pilgrims traveling to the holy land, the minimum time required to perform Umrah is subjective. Some might offer the holy rituals within a few hours on the same day while others may take up to several days to complete the minor pilgrimage. Therefore, it’s up to every pilgrim’s individual preference, physical strength, and time constraints when he/she completes the Umrah rituals.
Rituals of Umrah
Generally speaking, the primary rituals of Umrah are only four;
- Assuming the state of Ihram (a state of ritual consecration and absolute purity) from the Meeqat region.
- Performing Tawaf of the Holy Kaabah for seven consecutive rounds (circumambulation of the Kaaba).
- Undertaking Sai of Safah and Marwah hills for seven circuits (walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa).
- Getting your head shaved/trimmed i.e., Halq/Taqsir.
So, if a pilgrim performs all of these rituals consecutively, umrah can be performed in 4-5 hours on average.
Yet, many people choose to not offer holy rituals at such a fast pace and divide them into different days for their ease. So, it’s also permissible because it is a sunnah Ibadah and no hard and fast rule exists regarding the duration of Umrah performance.
Ziyarath of Holy Sites
Some people also like to stay in the Kingdom after the performance of the holy rituals for Ziyarath Purposes. There are many sacred hills, caves, mosques, graveyards, etc. that share a great association with Islamic history. So, pilgrims spend additional days visiting these sacred places to know about the origin of Islam and understand the essence of the pilgrimage better.
Other factors influencing the days required for Umrah travel
It must be noted that the duration of your travel and stay in Saudi Arabia for Umrah rituals is not fixed by any particular Islamic law. Therefore, one can tailor it to best fit every pilgrim’s individual circumstance and preference (as long as the basic rituals are fulfilled). Some people might opt for a longer duration of Umrah travel while others usually prefer a few days.
Here are some of the other factors that affect your minimum days’ requirement for Umrah travel.
Availability of time
Whether you are a student or a working professional, the restraint of time is there for you. In order to travel for Umrah, you need days off to travel to the holy region and offer the rituals there. So, either you can choose to travel there during vacations or also mid of the year i.e., as per your availability of time. That’s why time is among the major factors influencing your travel duration.
Budget
Financial resources also directly influence your minimum day requirement for Umrah travel. If you are on a budget and need affordable Umrah travel services, usually a shorter travel duration would be opted for because of the economy it offers. In other words, the lesser days you stay there, the lesser would be the expenses. Umrah flights imparts a deep impact on the cost of Umrah Package. That’s why, many Muslims prefer to book Qatar Airways Flights n because these flights are quite cheaper as compare to the other international airlines of the world. On the other hand, if you have sufficient monetary resources available, you can choose to spend weeks in the region without any hassle. So, the ideal minimum time for Umrah performance changes as per every pilgrim’s personal preference, time, and budget constraints.
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