Umrah is a holy journey that Muslims take to Makkah. It literally means to go to a place with a lot of people. Umrah can be done at any time of the year except for the "5" days of Hajj, which happen in the last month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. Last month, these days started on the 8th and ended on the 12th (Dahul Hijjah).

A lot of Muslims think of Umrah as a "Minor Pilgrimage," while Hajj is a "Major Pilgrimage." So Umrah isn't as important and necessary for all Muslims as Hajj, which is one of Islam's five pillars. Umrah in the month of Ramadan is equivalent to the Hajj. That’s why People use to book December umrah packages by Baitullah Travel.

What happens in the Umrah?

Traditions in Islam say that the Umrah is the Tawaf around the Kaaba and the Sai between the two mountains in the Al-Haram Mosque in Makkah. Al-Safa and Al-Marwah are the names of these two mountains. The Hajj also has these steps.

After these steps, men must do a Halq, in which they completely shave their heads, and women must do a Taqsir, in which they only cut their hairs an inch long.

Special Requirements for Umrah:

You will need a passport, a visa, a plane ticket, and a hotel reservation to go on the Umrah. You will need to find the best travel agency that will take care of everything you need for your Umrah trip. This can be done with the Ramadan umrah packages 2023 all inclusive.

Every pilgrim will need a certain outfit for Umrah. This is not a normal dress because it has to follow certain rules. It is called Ihram, and you would wear it before crossing the Miqat. Men and women have different experiences. Men wear simple, two-piece white sheets that are not sewn together. Women wear normal clothes that they would wear every day. They wear Abayas over their everyday clothes. The abaya is a long, loose coat.

There are some rules about Ihram:

1: In the state of Ihram, it is against the law to hunt animals.

2: You can't do anything sexual when you are in the state of Ihram.

3: Women must show their faces and hands.

4: In the state of Ihram, you can't put any scents on your body or clothes.

5: Men need to take their hats off.

Why is Umrah so important?

The Umrah is the second holy journey in Islam. It comes after the Hajj. Those who do Umrah with the right intentions can get rid of their sins. During Ramadan, if someone does Umrah, they can get a great reward that is the same as the reward for Hajj. Umrah removes poverty. When you do the parts of Umrah called Tawaf and Sai, you become a guest of God.

Remove the Poverty: Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) said that Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "Do Hajj and Umrah right after each other, because they get rid of poverty and sin like bellows get rid of rust on iron."

Remove the Sin: Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) said that Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "From one Umrah to another is the expiation for what comes in between, and Hajj Al-Mabrur brings no reward less than Heaven."

For some Muslims, Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) said that Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "Hajj and Umrah are Jihad for the old, the young, the weak, and the women."

Umrah is something every Muslim should do at least once in their lifetime because it was a Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).