Hajj & Umrah
Umrah and Hajj may have different rituals and rewards, but the most important thing to know is that Umrah is also Hajj. Yes! You did hear right. Umrah is a smaller pilgrimage than Hajj, which is why Umrah is called “Hajj-E-Asghar” and Hajj is called “Hajj-E-Akbar.”
Another important fact that most people get wrong is the one about Hajj-E-Akbar. Most people think that when Hajj happens on Friday, Hajj-E-Akbar sometimes comes. Well, this is a false idea. So, the fact is that Hajj, which happens once a year, is the most important pilgrimage.
Anyone can do Umrah at any time of the year. Hajj happens in the last month of the lunar calendar, which is called Dhul-Hajj. Umrah packages are used by millions of Muslims to go on the Umrah trip. If you want to do Umrah in the next year, this is a reminder. Now is the time to book your September Umrah Group Packages for 2023, so go do it!
Hajj Facts and Figures
• Islam was built on five main ideas, or “pillars.” Hajj is one of the most important parts of Islam. It has been done for thousands of years, since the time of Prophet Ibrahim AS. The Prophet Muhammad did the hajj once during his life. In the year 10 AH (623 CE), Muhammad went to Makkah with 1400 of his followers to perform the first ever Hajj in Islam. He did this to bring back the traditions of Prophet Ibrahim AS.
• Hajj is a required act of worship, and you should go if you have enough money to pay for it, if you are physically and financially able to make the pilgrimage, and if your family won’t have a hard time without you.
Even if you have a lot of money, you still have to go on Hajj.
The pilgrimage rituals start on the 7th day of Dhul-Hajj, which is the last month of the Islamic calendar, and end on the 12th day.
The Hajj rituals are Ihram, Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah, Rami, the sacrifice, and the Farewell Tawaf.
Hajj makes a person clean and gets rid of his or her sins. People have said that if a person does Hajj with pure intentions, he or she will be free of all sins like a new-born baby, just as a baby comes out of its mother’s womb without any sins. Hajj and Eid-Ul-Adha are the same time. Muslims follow the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim by sacrificing animals like cows, sheep, goats, and camels in the name of Allah. They then divide the meat into three portions and give them to family, friends, and the poor. During Hajj, men and women walk all around the Holy Kaaba together, climb Mount Arafat together, and even do Rami (throwing pebbles at the devil) side by side. In a nutshell, Hajj shows that men and women are equal in the eyes of Allah SWT.
Umrah Facts and Figures
Umrah has been done in its current form since the time of the Prophet Muhammad. It is a combination of several pre-Islamic rituals that were rethought in monotheistic terms and done with Muslim prayers.
• Millions of Muslims go on Umrah, which is a shorter version of Hajj that isn’t required. They do this with a lot of excitement and zeal all year long.
• Even though Umrah is not required, the great Prophet Muhammad did it four times during his life.
Umrah doesn’t take very long; it can be done in just a few hours. Yes, you heard right. The two most important parts of Umrah are Tawaf and Sai, which take only a few hours depending on the pilgrim’s age, health, and the number of people in Al-Haram.
• Going to Medina is not part of the Umrah journey. Pilgrims choose to go to Medina so they can see places like the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid-Al-Nabvi) that are important to them. Medina is not a part of the Umrah or Hajj.
• The reward for Umrah during Ramadan is the same as the reward for Hajj.
• Umrah is made up of four parts: Ihram, intention, Istilam (touching or kissing the black stone), and drinking Zamzam water. Tawaf and Sai are the two most important parts.
• If pilgrims make a mistake during Umrah, they have to make up for it through the expiation. There are three types of Umrah penalties: Badanah, Damm, and Sadaqah. In the Days of Easter there are holidays to the Uk citizens that’s why they book the Easter Umrah Group Packages. Pilgrim has to pay the required Fidyah, but how much he or she has to pay depends on how bad the mistake was.
