Umrah is the minor form of the holy journey to the sacred city of Makkah. It is the primary historic place in Islam located in Saudi Arabia’s western Hejazi province. This spiritual journey can be done at any time of year, leaving the days of Hajj. Even though thousands of pilgrims carry out this holy journey every year, there are several facts about Umrah which are still unknown to the pilgrims. It is said that it is only the love for Allah, which gathers millions of Muslims from every part of the world to pray and perform Hajj with equality and patience.
The Meaning of Umrah
The term comes from the word ‘I’timar’ which means to visit a crawling place. In simple words, it is a pilgrimage to the house of Allah, the holy Kaaba in the sacred land of Makkah. Next to Hajj, Umrah is a life-altering experience performed at Masjid Al Haram in Makkah.
Important Facts about Umrah
Umrah can be understood in detail if the facts associated with are known. A few important facts about Umrah are listed below:
The literal meaning of the word Umrah is visiting a crowded place.
It is a shorter version of the annual Hajj gathering.
Umrah is a non-obligatory pilgrimage journey that can be undertaken at any time of the year as many times as one wishes depending upon one’s health and financial condition. The only exception is the time of Hajj which is in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah,
The religious acts performed by the pilgrims during their journey towards the Holy Kaaba are called the Umrah rituals.
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essential ritual of Umrah
An essential ritual of Umrah is walking around or circumambulating around the holy Kaaba
Muslims consider Kaaba as the house of Allah, and therefore Umrah pilgrims are considered the guests of Allah.
As per Islam, the holy Kaaba was first built by Adam, then later by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and then by his son Ismail (peace be upon him).
It is said that people used to circumambulate around Kaaba even before the introduction of Islam.
As per Islamic history Hijri year 629 CE, the Prophet Muhammad, and 2000 Muslims made their way to Makkah to perform their first pilgrimage that lasted for three days, with all the terms of the Hudaybiyyah treaty. This is believed to be the first Umrah in Islamic history.
According to one of the Hadith, and also one of the important facts about Umrah, performing Umrah during Ramadan is equal to performing Hajj.
Umrah is of two types:
Umrah-al-Mufradah is an optional pilgrimage to Makkah which is performed independent of Hajj, and Umrah-al-Tammatu, which is a pilgrimage performed in consonance with Hajj.
The Umrah journey begins at one of the Miqats. There are five defined Miqats according to specific needs and regions.
The first ritual of Umrah is to enter the state of Ihram. Both men and women pilgrims are required to wear special clothing. It is at one of the Miqats that the pilgrims put on the Ihram clothing.
Before entering the Masid-al-haram, the pilgrim is required to state the intention of the pilgrimage followed by Talbiyah.
Upon reaching the holy Kaaba, the pilgrims perform the ritual of Tawaf. This ritual involved circling the Kaaba seven times while touching the Black Stone and kissing it every time one passes it. After each circle, a pilgrim is required to pray two rakats.
The Umrah rituals are concluded by men shortening their hair or shaving their heads. Women are required to cut their hair, instead of shaving.
rules for women
There are certain rules for women going for the Umrah pilgrimage which are distinct from that of men
Women are not allowed to wear makeup or perfume while they are in a state of Ihram.
Menstruating women are not allowed to perform Umrah, they can complete their Umrah journey once the menses get over.
Women who are under the age of 45 cannot perform Umrah without being accompanied by a male guardian.
Certain activities invalidate the holy journey of Umrah. Pilgrims should refrain from negative activities like fighting, smoking, cursing, and killing animals while performing the holy journey. Involving in any of these acts will result in the invalidation of Umrah.
If mistake is committed during Umrah
then one has to atone for them through expiation or Fidyah. Umrah penalties are of three types – Badanah, Damm and Sadaqah. It depends on the severity of the mistake, which Fidyah is to be performed.
The spiritual journey of Umrah is a minor pilgrimage that has a great deal of celestial value for Muslims It gives the opportunity to the pilgrims to gain blessings and rewards from Allah. This holy journey uplifts the spirit of an individual and brings peace to the mind and soul. Whoever performs Umrah with compassion and a heart full of gratitude is said to achieve the highest pleasure of Allah.
Umrah is an opportunity for Muslims to revive their faith, seek forgiveness and pray for their needs. By performing Umrah one cleanses his or her sins. The main purpose of Umrah is to clean the soul of past sins. A Muslim can perform Umrah more than once in a lifetime. Another important purpose of performing Umrah is that it protects from poverty and the burdens of life, as a pilgrim is spending their wealth and time in the way of Allah.
Relevant facts about Umrah
Hence, just deciding to perform Umrah is not enough. The relevant facts about Umrah should be known to the pilgrim. This is important to have a peaceful experience and complete the sacred ritual of Umrah successfully. Also, knowing the history, rules, and penalties can make one more prepared for the arduous yet satisfactory spiritual journey. To ensure that Umrah should be performed without any amateur mistakes one must know some vital facts about Umrah. Keeping these points would make the journey more fulfilling and joyous for the pilgrims.
