Places to Visit During Umrah in Madina

Madina, the city of our Prophet PBUH is the second most sacred place on earth after the Makkah. Madina is a beautiful city with many mosques, almost all of them related to Holy Prophet PBUH that pilgrims flood to see during Hajj and Umrah. Not just mosques there are several other places that you should need to see to refresh your Eman during your Umrah trip. 

1. Masjid e Nabwi: The city of Allah’s beloved Apostle has the most beautiful Prophet’s Mosque that was established when He SAWW migrated from Makkah to Madina. It is also the last resting place of our beloved Prophet PBUH under the green dome that is the landmark of Great Mosque. Prophet SAWW loves His mosque and told the barakahs of offering prayer in His mosque.  Hazrat Anas RA narrated that He SAWW said, “Whoever performs 40 Salahs in my mosque, without missing one Salah, for him is granted freedom from punishment and he shall remain free of falseness”.

On another location Hazrat Abu Hurairah RA reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “One Salah offered in my mosque is superior to one thousand Salahs in other mosques except Masjid e Haram”.

2. Quba Mosque: The very first mosque built in Islam is Masjid e Quba. This must visit place in Madina is the second largest and prestigious mosque in Madina. It was founded by the Holy Prophet PBUH himself when He SAWW arrived from Makkah. Masjid e Quba hold immense importance in the history of Islam and every pilgrim should need to explore the foundation of mosques in Islam. Ibn Umar narrated about the Quba Mosque that, “The Prophet PBUH used to go to the Quba Mosque by walking and sometimes riding. In another narration Nafi added that, “Prophet PBUH then offered two Rakah in Mosque of Quba”.

3. Masjid e Ahzab: This historical mosque is located on a place where enemies attacked the Madina, on the western corner of Jabal Sala. During the battle of Ahzab, Prophet SAWW made dua here and Allah SWT sent glad tidings of victory. Battle of Ahzab is one of the famous battles of Islamic history. During the battle, a trench was formed to save the believers. Currently there are six mosques located at the same location but Mosque Ahzab is the largest and best one. Ahzab mosque has been built and rebuilt several times in the past.

4. Al-Madina Museum: A different place from mosques in city, Al-Madina Museum is first and oldest museum in Madina dedicated to the history of Islam. This is surely a must visit place in Madina, the museum is located on King Abdul Aziz Road in Madina Knowledge Economic City. This is probably the best place to explore Islamic heritage and varied culture. Images and paintings are organized so perfectly that you’ll feel that you travel back to the historic era. You’ll also find the details about the life of Holy Prophet PBUH publishing periodicals and holding seminars on the history and culture of the city. The entry to museum is free and it remains open from Saturday to Thursday.

5. Old Bazaar: Old Bazaar is one of the most notorious place with high religious significance in Madina. Every pilgrim wants to take back presents and souvenirs for family and friends and no place is better than Old Bazaar. Visiting this market is most amazing experience you’ll ever had. You’ll see the mesmerizing souvenirs, Islamic designs on everything and unique Arabian products everywhere in Bazaar. The historical Old Bazaar is located on major streets of Madina and crowded all the times. Don’t forget to explore the vibrant designs, interesting themes and Arabian merchandise here.

6. Wadi e Jinn: The most mysterious valley in Madina, Wadi e Jinn or Wadi Al-Baida is located about 41 kilometer from northwest to Madina.  At this valley cars move without drivers. This incredible phenomenon allures millions of people every year from all around the world. Scientist has different opinions but according to the Islamic point of view or locals, these things happen because of the powers of Jinn. Some locals claim that they heard voices saying that, “you don’t belong here, this is our place’. Visiting Valley of Jinn is surely a unique experience that you must have in Madina.

7. The Desert at Mada’ in Saleh: The most stunning and exotic desert in entire Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is best to leave early in morning to reach Mada’ in Saleh and explore the hundreds of monumental tombs and thousands of graves with inscriptions and cave drawings. These tombs are also some of the best preserved remains of the lost Nabataean Kingdom.  The location of Mada’ in Saleh was once the thriving city along ancient spice route and now it is part of UNESCO World Heritage.

8. Masjid e Qiblatain: This mosque holds immense importance for Muslims as it was Masjid e Qiblatain were Prophet PBUH received the order of changing Qibla from Masjid e Aqsa (Jerusalem) to Kabah. After the command from Allah, Muslims begins to pray in the direction of Kabah. Besides its importance, Masjid e Qiblatain is great structural design with conventional pattern art. The mosque is famous for its twin Mihrabs and spacious prayer hall.

9. Jannat ul Baqi: The famous graveyard of Madina where several family members of Prophet PBUH were buried including His wives, daughters and companions. The first person buried in Janat ul Baqi was Asad Bin Zararah who was an Ansari companion of Prophet PBUH, died soon after the migration. And among Muhajreen, 'Uthman bin Mazoun was the first person who buried here. He was died shortly after Prophet PBUH returned from battle of Badr. Holy Prophet SAWW himself chose this place to be a cemetery.

10. Garden of Hazrat Salman Farsi RA: The Garden of Hazrat Salman Farsi is another must visit place during Umrah trip. Prophet SAWW planted three hundred date palms here to free Hazrat Salman from slavery. Located in Masjid e Quba, the beautiful garden still produce tons of dates. Visit the garden and enjoy the delicious dates. Umrah Discount packages

Umrah Packages 2019 - Travel for Umrah

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What is lesser Pilgrimage or Minor Pilgrimage?

Umrah which is also known as lesser or Minor Pilgrimage is a non-obligatory Ibadah that is desired by every Muslim living in the face of the earth to perform. Umrah or the Lesser Pilgrimage is performed by millions of Muslims who march towards the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah throughout the year. If you are going to perform Umrah or are planning to then, this article will help you a lot in organizing your next Umrah spree.

What is Umrah?

Umrah has been derived from an Arabic word ‘I’timaar’ meaning ‘a visit’ where the visit refers to visit the holy Kabah. Umrah is also known as lesser or Minor Pilgrimage because the rituals of Umrah are as same as that of Hajj except for the fact that additional rituals are performed during Hajj. Though Umrah is a non- obligatory Ibadah the reward of performing it is infinite. It is said that if Umrah is performed with sound intention then all the previous sins of the pilgrim have been washed off.  Muslims from all across the world dreamt to march towards Makkah for once in their lives.

Types of Umrah

There are two types of Umrah.

· Umrah-ul-Mufradah: This is the major type of Umrah that we perform throughout the year except in the 5 days of hajj. There is no specific time for Umrah-ul-Mufradah to perform unlike hajj. One can perform it anytime whenever they have time or financial resources.

· Umrah-ul-Tamattu: The second type of Umrah is performed long with the hajj. Umrah-ul-Tamattu performed during the time of hajj but is mandatory for pilgrims to perform it before the commencement of hajj rituals, prior to the 8^th of Zill-hajj.

When to perform Umrah

There is no specific time to perform Umrah. Throughout the year millions of Muslims from all around the world visit the holy land of Makkah to perform this sacred religious obligation. Though, you can perform it any time in the year when you have enough financial resources and physical capabilities however, it is best to plan your Umrah trip in winters. This is because Saudi Arabia is an extremely hot city and pilgrims coming from cold regions feel very difficult in bearing burning sun. For them it is best to choose cold or mild weather to perform soul cleaning spiritual spree.

Pillars/ Rituals of Umrah

The acts of faith that pilgrims have to perform to make their spree an Umrah are known as Umrah Rituals or Umrah Pillars. There are four main pillars or rituals of Umrah including Ihram, Tawaf, Sai and Halq or Taqsir.

1. Ihram

The word ‘Ihram’ is an Arabic word meaning ‘making Niyyah’. Ihram is usually used in two contexts or meaning;; first, it is used to describe the consecration state of a Muslim pilgrim in which he gets forbidden to perform some certain acts that are though Halal in other days except days of the pilgrimage. Second, it is used to refer the two pieces of clothing that male pilgrims are obliged to wear during their Umrah.

Ihram is the intention or a promise that is made by the human to his Creator that he will not do the acts that are forbidden to perform. Pilgrims wear Ihram before the point of Meeqat (a place before entering Makkah) and no pilgrim can walk towards Meeqat without wearing Ihram. Besides of wearing it, pilgrims also have to traverse the five different areas of Meeqats in the Haram boundary including;

- Dhu’l Hulaifah (Meeqat for the pilgrims coming from or through Madinah)

- Al- Juhfah (this Meeqat situates near Rabigh and is used by the pilgrims coming from or through Egypt, Syria and Morocco)

- Qarn- al Manazil (for the pilgrims coming from or thru Taif or Najd)

- Yalamlam (for the pilgrims coming form or thru Yemen, India and Pakistan)

- Dhat’Irq (for the pilgrims coming from Iraq)

Before setting feet in the sacred boundary of Makkah, pilgrims are obliged to assume the state of Ihram which is actually a holy amalgamation of ‘Niyyah’ and ‘Talbiyah’. Niyyah indicates the intention to perform the act of worship (the pilgrimage) whereas the Talbiyah is a special supplication or a prayer said to start the state of Ihram. To get into the state of Ihram, a pilgrim is obligated follow the following steps as instructed by Prophet Muhammad SAWW to become a ‘Muhrim’ (a pilgrim who has attained the state of Ihram);

· Ablution:  ablution is a set of acts performed to cleanse the body and attain physical purity. This process includes several mandatory rituals called Mushtahab and some other rituals that are preferable for Ihram;

- Ghusl (taking bath as per the Islamic procedure)

- Perfuming the head and the beard

Both Ghusl and Perfuming are Mushtahab for Ihram

· Cutting nails: clipping finger and toe nails, trimming moustache and shaving off unwanted body hair is not obligatory but are preferable practices to attain the state of Ihram.

· Wearing Ihram: the two piece white clothing is referred as ‘Ihram’ and is mandatory to wear for the performance of Hajj and Umrah both. The sacred attire contains two white sheets (called Izar and Rida) for males while women are allowed to wear anything as long as covers their bodies properly and is not revealing. Both men and women have to wear flip-flops or sandals that expose their middle bones of the midfoot.

· Prayer: after wearing Ihram, pilgrims have to perform two Rakats of Salah- al- Ihram while covering the head.

· Pilgrims then have to pronounce Niyyah as the point of Meeqat approaches

· After making Niyyah, pilgrims recite Talbiyah (reciting a supplication loud and clear) repeatedly after traversing the Meeqat stations in the holy boundary of the Grand Mosque until the instigation of Tawaf before travelling towards Makkah for the next ritual of Umrah.

2. Tawaf

The ritual that makes a pilgrimage authentic, Tawaf is circumambulation around the holy Kabah. After assuming the state of Ihram, pilgrims (or now Muhrim) perform the mandatory ritual of Tawaf in Masjid al Haram around the holy Kabah. When pilgrims arrive at the Masjid al Haram, they stop reciting Talbiyah and start circumambulating the holy Kabah seven times, by setting their right footing and making Idtiba’a. Male pilgrims have to bare their right arm and the lower part of it must cover their left shoulder until Tawaf is done. Tawaf must get started from the Black Stone and completes with the pure intention of seeking forgiveness and closeness to the Almighty Allah. The circumambulation is only valid if the pilgrims recite the specific Dua (supplication) during each of the seven circumambulations.

It is an appreciated practice if the pilgrims go to Istilam (kissing or gesturing towards Hajra Aswad, the Black Stone) during his or her circumambulations. If they are not able to reach the Black Stone, they can only touch it with their right hand and start moving towards completing their even anticlockwise circles while reciting Dua designated for each circumambulation with holy Kabah on their left. It is also better to do the circumambulations without any pause, interruption or distraction.

Out of seven, first three rounds of Tawaf must be done fast- paced (called Ramal) but only by men whereas the remaining four can be completed by walking between the al Rukn al Yamani and Hajra Aswad. Pilgrims have to make sure that the last circumambulation must end at the exact point where it was started. With the seventh circulation and performance of the eighth Istilam, the state of Tawaf concludes. At the point, male pilgrims must cover their shoulders with the upper part of the Ihram sheet.

The Tawaf is completed and upon its completion, pilgrims can go behind Maqam Ibrahim (the station of Ibrahim) where they have to perform Salaat of Tawaf (the two short Nafl Rakats) and thereafter drink the holy ZamZam water from the Well of ZamZam in the basement of the Sacred Mosque while asking forgiveness from the Almighty. After performing Nafl prayer and drinking ZamZam, pilgrims can then process to the Multazam, a section of the holy Kabah situated between the Black Stone and the door of the Kabah, to supplicate and offer Dua.

3. Sai

Walking between the mount Safa and Mount Marwah seven times is referred as Sai. The ritual is commemorated in the memory of Bibi Hajra RA (mother of Prophet Ismael). The pilgrims who intend to make Sai must make their way out of the Masjid al Haram towards the Massa (the place of Sai). Sai is an evidence of mother’s unconditional love and a lesson that if you keep firm believe on Almighty Allah then nothing is impossible. The Massa is a great place to reflect not only on yourself but also of self- correctness.

Pilgrims initiate their Sai by going up the hill of Safa situated in the south, to see the holy Kabah form the Safa door. A pilgrim must face Kabah with utmost devotion and raise his hands for supplication. Then, he must descend from the Safa hill and walk towards the hill of Marwah that situates in the north, while reciting Subhan Allah. A pilgrim must keep moving until he reaches two green pillars between which only men have to run through while the women walk at a normal pace. After reaching the top of Marwah, pilgrims praise the Almighty facing the Kabah and recite the supplication.

The procedure to walk from Safa to Marwah repeats seven times and each round is around 450 m long. The seventh round marked the end of Sai. Male pilgrims should be aware of the fact that they should perform Sai with their shoulders covered. After offering two Rakats of Nafl, in the Grand Mosque, pilgrims should come out of the holy Mosque with their left foot out and then offer a Dua.

4. Halq or Taqsir

Halq is shaving the head while Taqsir is clipping or shortening of the hair. Pilgrims are permitted to either Halq or Taqsir but shaving head is more appreciable for men than clipping them. However, women only have to clip an inch of their hair. The act of cutting or clipping hair symbolizes one’s detachment or disinterest in physical appearance and complete submission to Allah.

After Halq or Taqsir, Umrah is completed and all the prohibitions imposed on a pilgrim are lifted as he takes off his Ihram. December umrah Package

Benefits of Umrah

Umrah is not just the best act of worship but it also brings great rewards and benefits to its performer. There are plenty of benefits and rewards that Muslim earn when he or she perform the sacred obligation.

· Become guest of Supreme Creator of World: Becoming a guest to the one who just not only create you but He SWT is the creator of whole universe is the most pleasant benefit of performing Umrah. Allah Almighty will be the host of those who spend their wealth, time and energy to oblige the religious duty with pure intentions.

· Remove sins: Man is full of sins, it’s in his nature but Allah SWT provides us a chance to remove our sins through the performance of Umrah. Umrah is best source to remove our sins and cleanse our soul, mind and body which is alone is the best benefit of minor pilgrimage.

· Strengthen faith: When a person intents to perform Umrah just for the sake of his Lord  and fulfill all the Umrah rituals without any error, the whole process brings him close to Allah which eventually strengthen our Emaan. Having the strong Emaan is the best treasure that Muslin can have and you can do this by performing Umrah.

· Removes Poverty: Those who think spending their wealth reduce their money is totally wrong because Allah SWT love those who spend their money in way of Allah. According to the Hadith, Umrah removes poverty and sins as hollers removes impurities from iron.

· Reward Equivalent to Jihad:  Jihad is one of the noblest acts in Islam and its reward is martyrdom, the one who never dies. Muslims who perform Umrah with pure intentions only for their Lord’s sake will be able to earn the reward equivalent to Jihad.

Economy Umrah Package OCT 2019

Umrah is a great and prestigious Ibadah that every Muslim across the world wants to perform once in his life. Umrah which is also known as lesser or minor pilgrimage brings not only spiritual peace and harmony to the performer but also brings prosperity and wealth. The Ibadah is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad SAWW who had performed Umrah twice in his life. Various Hadith SAWW shows the eminence of this non-obligatory Ibadah.

For the sake of Umrah performance, pilgrims can either choose an Umrah package or can customize their Umrah on their own. Do-it-yourself (DIY) or customized Umrah is hard to organize, plan and handle. On the other hand, pilgrims with Umrah packages from a travel company can perform their Umrah without being worried about the materialistic matters. Such Umrah packages contain all the basic necessities that a pilgrim requires during his Umrah. From accommodation to transportation, Umrah packages include all the basic stuff and facilitate you with required information.

Umrah packages are usually divided into three categories or phases, commonly known as 3, 4 or 5 star Umrah packages or cheap, economy and VIP packages. As you predict, 3 star or cheap Umrah package offers all the basic necessities required during Umrah but no luxurious item in it, 4 star or economy package includes all the basic necessities, in addition to some extra one and 5 star or VIP Umrah packages are those where the customers are provided with the most luxurious stuff and amenities.

Economy Packages or 4 Star packages are best to be chosen if you want to experience some luxury but also remaining within your budget. These Umrah packages allow the pilgrims to perform their Umrah comfortably while being in the budget. For the best economy Umrah packages, choosing Travel for Umrah for the purpose is the best option. Although we are famous among the pilgrims for our all Umrah packages because of their quality services, cheap rates and curated deals but our Economy Umrah packages suit and demanded by majority of our customers. So if you are planning to go for the sacred spree, make sure to opt the best travel company in town and make your Umrah journey beautiful and comfortable this October.

Accommodation

The Economy Umrah Package October 2019 consists of 10 days in total where pilgrims have to stay 5 days in Makkah and next 5 days of the spree in Madinah. In Makkah, the accommodation provided to the pilgrims will be Dar Al Eiman Al Andulas whereas pilgrims at their Madinah stay will be staying at Al Eiman Al Qibla Hotel.

Dar al Eiman Al Andulas is a beautiful 4 star residence at King Abdul Aziz Road in Ajyad District. The hotel is known for its quality services and value for money. Dar al Eiman Al Andulas is located at a 5 minute drive from the holy Haram and serves as an exception because nearly all the hotels located in the close proximity of the Grand Mosque are 5 star and are highly expensive. Dar AL Eiman on the other hand, provides extreme comfort to the pilgrims while being in budget. The rooms in the hotel are simply yet elegantly furnished and have number of facilities featuring free Wi-Fi, air conditioner, a seating area, a minibar, and a walk-in shower. 24 hour reception provides information that customers need and the services like safety deposit box, availability of elevator and free luggage storage makes it sure that the customers are feeling secure and contented. Pilgrims staying at Dar AL Eiman Al Andulas hotel will be provided with rooms only.

Al Eiman Al Qibla hotel in Madinah is one of the finest and luxurious hotels of 4 Star category or otherwise the economy category. The hotel is situated right next to the Prophet’s Mosque, making it very easy for the pilgrims to perform their prayers and supplications. Al Eiman al Qila Hotel is often chosen as the accommodation by the pilgrims because this hotel provides what customers want. Wooden furniture, carpeted floors, large windows, air-conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi, a private bathroom, flat-screen satellite TV, free parking, valet parking, 24- hour reception, safety deposit box, lift, and family rooms are some of the highlighted amenities that the hotel offer. Pilgrims during their stay the hotel in Madinah will las be provided with rooms only.

Flight tickets

Booking flight and taking care of it is one of the most hectic things while travelling. But once you have opted the Economy Umrah package via Travel for Umrah then it will not remain an issue anymore. We are in contact with the finest airlines in the world and book a flight for you with an airline that suits the best to your budget, need and requirement.

Visa and transportation

Visa and transportation are also the part of this Umrah package so that pilgrims do not have to worry about their flying and transportation during their holy jaunt.

Package Price

The package price starts from £635 per person where it is based on 4 people sharing.