What are some of the rules of Ihram for women?

 Umrah and Hajj are the sacred pilgrimages of the Islamic faith. Every year, tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims arrive through Cheap Hajj and Umrah Packages from across the world for the holy rituals. Hajj being an obligatory pilgrimage gets observed once every year during the month of Dhul-Hijjah. On the other hand, Umrah remains a Sunnah (voluntary) pilgrimage and can be performed at any time of the year through December Umrah Packages. Nonetheless, there is no bigger virtue than devoting your time, wealth, strength, and energy in the supplication to Allah Almighty. That’s why it remains advised for all Muslim men and women to follow up on the performance of these pilgrimages. 

For both of these pilgrimages, there are some rules that pilgrims have to abide by. While the general rules apply to both men and women, there are some exceptions as well. So, here’s a brief guide on Ihram rules for women.

What sort of Ihram clothing should be worn?

Unlike men, women are permitted to wear their ordinary and stitched clothes as their Ihram. There’s not a single specific dress code to abide by in this regard i.e., they can wear any type of clothes and of any color. Yet, the clothing should remain modest and simple – in accordance with the teachings of Islam. Otherwise, if your Ihram obligations aren't fulfilled properly, the performance of the Hajj and umrah would be deemed invalid.

That’s why in order to avoid any sort of confusion related to Ihram clothes, most women pilgrims prefer wearing an Abaya on top of their ordinary clothes.

Clothing Fabric.

Makkah has a hot desert climate where the heat during the daytime is pretty intense, while at the same time, nights can be chilly. Thus, your clothing fabric for Ihram must remain in accordance with it. Usually, it is advised to wear cotton blended or mixed fabric clothes for Ihram as they are airy and help keep you cool.

Light colors are generally preferred by the pilgrims because of their heat resisting benefits. Yet, it should be kept in mind that the type of fabric you are choosing for your Ihram clothes must remain thick enough that it doesn’t reveal any part of your body under daylight.

Other things to consider.

• It isn’t permissible for women in Ihram to cover their faces or hands during the holy rituals. So, avoid wearing Niqab or Gloves.
• Wearing a Hijab with an under cap remains advised because is necessary for women in Ihram to keep their heads covered at all times.
• Unlike men, women can wear socks or closed footwear in their Ihram. 
• Jewelry can be worn even in the state of Ihram.
• Wearing fragrance or scent of any sort remains prohibited in the state of Ihram.

These are some of the fundamental rules to consider for Ihram of women. 

4 Useful tips for hiring the perfect umrah deals

Planning to go for Umrah performance? It’s a great blessing of Allah Almighty to be able to perform it. However, managing the travelling requisites of Umrah can be a challenging task. Since millions of people are travelling for the holy rituals all-round the year, it’s difficult to locate the ideal time to perform Umrah. The month of Ramadan can be the busiest, while December can be a bit relaxed. All in all, it depends on one’s personal preferences. 

Hence whether you are travelling for umrah with family or alone through Cheap Ramadan Umrah Packages London, here are 4 useful tips to help you hire the perfect umrah deals. 

Hire a credible travel agent.

Always try to find companies having a good reputation and an authentic background in the industry for reliable travel services. Travel agencies that are not only affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah but also internationally certified for operations. In this way, you can avoid getting scammed. 

But How can you know about the reliability of services offered by a travel agent? Well, you can consult the company’s website and also get referrals. Read out the customer views of people having conducted business with them in the past and also understand the company’s whereabouts. Whether the agent offers insured travel services or not? Are there any hidden charges/taxes that are not effectively mentioned in the package? All such considerations should be undertaken and dealt with at this point.

Discounted Airfares and Hotels.

A well-reputed travel agency can help its clients redeem a variety of discount coupons from different airline operators and hotel chains. How? Well, through their frequent business and trustworthy international relations, a reliable travel agency can arrange for you discounted airfares and hotels in luxury.

Know your needs.

When travelling for umrah the client must also know its needs. What are you going to need for your accommodation, travel and transportation mediums? Any special requests can only be catered efficiently when submitted in time. Therefore, do your homework first and then hire the professional services of a travel agent for better guidance on umrah packages and finally buying them. 

Sketch out a travel itinerary for yourself.

You must also sketch out a travel itinerary for yourself beforehand. Whether you want direct flights to and from the kingdom or connecting ones? How long is your stay in Makkah, Madinah or any other city that you wish to visit? What are the travel routes for Ziyarath of the Holy sites? All such evaluations made prior to travel help in effectively managing the Umrah trip.

Hence, if you are travelling for umrah in the near future, this a brief guide to help you get the best possible options within your budget and individual demands. 

What are the Islamic Pilgrimages?

 For religious reasons, Muslims are subjected to observe pilgrimages to the holy city of Makkah, Saudia Arabia. Islamic pilgrimages have the basic concept of gathering Muslims from across the world at one platform; supplicating to Allah Almighty; promoting the sense of brotherhood, unity and equality among them. There are two Islamic Pilgrimages; Hajj (the obligatory pilgrimage) and Umrah (the voluntary/sunnah pilgrimage). All around the year, Muslims keep on arriving through their Islamic Travel Offers Cheap Hajj and Umrah Packages 2023 in the kingdom of Saudia Arabia for observing the holy rituals.

Here’s a brief description of the Islamic Pilgrimages and their importance.

Hajj; the obligatory pilgrimage of Islam.

Hajj, also known as the ‘Major Pilgrimage’ is a religious obligation for every able Muslim as the fifth pillar of Islam. For anyone who has the financial, mental as well as the physical capability for it, Hajj remains an obligation to be fulfilled at least once in a lifetime. Remember that such a person should also be providing for his family for all of their expenditures back home during his travel to the holy land. If and only all of these conditions are fulfilled, then hajj becomes obligatory for such a person.

Time for Hajj performance. 

Hajj is observed annually during the month of Dhu-al-Hijjah which is the 12th and last month of an Islamic Lunar year. Hajj rituals officially commence from the 8th of Dhu-al-Hijjah and continue till the 12th of Dhu-al-Hijjah. Usually, pilgrims arrive in the kingdom before the 8th of Dhul Hijjah, offer their Umrah rituals, and then reassume Ihram to gather and perform all of the Hajj rituals collectively. 

Significance of Hajj.

As the rituals of hajj complete, the pilgrims are offered an opportunity to get all their sins wiped away; renew their perspective of life, and have a fresh start just like a newborn baby. One of the greatest rewards one would get from the Almighty after the performance of Hajj with honest intentions is that all of his past sins will be forgiven.

Umrah; the voluntary pilgrimage.

Umrah, also referred to as the ‘Minor Pilgrimage’ is a voluntary pilgrimage that Muslims undertake in the performance of the Sunnah of our Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW). To explain it further, performing Umrah is not an obligation for any Muslim even if he/she has all the means for it. However, it remains a recommended activity because of the great rewards it holds for pilgrims. 

Time for Umrah's performance.

Umrah season lasts all around the year i.e., one can travel for umrah rituals any time of the year except for the days of hajj. 

Significance of Umrah.

Umrah's performance holds exceptional rewards for the pilgrims, similar to that of the hajj pilgrimage. In fact, the performance of Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan is itself equivalent to hajj in reward.

These are some of the important things to know about Islamic pilgrimages. 

Facts to know about the Grand Mosque of Makkah

The Grand Mosque of Makkah is also referred to as the ‘Sacred Mosque’ or ‘Masjid-al-Haram’. It is present in the holy city of Makkah, Saudia Arabia, and houses a lot of sacred things of Islam. The entire boundary of Masjid-al-Haram encircles the Holy Kaabah. The Zamzam well, Maqam-e-Ibrahim (station of Ibrahim), Hajar-al-Aswad (the black stone), and the hills of Safah and Marwah are also present within the premises of the grand mosque. That’s why it holds great religious importance for Muslims, millions of which arrive every year through their Islamic Travel Offers Cheap Hajj and Umrah Packages for the holy rituals of hajj and umrah pilgrimage.

Here are some of the important facts to know about the Grand Mosque of Makkah.

Holiest of the three Mosques.

There are three holy mosques of Islam located across the world; Masjid-al-Haram, Masjid-al-Nabawi (SAWW) and Masjid-al-Aqsa. Out of the three holy mosques of Islam, Masjid-al-Haram is deemed as the holiest because of various spiritual, historical, and religious reasons. It’s the most sacred mosque to ever exist on earth and is present in Makkah city; also called the ‘House of Allah Almighty’.

Throughout the year, millions of faithful followers gather in Masjid-al-Haram for supplication and offering prayers. As a matter of fact, the tawaf around the Holy Kaabah never ever stops! Wearing the specified Ihram clothes, pilgrims arrive in the city from all the corners of the world and flow through the mosque’s multitude of gates to fulfill the religious obligations of hajj and umrah.

Another surprising fact to know about Masjid-al-Haram is that it never closes i.e., at all hours of the day and night, disciples can be seen walking counter-clockwise around the Holy Kaaba offering prayers, making Dua, and supplicating to Allah Almighty.

World’s Largest Mosque.

In addition to being the holiest mosque in the world, Masjid-al-Haram is also the world’s largest mosque. With approximately 356,000 square meters of area, 9 minarets, and a vast praying area – Masjid-al-Haram reserves the capacity for accommodating 4 million worshippers at a time. Surprisingly, expansion projects are in progress to increase this capacity further as well.

However, historically speaking Masjid-al-Haram had not been like this always because the mosque had been expanded, renovated, and even rebuilt many times. Currently, some expansion plans are still underway in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of pilgrims and you might see the construction happening when you visit the Haramain.

Only Qibla for Muslims.

Masjid-al-Haram, specifically speaking, the Holy Kaabah is the only Qibla of Islam in the world. Muslims, regardless of where they exist in the world, offer their prayers while facing in its direction. Previously, Masjid-al-Aqsa remained the first Qibla of Islam but then Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW) was instructed by Allah Almighty to shift Qibla's direction from Masjid-al-Aqsa in Jerusalem to Holy Kaabah in Makkah.

These are some of the important things to know about the grand mosque of Makkah.

Essential tips for your Hajj travel

 Being able to travel for Hajj is a dream come true for a believer. It’s a blessing that Allah Almighty bestows for whoever he wishes. That’s why every Muslim desires for offering the holy rotulas of Hajj but only a few a fortunate enough to actually travel for it. Even for those traveling, hajj is usually a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So, when they are traveling for hajj with best Hajj and Umrah Agents by Islamic Travel, preparations can be a little overwhelming; what to take and what to know? At the same time, it’s significantly essential that you pack light and travel smart i.e., one must always travel with proper planning and budgeting to ensure an efficient and safe hajj experience.

So, here are some of the essential tips for your hajj travel.

Be Organized.

Remember that organization is the key to having a safe, peaceful, and hassle-free Hajj travel experience. Always remain organized in every matter of yours, whether before, during or after your Hajj travel.

• In this regard, the first thing to do is to make a list of all your documents being carried along. It includes your passports, tickets, visa information, hotel and flight bookings, Vaccination and medical certificates, etc. Check your documents and always keep multiple copies of every single of them with you i.e., as a backup.
• Every single one of your items must remain separately packed, yet accessible at all times. You can also make a list of things you are bringing along, thus, having a checklist to refer to when you are returning. It includes everything from your clothing to electronics and medicines. 
• It’s not advised to carry your original documents everywhere you go. Rather, take the copies and store the original one in a safe place in your hotel room.
• Punctuality is essential; set a popper timetable for all of your personal, religious and social obligations while on the hajj trip and strictly stick to it. Eat at the right time and the same goes for sleeping. All in all, it would help you remain healthy and energetic during your holy pilgrimage.

Diet and Health.

It’s significantly essential to take good care of your diet while in the kingdom. Since you are there for the holy rituals of hajj which are going to be observed once only and at specific times, you cannot risk falling ill and missing any of that. Thus;

• Eat healthily and drink lots of fluids.
• Get yourself medically checked up to know about the medicines to take (if you are suffering from a chronic illness). It would also help you better understand the precautions to consider there.
• Vaccinations are a must, thus receive all the required vaccination shots depending on the region of your travel to Saudia Arabia.
• Avoid Junk food, processed foods, and foods that are too oily. Rather, stick to an organic diet of fruits, vegetables, whole-grain foods and dairy products.

These are some of the essential tips for your hajj travel.