My wife and I are planning to do UMRA next month on our way back from Pakistan, Inshallah?. Although UMRA is a relatively simple and short pilgramage I would love to know about the experiences of others. Apart from th UMRA itself, what places did you visit, what about the accomodation, food, people, and your general experiences?
Your insights will be warmly welcomed. Thanks in advance
How many days are u going for?
If its for a day or two, then spend all the time in Mecca. Blending in the place is extremely easy, on account of most of the businesses and hotels being run by pakistanis and bangladeshis. Even most of the saudis speak some urdu. Hotel accomodations should be available close to the Masjid, since this is an off peak time for umra. Dont be bothered by what kind of accomodation u get, as long as its close to the masjid, since ur primary reason there is ibadat, not luxurious accomodations. There are loads of Pakistani restaurants around so food isnt an issue either.
There are lots of unofficial umra guides roaming around the masjid who will lead u through one whole umra, (tawaf and sai'i) for something like 100 riyals. But if u know all the duas, or have a book handy, u might not need them.
As for places, just hire a cab, and tell him to take u for ziarat around the city. The cabbie will give u his price, and take u to practically all the spots around the city. They stop at all the places, allowing u to go pray in masjids, or just walk around the place, depending on where you go.
If you are gonna be there for a longer time, then do try to split it between Mecca and Medina.
Its a very soothing experience, and being a first timer there doesnt carry as many problems as does being a first timer in another country. Best of luck and congratulations.
Thanks for your advice Akif - we are going for 4 days and what you have said has given me some good pointers.
One more thing you may be able to help me on - how many Umra’s can you do? I would like to do Umra for my late Grandparents as well. There is no limit as such is there?
Thanks.
You are welcome Malik..
There is no limit on how many umras you can do. Usually its your stamina that limits u more than anything. And u can do it any time of the day or night. You will be surprised at the scene there at 2am. Subhan Allah.
4 days does sound enough to make it to Medina as well. Medina is 400+ km from Mecca…and a bus ride will take u perhaps 4 hours. So if u can spend 2 days at both places, u will be glad u did
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Enjoy the blessings
Thanks again Akif bhai - you will be in our prayers
Malik, Akif has given you very precise sketch of the trip.
On my side, I just want to share my experiences, Depending upon my stays - few days to weeks or sometimes months… Usually my first umara was dedicated for the Holy Prophet(saw) then for all the Mulims then my grand parents, family and so on…. as akif says, there is no limit how many you perform, but it does depends how sincerely you perform… its all neyats…. There are lots of standard prayers for each tawaf(total 7) and sahis(total 7), but you can ask Allah anything in any language.. You can get a book free from your nearest PIA office.
From start, you have to get dressed in ahrams before you enter Mecca for umra, (you can still enter haram, without ahram, if you don’t have intention for umra)… if you are staying in Mecca, every time you go for umra, you have to leave mecca first, shuttle service is available, that will take you to the nearest meqaat – the city limit. I usually travel from Jeddah, so don’t know much about this.
Another thing to keep in mind, choose a landmark where you can meet your wife after prayers or in case you are lost. ~ corner of zam-zam or between green pillars of safa marwa, or the blue light across the hajra-e-aswad – the black stone, are a few prominent marks. Also do remember the gate you enter.
Note: because of the security reasons, you cant take food or any other thing inside, beside your passport and wallet, (keep your passport with you all the time), but you can keep a small scissor for cutting a tuft of hair at the end of umra.
Average time taken to perform an umra is approx an hour or so.
One thing more that I would like to add is when ever you enter the Harams, (kaába or Masjid-e-nabwi) please do say two nafls for the reverence of that place. PS: Masjid-e-nabwi is closed between isha and tahajud
As for visiting other places, there are number of them to tour around in Mecca and Madinah, as for example,
In Mecca and surroundings, there is
beside that there are number of places to see within and around Mecca, a two day stay is not enough for all that.
Medina is very tranquil place, as if you are in walking in jannah. The whole city and its out skirts are worth visiting… a few to name..
-Jannat-tul’baqih, a burial place of great Muslims who sacrificed their lives for the sake the Islam usually open after fajr prayers.
-Masjid-e Quba – the first mosque of Islam.
-Masjid-e Juma – the place where first Friday prayer was held.
-Masjid-e Qiblatain – The place where the direction was changed, from Jerusalem to Mecca.
-Battle field of Ditch a.k.a. jang-e-ahzaab/khandak, there lies the khamsa masajid (the five mosques)
-Opposite this is a garden of Usman(ra). There is famous well, beer-e-usman, which Hadhrat Usman(ra) bought it from a yahudi, who use to sell water to muslims.
- The Battle field of Ohd, there is the also a tomb of Hadhrat Hamza and other shohodas(ra), at the foot step of Jable-e-Ohd.
-The same mount holds the cave where the Holy Prophet(saw) took refuge with Hadhrat Abu Bakar(ra)
well it’s all part of our history… spare some more time for all this…
that’s all for now… please feel free if you want to know anything particular.
Pray for this zalim in your prayers, if you can remember
have a safe trip
[This message has been edited by Zalim (edited July 12, 2000).]
Thanks Zalim - you also give some beautiful advice and tips. I’m gonna print it out and show it my wife.
And of course I’ll pray for you
Malik bhai, although I dont have any advice on umra cause I have'nt been there yet, would you remember me in your prayers. Me and the wife are planning for this coming Hajj-InshaAllah. Man do I wanna go there.
Have a safe trip and enjoy the blessings. May Allah be with you and your family - Ameen.
Thanks Zman bhai - inshallah your wife and you will go to Hajj and you will be in our prayers. In fact all the people I have come across in Gupshop will be in my prayers.
Malik Yar, have a wonderful and spiritual time in Mecca and Madina Shareef. Pray for all of us Gunhagar people, God knows we can do with all the help that we can get. I know things get a little out of control here, but you should know that we all care a whole lot about each other.
Have a safe trip. Drink lots of Aab-e-Zamzum, and when you are back, be sure not to try to Jagay-Bazi with us because you have done an Umra, and most of us can only dream of it.
Safe journey, Allah Hafiz
Malik Bhai remember all muslim Ummah in prayers during your stay in holy land.
Thanks to all the people who have given me some precious advice here and you will be in my prayers.
Special note to Ahmadi bhai - I concur with your sentiments and I’m glad that we can be friends as I have thouroghly enjoyed our jousts and come to respect you. Here’s raising my glass of coke to you buddy !
Here’s raising my glass of coke to you buddy !
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lahol1 where did you learn that decadent western habit of raising a toast. that too with another decadent western product. instead say zam-zam ka pani.
Somehow I knew some joker would object to that
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But I’ll raise Zam Zam to you Mullah Ji?
P.S. Are’nt you supposed to be blind in both eyes and in Kandahar where they ban the internet and such western “evils” ?
A Note to NY bahi and Malik jee: few months back I was going through an article from some Saudi Newspaper (Saudi gazette?) … it goes like… the well of zam zam does not holds the original water… its been centuries that the well was dried off., heavy pumps now forces the water from a distant place to keep the well functional as a tradition….…. the whole city of Mecca is served with the same water… now you can fillup a canister of so called water-of-zam-zam at your hotel….
I don’t know how far it holds the truth… but one thing for sure I have noticed that the taste of water within the haram and out side is the same…
PS: Malik yaar, I agree with Ahmadi; “most of us can only dream of it.” .. yaar I do believe in it that its a Divine Invitation from Allah… no one can go there without His bulawa… and you are one of them… Allah hum sab ko is muqaddas safer ki jasarat ata fermaáy.. aameen
Thats really interesting Zalim bhai… so does this water have any religous signifiance as well?
Yes I’m a believer in “Kismet” as well… in the last few weeks a lot of our worries have gone away which has allowed us to go to PAK and UMRA without any doubts or apprehensions. - a bit conveneniant and Allah’s doing?
Zalim Bhra, that might be the case, but to pilgrims visiting that Holy Site Zam-Zam is the reminder of the young Ismael kicking his heels on the ground while Hajra running back and forth between Safa and Marwa. It is about the Mercy (Compassion) of the God that a little child is able to untap an aquifer in otherwise a deserted place. Some may call it luck.
Alaih Sala Ibekafoon Abdu Hu.
Malik bahi; first of all you have to think what are you going for over there… these pather pani, don’t hold any significance in ones ibadha… zam-zam is simply a water… chemically made up of H2O with lots of minerals..,, which is good in preventing dehydration and muscle cramps in those hot deserts… what spiritual motives it hold… I don’t have answer for that….. yes it does reminds us of the great sacrifices… but people instead of praying for those pious personalities, have started praying physical things… I mean you will see how they use that so called holy water… in Pakistan… people reverend it with all there hearts.. over there, they use the same water in toilets too…-the daily life. In short I don’t see any religious significance in that water.. except a traditional obsession.
So dear keep in mind your purpose is ibadah over there… not physical things… these are biddats… and I feel very sorry to see that our paki Muslims specifically practice such biddats out of innocence…
Ahmadi yaar.. actually I see these things with a different angle… Miracles don’t happen out of normal. See if you study about these artesian wells… you will notice that at some places a slight tap on their tip can crank an aquifer. The pressure is already there, it just needs an excuse to gush out. In this light I believe that Hadhrat Hajra(ra) was also under the divine guidance be told to lay the young Ishmael at that weaker place… or something like that had happened…
well thats all my personal opinion..
Thanks Zalim bhai .Just to confirm what I have read so far on UMRA what is Fard is for UMRA and what is Sunnah? Grateful for the advice…