Assalam Alaikum,
Please share your umrah and hajj experiences.
Jazakallah.
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Hajj is like a holy picnic ... where you eat.. pray .. eat more... pray more.....meet people from all over the world.... make new friends....... etc etc
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Interesting analogy. What preparations did you make before you embarked on Hajj?
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
picnic??????????
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
never went to hajj, if one day Ahmadi muslims are allowed to go to hajj, then sure i will love to go there..
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Hinna Just been there.....! Are you planning for Umra or Hajj ???
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
can’t you just say that you’re not Ahmadi. And if Ahmadis are not allowed to go, then why are Shias allowed to go? Shias are not Muslim, according to Wahabi ideology.
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
It was a last minute thing for us.. we decided two weeks before the last batch was leaving for Hajj.
pack light .. dont be surprised by dirty, filthy bathrooms though.. especially at musdalfa (sp)
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
I performed umrah when I was in grade 3. It was a great experience. I would love to go back for umrah/hajj again, insha'Allah.
Nothing beats the peace and tranquility that is experienced in Haram mosque and Prophet's (SAW) mosque.
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Saudi Arabia’s government, and the religious authorities at Mecca & Medina (who are appointed directly by the Saudi Government) recognise Shias and Ismailies as being Muslims, so they are allowed to go on Hajj.
Nonetheless, FrozenFire, if you have a Canadian passport how comes you don’t go on that since it makes no reference to religion? I know Ahmadies in the UK who did hajj on British passports.
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Hajj ... be prepared for the massive crowds and try your best to be patient. There are literally thousands of people there who have never been outside of their small towns and so they don't have the same mannerisms and it can be a bit overwhelming at first. You will get used to it. Try not to focus on it and remember what you are there for. Personally, I found Madina a lot more calm, relaxing and spiritual than Mecca ... but again, that is cause of the chaos of the crowds during Hajj.
Umrah can easily be performed within a few hours. Just take a lot of water with you or drink the zam zam water that is there. The haram masjid is truly beautiful. Make sure you see it at night time. I did a tawaf down by the kaba as well as on the second floor. We did our umrah in the middle of the night and then again during the day. It looks amazing at night time with all the lights and it is never quiet in the masjid, always people there.
You might see a lot of things that disturb you. I know I did during Hajj this year. It is really important to try and focus on what you are there for ... that is the main thing you have to try and do.
After Hajj, you will get a lovely package of food from the Badshah of Saudi Arabia himself. It is full of yummy stuff. :D
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
I've done Umrah twice..back in 1997. It was an amazing experience. Something that I treasure to this day. My heart longs to go back to that place.
Umrah might happen again...maybe this Ramadan..
I really want to do hajj....not sure if it will be this year or the next.
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Now, until last week the number of people were increasing like any thing, Almost every week the hotel rates were changing, We packed lite. Few suits and if you like Abbaya's it is available very cheap there so even if you are running short you can buy one, also it was a protection from dust and sun.
We were lucky and did not book hotel or transport through agent and took the chance to have a hotel on our own ( I know normally they don't do that)
We found hotel right in Front and was less then 100 m from Haram at both places (It will be dificult to do that in Ramadan). The transport liberty gave us a chance to take taxi from Madinah Munawarah to Makkah Mukarama through Hijrah route (this is no longer used by buses or taxis).
It was amazing, even still some times I feel like I am walking in those streets.
My Mother and brother did Umrah in Ramadan and they still remembers that experience, and wanted to go agin. According to them the number of people reaches to millions.
Word of Caution. In Madina Munawara When Riaz-ul-Janna is opend twice in a day for women, they rush toward the small space and if you are not strong enough then chances are that no one will pick you up.
In Makkah Mukarma its very crowded to kiss Hajar-e-Aswad, Almost impossible.
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Bookworm...sounds like you and your family had a great time..and were very fortunate to get a great hotel.
Alhamdulilah I have been fortunate enough to see the Riaz Ul Janna and kiss Hajar-e-Aswad. :)..hehe my mom shoved my face in it :D
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
I want to go on Hajj tooo and see the Ka’bah, Masjid an-Nabawi (SAW), do Ziyaarah of the grave of Rasool-Allah :saw: and see the places where our Master :saw: and the heroes of our Deen and our leaders, pious predecessors the Salaaf As-Saalihoon lived… 
I use to dream about being in Masjid al-Haram with the Ka’bah towering above me but never been there in real life.. 
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
i've done umrahs, havent had the opportunity to do hajj yet.
umrahs can be done in few hours during non-hajj times. n like sadiyah said, 'Nothing beats the peace and tranquility that is experienced in Haram mosque and Prophet's (SAW) mosque'. i'd recomend to do umrahs during winter time. the weather is not so hot and u can go around the city to do zyarat without burning in the heat.
Re: Umrah & Hajj Experiences
Hinna , May Allah accept our this little effort.
We also kissed the Hajar-e Aswad and prayed in Riaz-ul-Janna but I was talking about Ramadan that at that time its very difficult to do that.
Next we are planning to go for Umrah during Ramadan and then Inshaallah for Haj.
Suroor_ca02, I heard that Umrah Visa is difficult to get speacially this winter when Haj will be in Jan. Someone told me that they do not issue Umrah Visa after 1st of Sawal.