Have you ever wanted to perform Umrah? Of course, as a Muslim, it is a sacred dream to fulfil this. There are a few things in place to make this dream come true safely. To reveal all these, you should know 4 amazing tips for Umrah from UK. But one thing is sure; getting Umrah packages from reliable travel agencies is the key to performing Umrah successfully.
- Build up your stamina
- Dress according to the weather
- Essentials to bring
- Mental Preparation
Build up your stamina
Want to increase your stamina for Umrah, but not sure where to start? Just walking is a great way to build endurance and strength, especially if you’re not exercising regularly. When starting a walking routine, keep in mind that it needs to be gradual: increase your speed and distance gradually, not overnight. Feel free to choose your pace, as the reason behind it is to increase your stamina. According to fitness trainers, walking is an amazing way to increase or maintain fitness
A pilgrim can walk 5 to 6 kilometres during Umrah at the time of Sa’i and Tawaf. If the residence is close to the mosque, it will be easier to join the daily prayers during prayer times. But if your accommodation is at some distance, it might be a challenge for you.
Dress according to the weather
There is a common saying that there is no bad weather, only poor clothes. Dressing appropriately for the weather affects how long you can comfortably and safely spend time outdoors.
Generally, the falling temperature is a forecast of winter, and the rising temperature is a forecast of the hot season.
Do not wear cotton clothing on cold or wet days. Because this type of clothing absorbs water and sweat along with the skin and keeps the body cool. Using wool or synthetic materials like polypropylene keeps the skin warm in cold weather. In cooler weather, choose wool or polyester.
First, choose the season of your Umrah trip. If your choice is “Summer” then wear light clothes and “Winter” if you decide on heavier clothes. Temperatures in Saudi Arabia range between 28-45 degrees Celsius in May-October and 17-33 degrees Celsius in December-February. Therefore, depending on the temperature change, the types of Ihram will also change, so pick the right Ihram.
If you don’t have the right shoes, buy a pair in advance and wear them for walks or exercise to get yourself used to them. For men, the ankles, and the front of the feet should be exposed in the state of Ihram. Therefore, sandals or slippers are recommended. These are ideal for going to and from the mosque so are very easy to carry in hand.
Essentials to bring
To make an Umrah trip successful must bring some essentials. Along to pack, you should have the latest mobile for ending the language barrier, finding a place, reciting the necessary prayers, and many more.
Let us know what are essentials to bring while this sacred trip.
Travel documents
Basic First-aid Kit
Travel Documents
Documentation is proof to do anything legally. To join the Umrah, you must have to get some documents to enter the Kingdom and perform Umrah easily.
Travel documents include:
- Visa
- Flight Ticket
- Hotel Reservation
- Transport Reservation
- Guide
- Health Insurance
The ministry allows each type of visa-holder Muslim can come to Saudi Arabia, especially for Umrah. Flight Ticket is not recommended for all if they are from adjoins bordered areas. But UK inhabitants need it because of the long distance. There are only two flights directly reaching Saudi Arabia from the UK, British Airways and Saudi Airline.
Today, getting reservations for hotels and transport is not a tricky task because all is done online. But make sure to hard or soft copy in your access while Umrah. Guide means to teach. Having the bulk of videos and writing materials on the internet, performing Umrah is easier than in older days. So, a new requirement for Umrah is getting Health insurance is demanded. So, don’t forget it.
Contacting an agent or agency to find all the necessary documents is easier than making a list of what to include in travel documents. The expertise of the agent helps one to choose Umrah Packages 2023.
Basic First-aid Kit
According to NHS web, your Basic First-aid Kit can deal with minor accidents and injuries.
Here is a list of First Aid Kit to treat you.
- Triangular bandages
- Rolled bandages
- Sterile gauze dressings
- Safety pins
- Disposable sterile gloves
- Scissors
- Alcohol-free cleansing wipes
- Sticky tape
- Thermometer
- Skin rash creams, such as hydrocortisone or calendula
- Cream or Spray to save the insect
- Antiseptic cream
- Painkillers Drugs
- Antihistamine cream or tablets
- Sun block cream or lotion
Mental Preparation
Deal with any complex; be preparing as mentally to solve it. First, decide what you need if you belong to the UK and go to such where nobody knows you and speaks a language that is totally different from your mother tongue. Remember that, you are going on a sacred journey, not a holiday trip whether reaching reason is whatever.
First, learn each aspect of Umrah, secondly, Saudi culture is against the UK, and thirdly keep patience at every turn of your trip.
Let us go into detail about aspects of Umrah, Saudi Culture, and what means to keep patience.
Aspects of Umrah
There are 4 steps or stages to fulfil his sacred journey that are Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, and Halq/Taqsir.
Ihram:
It’s a dress name for Muslims, they wear it while Hajj and Umrah. Its formation is totally separate for both genders. A male chooses two unstitched white coloured sheets for covering the upper and lower parts of the body. He can’t wear any undergarments in the state of Ihram.
She cannot pick a tight and skimpy dress that exposes her body parts. She may use Abaya to cover her modest clothing, but covering her face and hands is not included in the state of Ihram.
Tawaf:
Circumambulating around the Kaaba building, Al Harm Mosque seven times is equally valid for both genders. Each circle of Tawaf begins and ends on the point of Black Stone (Hajre Aswad). Reaching, touching, and kissing is not compulsory for each pilgrim because of the rush.
Sa’i:
Seven times going back and forth between Safa and Marwa is called Sa’i. Usually, the speed of walking is increasing while walking for Sa’i. If one’s weak, elder, child, or ill then keeping a slow speed is not an issue. But the recommendation is complete it quickly as you walk to find something.
Halq/Taqsir:
These are two different names for the last aspect or ritual of Umrah, but both have the same purpose. This ritual means sacrificing the hair of one’s head in the path of God. The man has both options to fulfil it while the woman has only the Taqsir. A complete head shave is a Halq and a cut of the hair for one inch is a Taqsir. After that, the pilgrim can leave the state of Ihram.
Saudi culture
To embrace the Saudi culture; First, try to learn the Arab way of life. Napping in the afternoon, and being more active at night, especially during winter nights, is part of the Arab way of life. All shops are closed during Friday prayers. You may experience that most shops are open late on weekend days (Friday and Saturday).
Involving yourself in any religious and political debate is tantamount to going against the current Saudi government. Kissing and touching are inappropriate activities in public areas even if you are a married couple. Taking pictures without permission is a crime. It is a fact that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has opened the doors of tourism to Europeans and Americans.
After following the Arabic rules they can move around in it without any problem. A man can wear pants and so can a woman. But skirts, thin and short dresses are not allowed. Even women here cannot wear bikinis and bras while visiting the beaches of the Arabian Peninsula.
Running or jogging in public is ok for men and women if they are dressed appropriately. Keep your voice low during prayer. Playing loud music is not acceptable.
Keep patience
Patience is a virtue of a good person. If you are being travelled from the UK to Saudi Arabia. So you can go through different twists and turns to get here. The first step may not be to arrange all the travel requirements to reach Mecca. Sometimes, agents may charge extra even if the package is already booked. Taking more time to get out of the airport after arriving in Saudi Arabia. Facing difficulty in reaching Hajra Asuf during Tawaf due to others. Keep yourself away from others while walking between Safa and Marwah. Always try to stand behind the imam (who leads during the prayer) for prayer.
Islam advises us to be patient; on the contrary, lack of patience is an attribute of the Devil. Therefore, we should show patience on all the mentioned occasions so that the main purpose of Umrah is achieved.
Here are 4 amazing tips for Umrah from UK. This list of suggestions may be longer or shorter than this number. But our goal is to complete Umrah. Building stamina does not mean joining a gym to build a body. All this can be done just by practising walking. Dressing for the situation is about engaging yourself in what you want. Before packing any clothes, decide when you want to go on your Umrah trip.
Having a mobile is the best guide for Umrah, as it does a number of things for you like storing all the necessary travel documents. And this gadget can direct you to the concerned agent if you face any problem.
Preparing yourself mentally is the first step to accomplishing any task. For this, spend time to increase as much knowledge as possible about Umrah. Which dua is recited at the beginning and which dua is between Safa and Marwah?
Do not buy a package from an agency that does not have proof of being Ministry-approved and ATOL safe. Just go with it, approved by Ministry with 5-star reviews and is also protected like Labbaik Hajj Umrah.
By keeping all these 4 tips in mind, anyone can complete their Umrah trip from the UK.
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